What would you do?

[Mayhaw Man]

Thanks for taking the time with us this week.

Obviously your show is in the teaching catagory and that seems to be a disappearing genre on prime time Food Network. The "best of" shows and the like seem to be carrying the day. Emeril still draws a big prime time crowd, you are on there a couple of times a week, and I am assuming the ratings for Iron Chef are ok, but the rest of the stuff looks pretty much like it is composed of a host doing voiceovers with stock video taped interviews of people and stock scenes from sites (festivals, factories, restaurants).

I recently heard Sara Moulton speak in New Orleans and she said, without equivocation, that this is absolutely the new direction of the network as that is where the money seems to be. No more (or very little) cooking shows in prime time. OK. Fine. It looks like she was right.

My question is: What kind of programming would you put on prime time if you were in charge (aside from more of you-can't blame you there, but that's not part of the question)? Teaching shows? 4 hours of Emeril? Old Julia reruns? What would you like to watch if you were doing the programming to entertain yourself?

[Alton Brown]

Wow, good question...but I have to ask: are you a Food Network exec in disguise? Doesn't really matter now that I think about it.

I would put old cooking shows on in late night...Julia, Kerr, all the old classics that are really cool. I'd turn late night into a food version of TV land but not before my one hour talk show in the 11:30 slot. That's right Dave, I'm comin' after your worn out butt!

I'd produce more documentaries and specials and I'd make Tony Bourdain actually cook something on television, by force if necessary. I'd give a cooking show to a lunch room lady from mid-America. I'd produce more Iron Chefs but I'd find a female Iron Chef first.

I'd find someone to do a realistic, but within reason Mexican food show. I'd bring back Bill Bogg's Corner Table and David Rosengarten...though I'd make the later shave. I'd do away with stock photography and Voice Overs would be restricted to 8% of a show's total run time.

That's all just for starters. Oh, and I'd never, ever put a show in front of a focus group....ever.

A