THE PROBLEM

In Josef Adalian’s story, “Television -- as We Know It -- Is Finished,” he reports how network executives are finding ways of cutting costs. They talk about cutting large writing staffs and cutting scripted television shows all in the name of balancing their budgets.

One even said, “We're losing salaries and we're losing people. If you can't get free sodas, I think people will survive.”

That’s a great sound bite, but the reality is, when executives lose their jobs, they usually get a golden parachute, which could cost a network millions of dollars.

That’s right. They get paid millions of dollars to walk away. If you don’t believe me, Google "Ben Silverman." I...