For example, when I was growing up, there were only three television stations available: ABC, NBC, and CBS. Because everyone was watching such a limited selection of programs, the networks had to create content that would be popular with the widest possible demographics. In order to be successful, shows had to appeal to men and women, children and parents, blue collar and white collar. Ideas with a strong but narrower appeal, like absurdist comedy, paranormal drama, or science fiction, did not have an easy path to commercial viability. Many people now forget that Star Trek, the most
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