--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Television executives only commission…" description: "\"Television executives only commission something that somebody else has already commissioned that's doing well on another station - they're afraid of ex..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg" --- # Television executives only commission something that… ![“Television executives only commission something that somebody else has already commissioned that's doing well on another station - they're afraid of expecting an audience to concentrate for longer than three minutes on any particular item.” quote by Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg) > “Television executives only commission something that somebody else has already commissioned that's doing well on another station - they're afraid of expecting an audience to concentrate for longer than three minutes on any particular item.” [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Executives prefer proven, short content to avoid risking audience attention beyond three minutes. **In simple terms:** They choose familiar, brief programs. Key Takeaway Embrace longer, innovative formats. Themes media risk aversion attention span Mood cautious pragmatic Type advice industry observation When to use this quote - TV programming - advertiser pitches - new show pilots Key Concepts broadcast strategy audience behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you capture attention beyond three minutes? - What risks are worth taking for deeper content? A Different Perspective Long formats may lose viewers if not engaging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Concentrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-concentrate-5899839/) [Commission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commission/) [Commissioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commissioned/) [Commissioned Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commissioned-doing-5899840/) [Concentrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentrate/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Expecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expecting/) [Expecting Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expecting-audience-2359971/) [Item](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/item/) [Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer/) [Longer Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer-minutes-540310/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Station](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/station/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-executives-5183257/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well/) ## Related quotes > [The problem is that television executives have got it into their heads that if one presenter on a show is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed heterosexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/the-problem-is-that-television-executives-have-got-it-into-their-2/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [If you aim at anything lower that is expecting your audience to be really alert and aware, then you're going to be caught out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/if-you-aim-at-anything-lower-that-is-expecting-your-audience-to-be/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [I think a lot of composers get into trouble just making up a plot and expecting an audience to follow that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eaton/i-think-a-lot-of-composers-get-into-trouble-just-making-up-a-plot-and/) [John Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eaton/) > [I don't believe moviegoers don't have patience. Screenwriters are told a scene can't be longer than three minutes, that you have to cut to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-don-t-believe-moviegoers-don-t-have-patience-screenwriters-are-told/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [When it looks like I may live longer than five minutes I'll drop cigarettes like a hot potato.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/when-it-looks-like-i-may-live-longer-than-five-minutes-i-ll-drop/) [Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/) > [“Even so-called 'short novels' are pretty long and can take several hours to read, so make sure you stay hydrated. I like to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ayoade/even-so-called-short-novels-are-pretty-long-and-can-take-several/) [Richard Ayoade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ayoade/) > [Everything seem way longer when it's only a few minutes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-seem-way-longer-when-it-s-only-a-few-minutes-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The concept of who your audience is becomes more important than your site. Sometimes you can be commissioned to do a piece in Strasburg,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-weiner/the-concept-of-who-your-audience-is-becomes-more-important-than-your/) [Lawrence Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-weiner/) > [We commissioned an independent statutory economic body - the Productivity Commission - to review the possibility of funding a disability scheme. The commission returned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shorten/we-commissioned-an-independent-statutory-economic-body-the/) [Bill Shorten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shorten/) > [I wish I'd been better able to resist the sense of obligation to write some of the poems I did. It's in the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-motion/i-wish-i-d-been-better-able-to-resist-the-sense-of-obligation-to/) [Andrew Motion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-motion/) > [On the first season of our show, I commissioned a Native American artist to make up, 'cause I'm known for the tomahawk, besides the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lando/on-the-first-season-of-our-show-i-commissioned-a-native-american/) [Joe Lando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lando/) > [There's still a lot I need to do as a player, as a musician, as a sound creator. I have commissioned 170 pieces: that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/there-s-still-a-lot-i-need-to-do-as-a-player-as-a-musician-as-a-sound/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [I was commissioned in 2003 to create an original show, and began developing 'Upwake.' 'Upwake' tells the story of Zero, a modern-day business man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-tsakos/i-was-commissioned-in-2003-to-create-an-original-show-and-began/) [Natasha Tsakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-tsakos/) > [In 1995, the Paul Keating Labor government commissioned an inquiry into the forcible removal of Aboriginal children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/in-1995-the-paul-keating-labor-government-commissioned-an-inquiry/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [“The novelist is like a scout commissioned to go and see what is happening in the depth of the soul. He comes back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-green/the-novelist-is-like-a-scout-commissioned-to-go-and-see-what-is/) [Julien Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-green/) ## More by Mariella Frostrup > [Had Elizabeth Bennet known how wildly Darcy's heart beat for her, 'Pride and Prejudice' would barely have made it into a short story. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/had-elizabeth-bennet-known-how-wildly-darcy-s-heart-beat-for-her/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [While we women dilly-dally, making decisions, leaving jobs half done, forgetting where we've put the house keys while we water the Hoover and leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/while-we-women-dilly-dally-making-decisions-leaving-jobs-half-done/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [It's a universal truth that no parent wishes to acknowledge that the fear and phobias we are in thrall to in adulthood almost invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/it-s-a-universal-truth-that-no-parent-wishes-to-acknowledge-that-the/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Reading a book you are not enjoying is a torture not to be undertaken without a reward. I leave plays at the interval, too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/reading-a-book-you-are-not-enjoying-is-a-torture-not-to-be-undertaken/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Writers want to talk. They can't wait to tell you what they've been thinking. And because they've been in solitude, they've had some fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/writers-want-to-talk-they-can-t-wait-to-tell-you-what-they-ve-been/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [The point of the feminist movement wasn't simply to set our underwear on fire and muscle into small spaces in the male-dominated workplace, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/the-point-of-the-feminist-movement-wasn-t-simply-to-set-our-underwear/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [For most of us, when our 'dreams' - I use the word with reservations - came true, and marriage and motherhood became a reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/for-most-of-us-when-our-dreams-i-use-the-word-with-reservations-came/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [I used to go out with someone who was a really great diver, and we used to go to all the great dive spots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/i-used-to-go-out-with-someone-who-was-a-really-great-diver-and-we/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [There are more than enough people with serious mental issues who really do need professional help without all the other Toms, Dicks and Harriets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/there-are-more-than-enough-people-with-serious-mental-issues-who/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [I feel lucky that I had my children late. Not that I would advise it in any shape or form. But I know friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/i-feel-lucky-that-i-had-my-children-late-not-that-i-would-advise-it/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [As for tweeting and texting: impassioned discussions, particularly when they're intimate, don't work in abbreviated script messages. No relationship should begin or end in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/as-for-tweeting-and-texting-impassioned-discussions-particularly-when/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Finding extracurricular activities with your husband that are unrelated to children, family and work is a priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/finding-extracurricular-activities-with-your-husband-that-are/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [One of my few childhood memories is as an eight-year-old, refused permission to watch the Hitchcock season on Irish television, sneakily viewing 'The Birds'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/one-of-my-few-childhood-memories-is-as-an-eight-year-old-refused/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Joy acts like a trampoline, everything that touches it bouncing right back off it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/joy-acts-like-a-trampoline-everything-that-touches-it-bouncing-right/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [I don't want my daughter to think she has to dress like Beyonce!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/i-don-t-want-my-daughter-to-think-she-has-to-dress-like-beyonce/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) [Explore all 109 Mariella Frostrup quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Television executives only commission something that somebody else has already commissioned that's doing well on another station - they're afraid of expecting an audience to concentrate for longer than three minutes on any particular item.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mariella Frostrup" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/television-executives-only-commission-something-that-somebody-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/television-executives-only-commission-something-that-somebody-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/mariella-frostrup-4573_afraid_television-executives-only-commission-so_2381534.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Television executives only commission something that somebody else has already commissioned that's doing…” — Mariella Frostrup", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mariella Frostrup", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Television executives only commission something that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/television-executives-only-commission-something-that-somebody-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/television-executives-only-commission-something-that-somebody-else/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```