Following
this thread...
Was it possible for DuMont to weather the '50s?
It occurs to me several things things would have helped. First, because it wasn't a top-rated network, it would've been well-advised to adopt the 60- (later 30-) second spot ad, instead of asking for sole sponsors. This would've prevented sponsors having effective control over content.
That ties into the second thing: have DuMont rely heavily (at first) on gameshows; they're cheap to make & highly profitable... So, might DuMont do, frex, "21"? And avoid the game show scandals?
Third, could DuMont have co-operated with CBC? I'm thinking they could have co-produced
"Front Page Challenge",
"Headline Hunters",
"Definition",
"Wojeck",
"Rainbow Country", & the like. (Probably "R.C.M.P." would be no good...) This might also produce a deal to carry "Hockey Night in Canada", which would be cheap (if not a ratings giant, like it was on CBC...)
Given DuMont had DOD contracts, I wonder if they might not buy more "patriotic" series, like
"Supercarrier",
"Pensacola: Wings of Gold", "JAG", or
"The Lieutenant". If "The Lieutenant" succeeded, it might butterfly "ST:TOS" entirely

(given Gene was writing for it); at a minimum, "ST" would be delayed several years.
I also think DuMont would carry low-rated shows that would get cancelled by another network; that being true, if it bought "ST", DuMont might keep it on longer, even though it's not a top-rated show, because it would be high-rated
on the network. I also imagine there would be a lot more spinoffs of successful shows, so *"ST:V" (or *"ST:Excelsior"), *"ST: DS9", *"ST:E", & "ST: Academy" seem likely, along with (perhaps) "ST:JAG" & "ST:Section 31" (tho that last not with Gene still alive, I don't think

).
Given DuMont looks for cheap programming, it seems likely they'd be one of the first to broadcast music videos, which might butterfly MTV...
There's major option that crosses my mind. If DuMont is looking for cheap programming, & has a lot of gameshows, they might just stumble on the combination of late night talk show & Johnny Carson--& Carson could keep the network afloat for years.
