The TV Renaissance: Peter Biskind Unpacks 'Pandora’s Box'

Uncover TV's evolution with Peter Biskind on Beyond the Mic. Dive into his book “Pandora’s Box” for insights, streaming's future, & TV's transformative forces and more.

Welcome Peter Biskind:

I’ll start off today with a question. Is the golden age of TV at an end and what’s in TV’s future? We’re joined on the Starline by the former executive editor of Premiere magazine, bestselling cultural critic, journalist and author of “Pandora’s Box: How Guts, Guile, and Greed Upended TV.” We welcome Peter Biskind.

Peter. Let’s go Beyond the Mic. Normally I start with a couple of general questions but since time is short…

One Big Question:

“The bad news is that the post-network streaming world could turn out to look very much like the pre-streaming world.” The content on television has changed and evolved since the Telecommunications Act of 1996. How has consumers suffer from lesser programming after the changes forced onto them by the results of pandemic financial cutbacks in programming as well as artificial intelligence?

Reality TV exploded with a group of nobodies that could be paid less than regular actors. How has the least common denominator of television production changed from when you started watching television to today?

The Rockin' 8:

It’s time for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, answer with the first thing that comes to your mind. There is no Pressure.

1. Favorite television show that was canceled long before it should have?

2. Least favorite show that kept going and going?

3. In your book The Sky is Falling you bring up television has created separation in our country. Which show did the most damage in your opinion?

4. Which show/film at FilmColumbia didn’t get the love that you thought it should have?

5. Favorite black and white film?

6. How did the Spirit of 76 documentary change your life?

7. Coke or Pepsi?

8. If you could have 15 minutes to have one interview with a star long gone, who would it be with?

Sneaking in One More:

“Cash, not content is king.” Who could be television industry’s next change maker like HBO, FX, AMC and Netflix?

The Wrap:

He would have like interviewing Charlie Chaplain, loves “On The Waterfront” and wants you to read “Pandora’s Box: How Guts, Guile, and Greed Upended TV”. Peter Biskind thanks for taking the time to talk with us today.

And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut.

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