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What is The Business of Television Max?

Launched in March 2026, The Business of Television Max is the companion publication to The Business of Television — a newsletter and information hub where you can find the latest and best information and authoritative analysis that I can offer about the TV and streaming industry (without waiting another five years for the next edition of the book to come out).

But more than that, it’s a place where working professionals at any stage of their careers can go to find unique advice, insight, and support to help them do their best work, and to make the most successful and rewarding careers they can for themselves — especially in these, uhh, let’s call them “deeply challenged and rapidly changing” times.

Aaaaaaand what is The Business of Television (and who are you) again?

Sometimes referred to as “the bible of the TV business” by executives, talent representatives, and creative professionals — only some of whom were actively and intentionally trying to flatter and manipulate the author at the time — The Business of Television is the leading reference guide to the TV and streaming industry for aspiring and working professionals.

That author is me, Ken Basin, a veteran business affairs and operations executive recognized as a thought leader in business strategy and dealmaking for original content over a career spanning senior executive roles at Paramount Television Studios, Sony Pictures Television, Amazon Studios, and (most recently) Riot Games, where I also executive produced the Emmy Award-winning second season of the blockbuster Netflix hit Arcane. I began my career as a lawyer at Greenberg Glusker LLP in Los Angeles, CA, where I handled both litigation and transactional matters for actors, writers, directors, producers, and a variety of independent film finance, production, and distribution companies.1 Besides my book, I am probably second best known for my unique game show accomplishments, which you can Google later if you’d like.

Since it was first published in 2018, The Business of Television has been embraced by curious students, ambitious newcomers, and experienced practitioners alike as the definitive text on the business of the business. Tackling questions ranging from “what’s the difference between a studio and a network?” to “how do I negotiate the finer points of a high-level non-writing producer deal?,” The Business of Television was written for (and is relied upon every day) by readers of every discipline and experience level. The book’s long-awaited second edition, published in 2024, featured expansive new, up-to-the-publication-date information and analysis about the TV and streaming industry’s recent past and present, as well as a few predictions (or at least aspirations) for its future.

If you are reading this, then you probably knew all that and already have your own copy. But just in case…

Buy the Book

Before we go any further, can I just see some kind of summary chart about this whole thing, and then decide if it looks interesting enough for me to keep reading?

Yeah, sure, that seems reasonable.

If you get to see this chart without having to read the rest of the “About” page, then I get to put a “Subscribe” button up here too.

Do I really need yet another industry newsletter in my life?

There are plenty of publications and Substacks that you can already read and subscribe to (just like I do) to get breaking news about the industry, in-depth analysis of major current stories, insider-oriented commentary about the state (and future) of the business, data-driven insights about specific companies and franchises, and/or all-purpose punditry with helpful data visualization. And of course, you can go to any social media platform and find no shortage of intentionally provocative hot takes, banal observations presented as unique insight, and AI-written slop generated by a wide-ranging Internet community of raving ideologues, anonymous shitposters, and LinkedIn influencers (and I think we can all agree we don’t need any more of that).

I started The Business of Television Max — and its big brother professional training/coaching/consulting service, The Business of Television Prime — because of two strongly-held beliefs I’ve developed after nearly 20 years in the business that I don’t see being properly spoken to anywhere else:

First, that it has never been harder to make a successful, fulfilling career for yourself in the entertainment industry.

Corporate consolidation and market pressure has put tremendous pressure on teams and organizations of every kind to do more with less in every way. Mentors and patrons are harder and harder to come by, as everyone has to work harder just to keep their businesses afloat and their heads above water (and firmly affixed to their necks). The rules of the game seem to change faster than people can learn them. Even the most capable and well-intentioned managers often lack the time, resources, and incentives to actively train, develop, and invest in their relationships with the next generation of executive talent. This Substack is an extension of the project started when I first published The Business of Television as a gift to my 25-year-old self, when I was figuring out my first TV deals and (literally) didn’t know the difference between a studio and a network.

And second, that, as professionals, we all do better when everyone is good.

In a dealmaking context that is as custom and practice-driven as the entertainment industry, a shared foundation of knowledge and assumptions on both sides is critical to getting business done quickly and effectively — and to creating the intellectual and emotional space for the thoughtfulness, nuance, and innovation needed to adapt existing norms to novel situations. At the same time, the ever-present fear of “getting it wrong” felt by many professionals (especially those who have largely had to figure out their jobs for themselves) promotes defensiveness, which in turn breeds excessive conservatism and mistrust that introduce unnecessary friction into the process, turning easy “yes”es into hard-fought “no”s and making negotiations (and pretty much every other kind of interaction) more contentious and less productive. Together with the mistakes that naturally come from inexperience, this insecurity-driven defensiveness imposes real costs, upon companies and individuals alike, in the form of wasted time, money, opportunity, and sanity. Maybe, just maybe, my writing this thing (and you reading it) can help us get at least some of all that back — for our industry, and for ourselves.

If you’re interested in a more detailed (and personal) account of why I’m doing all this, check out the (non-paywalled) first post on this site.

OK, I’m still listening. What do I get for free?

Anyone who subscribes to The Business of Television Max — even for free — gets:

1. At least two new articles delivered to your email inbox every month, including commentary and analysis on industry trends and news.

2. Regular “Ask the Author” posts, in which I respond to questions submitted by subscribers about any topic they want to ask me about.2

3. “Negotiation Workshop” posts, featuring seasoned advice on negotiation skills and philosophy.

4. “What Good Looks Like” posts, studying real examples of excellence from the best in the business.

5. “The Things No One Teaches You” posts, on the lessons of the job that never make it into a training manual.

Most posts in ongoing columns like these are free to read for two months after they’re published, after which they move to the archive (where their full texts are available only to Paid and Premium subscribers). Free subscribers will also occasionally receive promotional access to complete articles from behind the paywall, as well as regular sneak previews of paid content and occasional notifications about limited-time offers for free trials or discounted subscriptions.

And what does a Paid subscription get me?

On top of everything that comes with a Free subscription, Paid subscribers get:

1. Access to the full archive of published posts.

2. Regular “Doing the Job” posts, in which I share examples of my actual work emails, with in-depth commentary about virtually every substantive and stylistic thought that went into writing them, to highlight anything those emails might teach you about the substance of good deals or the craft of good dealmaking.3

3. Real-time updates and corrections to the most recent print edition of the book (available years before the next edition is published), including an expanded Glossary of Industry Terms (updated based on reader requests), as well as reliable, up-to-date Scale Cheat Sheets for WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA minimums (uniquely designed to prioritize fast and easy access to the most commonly-referenced figures for each guild).

4. Access to interactive live-streamed trainings, including real-time Q&A opportunities, produced and distributed in partnership with the Beverly Hills Bar Association (through which viewers can receive participatory MCLE credit for attending).

And if/when you finally choose to hit that subscribe button, you can rest assured that, while subscription rates may increase in the future, your subscription rate at sign-up is guaranteed for life.4

And as yet another voice on the Internet asking for some of your precious time and hard-earned money, these are my promises to you:

First, that I will only write about a subject if I truly believe I have something meaningful to say. That means not writing about any topic, even if it’s the hottest news story of the moment, unless I both know and care enough about it to develop a helpful (or at least interesting) point-of-view.

Second, that I will only write about a subject if I truly believe I have something special to add to the conversation about it. That means not writing about a topic about which I don’t have significant expertise, relevant experience, and/or unique perspective, or discussing any topic that already has been (or probably soon will be) capably covered by others just to say little more than “I agree with them.”

And third, that I will always strive to give every subject I write about all of the depth and nuance that it (and you) deserve(s). That means no cynical hot takes or willfully contrarian points of view, no click bait-y headlines, no hidden agendas, and no opinions that can be reduced to the length of a social media post.

You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention. What if I’m a working professional who really wants to understand the business better (and/or can submit large professional development expenses for reimbursement by my employer)?

For you, my hyperengaged (and/or well-resourced) friend, I offer our Premium subscription tier. On top of everything that comes with a Paid subscription, Premium subscribers get:

1. Access to TBOT, an exclusive AI-powered chatbot built on The Business of Television, full-length collective bargaining agreements, and other books and materials about the entertainment industry that I have personally selected (and appropriately cleared with their authors before use).

2. Downloadable dealmaking guides and other premium resources for working professionals.

3. Streaming access to a growing library of pre-recorded video presentations/training sessions produced and distributed in partnership with the Beverly Hills Bar Association (through which viewers can receive self-study MCLE credit for viewing).

4. A one-time, one-on-one personal phone or videoconference consultation with me, covering (pretty much) anything you’d like to talk about.5

5. An invitation to the release party for the third edition (and the release party for the second edition was kind of a banger). Terms and conditions apply, including that you must be an active Premium subscriber at the time the party actually takes place (probably somewhere in the 2028–2030 range?). That is, unless you’re one of the first 100 people to subscribe to our Premium tier (including under its old name, Max+), in which case you’ll receive your invitation even if you’re no longer a subscriber at the time the third edition is released.6

Actually, how about the opposite: not only am I ready to commit, but I want even more training and support for me and/or my team. Anything else you can do?

Yes there is! Through The Business of Television Prime, I also offer personalizable training and consulting services for groups of all sizes and organizations of all kinds (including law firms, agencies and management companies, studios, independent producers, and trade organizations), as well as one-on-one training and professional coaching for individuals in all phases of their careers. Discounted pricing is available for early- and mid-career professionals paying out-of-pocket, charitable/public interest organizations, and small, scrappy organizations (or individuals) that I take enough of a liking to. For more information, check out the Prime tab of this Substack, or email me directly at ken@tbotmax.com.

OK, that was a lot! Can I see that chart again now?

You got it.

And you’re sure you aren’t infringing any trademarks with the whole Max/Prime thing here?

My wife asked me that question too! It’s fine — they are intentional and satirical references to those words, as they are being used by the mass of media/tech conglomerates who, despite several of them no doubt paying millions of dollars to fancy branding consultants, can’t seem to come up with more than two or three distinct ways to try to brand their aspiringly hip new, youth-friendly, tech-forward services while retaining the goodwill in their familiar-but-aging legacy brands. To state the (hopefully) obvious, none of the services in The Business of Television family are provided, sponsored, or endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated with any of these companies or services in any way.7

Disclaimer

While the information contained on the site is intended to inform (and perhaps even entertain), it is not intended to be, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice. The information is all of a general nature, and how it applies to any particular individual or situation may vary significantly depending on the facts. The author is a lawyer, but the author is not your lawyer, and nothing about this site creates an attorney-client relationship between you and the author. If you need advice about a specific situation, you should probably go hire a qualified, experienced entertainment lawyer of your own. There are many fine ones out there.

This site takes great care to avoid making sweeping and absolute generalizations, and is peppered liberally with qualifiers like “usually,” “typically,” “generally,” and “as of this writing.” The only reason it is not even more densely packed with such qualifiers is because it would eventually make the whole thing an unreadable slog. Unless the text says “always” or “never” — and “almost always” and “almost never” don’t count — no unqualified absolutes are intended.

While this site is largely based on the author’s years of experience as a practicing attorney and business executive, it was created by the author entirely in his capacity as an individual scholar and observer of the entertainment and media industries. Although the author has received valuable input from many sources (for which he is most grateful), ultimately, all of the observations, opinions, and predictions set out on this site belong to the author alone and should not be understood to represent the positions or interests of any of the author’s past or present employers, colleagues, clients, or academic institutions.

Finally, the use of “Max,” “+,” and “Prime” on this site and otherwise to describe the services provided by the author is meant as intentional and satirical references to the use of those words and symbols by the mass of media/tech conglomerates who, despite several of them no doubt paying millions of dollars to fancy branding consultants, can’t seem to come up with more than two or three distinct ways to try to brand their aspiringly hip new, youth-friendly, tech-forward services while retaining the goodwill in their familiar-but-aging legacy brands. To state the (hopefully) obvious, none of the services in The Business of Television family are provided, sponsored, endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated with any of these companies or services in any way.

Sorry for that. But you know this site was written by a lawyer — what did you expect?