A reader wrote:
I have an idea for a great reality show. It will soon be thought of by someone else. Therefore I have to sell the idea asap. How do I make money off it?
The short answer is, unfortunately, you can’t. Most companies won’t even listen to pitches for unsolicited ideas because there’s too much liability involved if they ever do something even remotely similar.
But, ideas are a dime a dozen — it’s how you implement it that counts. Your best chance to profit from the idea is to do something yourself. Go out and find some local sponsors and put the show together locally. Local channels always want fresh local content. What about other formats? Is the show something that would work on the radio? Or how about the local newspaper — could it work as a serial? What about public access television? Or straight to DVD? How about online?
There’s always a way to profit from any idea — but it’s never as simple as just selling it.
Dariana on November 23rd, 2004 at 12:14 pm
I came upon your site while surfing Blog Faces. You certainly have some interesting post(s). I enjoyed my time here. Happy Thanksgiving. :-)
Genius on April 16th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
I just thought of a great idea for a reality show - a bounty hunter / interior decorating show.
A couple goes to a fugitive’s home, captures him and turns him over to the authorities. THEN, they go back to the fugitive’s home and redecorate and remodel his home!
It’s genius.
John R. Eubank on September 23rd, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Take just two minutes to read this, you’ll understand why I’m excited about the opportunity to make this a ‘true reality’, and for all the right reasons.
Three years ago I started the process to ‘patent protect’ placing first aid on a cell phone, embedded into the memory for uninterrupted access when seconds count. The name of the program is LifeSavingAdvice and you can view a beta site at the .com. I received patent pending status and protection in 191 countries via the Paris Convention Treaty, and yes, this includes readiness information along with practical and spiritual help. I was amazed as well, but if you consider the temperature of the world culture we now live, and it has nothing to do with global warming, information like this is universal and priceless.
So here’s the concept for this entertainment/education/travel/humanitarian/business and much more program. In a way you could say, this is a hybrid of real world, apprentice, great race, survivor, biggest loser, bachelor, inventions, etc. Here are the numbers to consider when it comes to the ‘exposure’, via mobile; 242,000,000 in the US, 3 billion cell phones worldwide where every country will have their-own offering via licensing, giving this global syndication possibilities. Sponsors? We’re entertaining the notion of having ESPN develop a ‘youth sports’ version to the over 7 million volunteer coaches, national restaurant association having their own program with it’s 935 restaurants and 12.8 million employees (chocking, cuts, washing hands, slips and falls . . . it would good to know the restaurants who empower their employees with this critical information, especially if their patrons choke on it), US military to place it on every soldiers cell phone for immediate access when seconds count in the heat of battle . . . add to that FEMA, TSA agents, broader patrol, coast guard, national guard and so many more that the federal government is looking at a ‘mandate’. Casualty Property Insurers Association of America (CPI) is entertaining taking it to their membership, 11,000 insurance companies nationwide, to allow them to offer it to their clients, where they will have advertising exposure on the menu of the cell phone. All good and getting better.
Imagine capturing and recording the development of LifeSavingAdvice as we ‘license the world’, while at the same time promoting the awareness and distribution of this critical information everyone needs to know. Traveling the world setting up licensing meetings, interviewing prospects while they illustrate and demonstrate how they can make this happen within their boarders. Documenting the contact negotiations, patent filings following up on the PCT, translating and tailoring it to fit each culture in words, flavor and feeling. Then add to the mix the humanitarian effort, which is to give back within each area in relationship to need and support.
This universally needed and necessary mobile application, exclusive in every way, has immediate global attraction, which means the concept for documenting this effort has a huge entertaining/educational value as it notes and promotes the information we all need to survive and thrive, not only as a nation, but also throughout the world.
I look forward to your comments . . .