Businessmen Behaving Badly:
Prime Time's World of Commerce

June 16, 1997
By Timothy Lamer and Alice Lynn O'Steen

I. INTRODUCTION

Does entertainment television have an anti-business agenda? Does it trivialize and criminalize business owners and executives more than characters with other occupations? Does prime time send positive or negative messages about the American workplace?

To find out, MRC researchers analyzed 17 weeks of prime time fare during a 26-month period (1995, 1996, and early 1997) -- a total of 863 sitcoms, dramas, and made-for-TV movies on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. (See Appendix I.) Their mission: Determine how business owners and executives were portrayed and what cultural messages these networks were sending about the American workplace.

II. CRIME IN PRIME TIME

During the 17-week period there were 514 characters who were criminals. A clear plurality of these -- 150 (29.2 percent) -- were business owners or corporate executives. Business owners and executives constituted an even larger share -- 42.1 percent -- of the 365 criminals whose livelihoods were made known to viewers.

Surprisingly, only 50 TV lawbreakers were such career criminals as gang members and mobsters (9.7 percent of all criminals; 14 percent of criminals with known livelihoods). There were 21 criminal doctors on TV, and 20 criminal government officials. Five lawyers made up a mere one percent of TV criminals. (For a complete breakdown of TV criminals by livelihood during the study period, see Appendix II.)

The percentage of criminals owning or managing businesses held steady across the four networks. On ABC 30 percent of all criminals were businessmen and 42.9 percent of criminals with known occupations were businessmen. On CBS, businessmen made up 29.3 percent of all criminals and 43 percent of criminals with known livelihoods. On NBC, the percentages were 27.8 and 40.5; on Fox, 29.6 and 42. (For a complete listing of the number of criminals and businessmen who were criminals on all of the networks, see Appendix III.)

The crimes committed by TV's businessmen were varied. On the June 7, 1995 Beverly Hills, 90210 (Fox), the husband-wife owners of an import-export business used their company to import drugs and had previously kidnapped the sister of one of the main characters. An owner of a fashion design company raped his business partner on the April 29, 1996 Melrose Place (Fox). An owner of a cosmetics company, on the April 28, 1996 Lois & Clark (ABC), took revenge on her old high school classmates by holding them hostage. She also tried to murder Lois Lane by dropping a disco ball on her. On the November 8, 1996 Boy Meets World (ABC), a preteen girl confided in her friend that her father, the vice president of a bank, beat her.

A business consultant paired up with a computer systems analyst in an attempt to steal platinum on the January 31, 1997 Nash Bridges (CBS). They also kidnapped the wife of a computer hacker, forcing the hacker to break a security code. TV business owners and executives during the study period also committed insurance fraud, embezzlement, and extortion, among other crimes.

Murder, however, was the most common crime committed by TV businessmen. More than a third (65 of 150) of TV's business criminals were murderers. Business owners and executives were 30.4 percent of the 214 total murderers on prime time and 41.4 percent of the 157 murderers whose livelihood was made known to viewers. Less than a third as many (21) of the murderers were career criminals. Doctors, government officials, and law enforcement officers tied for the third highest number of TV murderers, with each occupation accounting for nine such criminals. (For a complete breakdown of TV murderers by occupation, see Appendix IV.)

A polygamist stockbroker was murdered by a corporate vice president on the May 3, 1996 Diagnosis Murder (CBS). The owner of a pharmacy on the January 31, 1997 Millennium (Fox) was a sexual predator who drugged his victims, instructed them to perform various acts, videotaped them, and then killed them. On the May 1, 1996 Law & Order (NBC), a shoe manufacturer murdered one of the co-ed call girls he had hired for his clients. And on the November 7, 1995 NYPD Blue (ABC), a Wall Street commodities broker was a serial rapist and murderer.

III. MORE CHEATERS THAN CONTRIBUTORS

More than one out of four TV business owners and executives -- 210 out of 731, or 28.7 percent -- cheated to get ahead. Only 183, or 25 percent, were shown meeting the needs of society through their business.

The CEO of a nuclear power plant on the February 2, 1997 Simpsons (Fox) captured the prevailing attitude of TV business characters: "If an opportunity arose for taking a small shortcut, you wouldn't be averse to taking it, would you?" When his buffoonish employee mumbled affirmation, the CEO responded, "I also thought there was far too much hysteria these days for so-called cheating." On the November 4, 1995 JAG (then on NBC), a defense contractor's defective, but profitable, aircraft device resulted in the death of a pilot. The contractor was unremorseful: "Everybody's got a family to feed, Lieutenant, even people who work for corporations." The contractor threatened to go to the press with a fabricated sex scandal story about the pilot, hoping to embarrass the Air Force and the pilot's family into dropping the investigation. "I don't want to tarnish the memory of a brave man or embarrass his family, " the contractor said, "but I intend to protect Macroplex from investigation...How far I have to go to do that is up to you."

TV business owners and executives also employed questionable marketing practices, as shown on the February 3, 1997 Cosby (CBS). The owner of an electronics shop advertised a sale on satellite dishes. Omitted from the ad was any mention of the mail-in rebate to get the sale price or the hefty installation charge.

When business characters were shown meeting the needs of society instead of cheating, it was less often an integral part of the plot than merely a backdrop for the story. ABC's Ellen often showed the lead character, who owns a book store/coffee shop, interacting with customers as a prop, while the important dialogue revolved around her social life. Similar settings included a small airline service on NBC's Wings, a bar on Fox's Melrose Place, and a general store and saloon on CBS's Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Often, though, business characters didn't have to serve customers at all to succeed. The lead character on Roseanne (ABC) co-owned a diner. On the February 8, 1995 episode, she got tired of dealing with customers. Sitting down, she explained: "Somebody has to sit down and handle all the complaints about the slow business." On the November 4, 1996 NBC movie Buried Secrets, a gas station owner quipped, "My prices are too high, my gas is watered down, and I don't wash windows."

The owner of a Christmas tree lot on the July 7, 1995 Step by Step (ABC) told his employees: "Now listen up. You want to sell Christmas trees? The first thing you have to do is forget all of that holiday spirit, peace on earth, goodwill towards men jive. We are here to make money. Good news is, people tend to turn a little sentimental around Christmastime, so prey on their emotions." A tennis pro shop owner on the January 30, 1997 Seinfeld (NBC) advised customers on buying the best equipment despite his knowing nothing about tennis. It didn't hurt his business at all.

IV. BIGGER NOT BETTER IN TV'S BUSINESS WORLD

There were fewer big business characters than small business characters during the study period, but they were portrayed far more negatively. Of the total 731 business characters, 302 (41.3 percent) owned or managed big businesses; 424 (58 percent) were small business owners. The size of business owned or managed by five characters was not made clear to viewers.

There were 65 business characters who murdered; 47 (72.3 percent) were big business characters while only 18 (27.7 percent) were small business characters. In all, 15.6 percent of big business characters (47 of 302) were murderers; 4.2 percent of all small business characters (18 of 424) were murderers. Viewers were also more likely to see a big business character than a small business character cheat to get ahead. Fully 46 percent of big business characters (139 of 302) tried to profit from cheating compared to 16.7 percent of small business characters (71 of 424). TV's big businesses were less likely to be shown meeting the needs of society, too. Only 9.3 percent of prime time big business characters (28 of 302) did, while 36.6 percent of small business characters (155 of 424) contributed. (See Appendix V.)

V. BEWARE OF CAPITALISM AND INVESTING!

When capitalism was discussed -- especially discussion involving development and investing -- the networks were almost universally hostile. Development was depicted as destructive rather than creative. On the February 3, 1996 Touched By an Angel (CBS), a son wanted to tear down his father's 30-year-old jazz club and build a more profitable business. Tess, the supervising angel, encouraged the father to maintain the jazz club. "Times change," she explained. "Humans call it progress. Sometimes progress is progress. Most times it's an excuse to tear something down." Murder, She Wrote (CBS) also had father-son conflict over development on its May 7, 1995 episode. And again, it was made clear to viewers that the anti-development elder was correct. The father was a fisherman protesting industrialization in Ireland. His son rebuked him: "There's a lot of people like you who see no future beyond the salmon, and that view will ruin Ireland." The father responded: "Speak your heart if you have one. Laura tells me it's withered in the world of commerce and industry."

Prime time often likened crime to business, as if the one were a natural component of the other. A homeless scam artist on the October 12, 1995 New York News pretended to be an amputee to get money from sympathetic strangers. "How's my sittin' on my leg any different from some deodorant corporation telling you if you use their b.o. juice you're going to fall in love?" he asked. "Advertising, young friend, that is the American way." When a woman asked her daughter's pimp about his future plans on the January 9, 1995 ABC movie Fighting for My Daughter, he answered: "I'm probably going to go to business school and prostitute myself for some large corporation." A college student defended her escort service, on the December 2, 1995 Sisters (NBC), as "the capitalistic system at its best: supply and demand." On the July 14, 1996 New York Undercover (Fox), a drug dealer saluted as he referred to his making over $25,000 in three days as "the American way."

The only characters who expressed confidence in "the American way" without being cynical were immigrants. On the September 7, 1995 New York Undercover, for instance, a cop's Puerto Rican father was saving to open a business and told his son: "Having your own business; that's what it's all about."

Investment was particularly skewered. Investing money, as depicted on prime time TV, is a dishonest way to make money, and those who work in investment jobs are not to be trusted. There were a total of 22 characters who were investment professionals, such as stockbrokers. Of those, 10 (45.5 percent) were criminals, seven (31.1 percent) were murderers, 13 (59.1 percent) cheated to get ahead, and none were shown meeting the needs of society through their work.

Some were just greedy. A stockbroker on the February 1, 1997 Early Edition (CBS), for example, thought the only benefit of a newspaper that tells the future was to make money, while his friend used it to prevent human tragedies. Some were willing to break the law for money. On the November 9, 1995 Living Single (Fox), an investment banker promoted an investment as "10,000 tax-free dollars." When asked how the money would be tax-free, he replied: "I'll find a way."

Others were even more villainous. On the May 7, 1995 Matlock (ABC), two corporate raiders murdered a homeless man and framed a rival takeover specialist who was competing with them to gain control of a company. This wasn't their first shady deal. One of them bragged about his partner's savvy recent purchase: "One week later, guess who gets bought out by [another company]? Tripled our money, just like that! The guy's a genius!" A woman responded: "Or maybe he just has access to the right information."

Stockholders didn't fare too well, either. A wealthy investor on the February 5, 1995 Murder, She Wrote (CBS) planned to kill his wife for insurance money after a series of investments headed south. On the May 8, 1995 NBC movie Robin Cook's Virus, three stockholders in a health insurance company attempted to kill their competition by spreading a deadly virus throughout HMO-affiliated hospitals.

The only positive portrayal of investing was on the April 6, 1995 Martin (Fox). The lead character inherited $10,000 and hastily opened a restaurant. His girlfriend wanted him to invest the money instead. The restaurant did poorly, proving her point that it would have been more secure to invest in stocks than to start a business he knew nothing about.

VI. TV CHARACTERS AT WORK

The workplace as shown on prime time TV was bleak. Researchers catalogued messages about work and the workplace during the study period. (For this section, researchers considered all places of employment, not just businesses.) TV characters advanced in their careers more often through manipulative means (90 times) than through hard work, experience, and education (68). (For a complete breakdown of prime time's work messages, see Appendix VI.)

In 43 cases, workers advanced because they knew the right people. On the July 16, 1996 Roseanne (ABC), for example, a boss hired his son-in-law, saying: "We looked at a lot of applicants; we found out that you were the only one married to my daughter." Nineteen characters used sex to advance their careers. One of the lead characters on the June 8, 1995 Hope & Gloria quit her job at a beauty salon for a better offer. Her boss asked, "What did you do, give him a quickie in his trailer?" Gloria responded: "At least I didn't marry the owner of a beauty salon on his death bed." When the writer/producer of a prime-time soap on the December 3, 1995 Almost Perfect (CBS) was asked by an intern where she gets her ideas, she replied: "The key is just knowing who to sleep with."

On 16 occasions, workers advanced by making a coworker or boss look bad or incompetent. Rachel, a character on the October 11, 1995 Central Park West (CBS), wanted another character's job as publisher of a magazine. She leaked stories to other publications in order to make the current publisher appear disloyal. Schmoozing was the method of choice for five characters. When the station manager reminded employees of upcoming employee evaluations, on the February 5, 1997 NewsRadio (NBC), one employee said: "Oh, my God, I completely forgot to suck up."

In 68 shows, characters employed more ethical methods to succeed, such as hard work and dedication. On the January 30, 1997 Living Single (Fox), viewers were reminded that the publisher and editor of a magazine earned a living delivering pizzas while starting the magazine in her spare time. Her sacrifice was rewarded when the magazine won an award and was honored at a ceremony. A young man repeatedly entered lotteries in order to strike it rich and avoid work on the February 10, 1995 Boy Meets World (ABC). "Come to my store," his father offered. "I'll show you how to earn money."

On 46 occasions, though, characters scoffed at hard work without consequence. On the April 29, 1996 Dave's World (CBS), for instance, a secretary left work at 10:30 in the morning. When her boss objected, she explained: "Yes, but you see I came in an hour early, which is really like three hours early because I'm usually a couple of hours late. Plus, I was going to skip my normal two-hour lunch hour because I was going to leave for a dentist appointment anyway by three, but I canceled it so I could go to the beach. So basically I've already worked a full day."

Managers were prime time's all-purpose court jesters. There were 31 bosses shown who had either not earned their positions or were otherwise good for a laugh. Two salesmen on the April 30, 1996 CBS movie Unforgivable discussed their boss. "He doesn't know crap about sales," one said. "That's probably why they made him manager," the other wisecracked. The owner of a deli on the January 31, 1997 Dave's World, attended the funeral of a man who choked to death while eating at his deli. Looking at the table of food for the mourners, he asked the widow, "Why didn't you call? I would have catered." The owner of the radio station on NewsRadio (NBC) was easily duped. On the February 5, 1997 episode, he bought a bunch of supposedly authentic props from famous movies that were clearly fakes.

Other managers weren't so benign. Forty-four management characters kept their employees walking on eggshells and abused their power. On the July 16, 1996 Drew Carey Show (ABC), the title character was left to menial tasks after he fired a woman his boss was sleeping with. His boss then wanted Carey to set him up with his friend. "Carey, you've got to talk to Kay," his boss said. "Tell her what a good guy I am. You're her friend, she'll believe you. Make her go out with me, or I don't know what I'll do!" Carey responded: "To tell you the truth, sir, I'm not all that comfortable mixing my personal life with my business life." His boss: "You know, I was actually doing pretty well mixing my personal life with my business life, but then the woman I was seeing was fired by some idiot. Follow me, Carey?" The owner of a modeling agency on the July 15, 1996 Fresh Prince of Bel Air (NBC) intoned, "Ooh, that felt good" as she randomly fired a woman who walked in front of her.

Prime time characters were confronted with ethical dilemmas in their careers 18 times during the study period. Often superiors advised them to go against their consciences. On the July 3, 1995 Murphy Brown (CBS), the lead character argued against sensationalistic coverage of a murder investigation on the grounds that it would paint the suspect as guilty before a trial. Her producer didn't care: "Hey, we do this all the time. You think that businessman whose life you destroyed on last week's show thought he was treated fairly?" When a judge on the October 7, 1995 Home Court (NBC) refused to bend the rules for a celebrity, another judge gloated: "This is exactly why you are still stuck down here in family court while I went on to become a big-time criminal court justice."

Prime time workplaces often were less than family friendly. Forty-eight characters struggled with juggling work and family. "I'd hate to see the personal overwhelm the job," a supervisor warned a doctor who was raising her infant niece on the December 7, 1995 ER (NBC). "To build a career you have to take on more responsibility." The doctor shot back: "I have taken on plenty of responsibility! So you'll have to forgive me if I don't stay after school these days to work for extra credit." A hospital chief of staff on the November 6, 1995 Chicago Hope (CBS) worried about the quality of the hospital lawyer's work since he became a single father. The lawyer would have none of it: "I got a job to do, and as much as I prioritize this hospital, I would like to get home before my daughter goes to bed. I'm sure you can appreciate that, if not actually applaud it." On the October 12, 1995 Single Guy (NBC), a businessman complained to his wife: "I've had it with having lunch with [business associates] on my son's time" after his boss required him to entertain clients on weekends.

The workplace was at times portrayed as merely a venue for social gathering, and sex between co-workers was not uncommon. Eighteen characters actively pursued their social lives at work and fifteen other characters had sexual relationships with co-workers. (Nineteen more had sex with their boss or clients.) The sexual tension was so strong between an editor and a columnist on the February 3, 1997 Ink (CBS) that they decided, for the sake of the newspaper, to get a hotel room and have sex. "I can write the whole thing off to the paper because it's work-related," the editor sighed. And on some shows, such as Melrose Place, rarely an episode went by in which co-workers didn't have sex with each other. Having sex with co-workers was portrayed in an explicitly negative light only three times. On the January 30, 1997 Single Guy, the show's main character found himself working on an ad campaign with an attractive woman. Though his friends had warned him it was a bad idea, they soon began a sexual relationship. Later, he decided his friends were correct when he discovered he was afraid to tell her he didn't like her idea for the campaign.

VII. CONCLUSION

Prime time television shows a cynicism toward business that it does not show toward any other job or profession. Business characters are more likely to be criminals, and even murderers, than are any other characters, and even those business characters not portrayed in a negative light are not likely to be shown contributing to society through their work. And the bigger and more successful the business, the worse it is portrayed. According to prime time television, business owners and executives are dangerous and serve no useful purpose. Is it any wonder, then, that in such an environment, workers would act the way prime time portrays them as acting?

Prime time television should consider the possible effects this bias could have on society. If confronted with research proving that prime time television was portraying teachers or social workers negatively, is there any doubt that scriptwriters and executives would take action to address these biases?

APPENDIX I: METHODOLOGY

The research period covered 26 months, beginning in January, 1995 and ending in February, 1997. For 1995, researchers analyzed ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox programming from the first full calendar week of each month. Researchers did not watch reruns that aired between January and May, and September and December. During June, July, and August, researchers analyzed original programming and reruns which did not air during other parts of the study period. The results of this 12-week study were published in the December, 1996 MediaNomics. To update this study, researchers analyzed the first week of each of the four sweeps periods of 1996 and the first week of the first sweeps period of 1997. There were 863 episodes of sitcoms, dramas, and made-for-TV movies analyzed during these 17 weeks.

APPENDIX II: CRIMINALS

There were a total of 514 criminals -- 365 in the 1995 viewing sample, 109 in the 1996 viewing sample, and 40 in the 1997 viewing sample. The occupations of criminals included:

Of the 356 criminals whose occupations were known to viewers, 42.1 percent were business characters; 14.0 percent were career criminals; 5.9 percent were doctors; 5.6 percent were government officials; 5.1 percent were police officers; 3.7 percent were students; 3.4 percent were entertainers; 3.1 percent were military personnel; 2.5 percent were blue collar workers; 2.2 percent were service workers; 2.0 percent were scientists; 1.7 percent were teachers; 1.4 percent were athletes; 1.4 percent were clerical workers; 1.4 percent were lawyers; 1.1 percent were journalists/writers; 1.1 percent were nurses/medics; 0.8 percent were clergymen; 0.6 percent were cult leaders; 0.6 percent were housewives; 0.3 percent were mercenaries.

APPENDIX III: NETWORKS

The total number of criminals on each network during each year of the study period:

Number of Criminal Characters

On each network the total number, and percentage, of criminals who were business owners or executives were:

Number and Percentage of Business Criminals

Of the 514 criminals, 356 had occupations which were made known to viewers. On ABC, 42.9 percent of these were business characters (30 of 70); on CBS, 43.0 percent of these were business characters (46 of 107); on NBC, 40.5 percent of these were business characters (32 of 79); and on Fox, 42.0 percent of these were business characters (42 of 100).

APPENDIX IV: MURDERERS

There were 214 murderers -- 157 in the 1995 viewing sample, 44 in the 1996 viewing sample, and 13 in the 1997 viewing sample. The occupations of murderers included:

Of the 157 murderers whose occupations were known to viewers, 41.4 percent were business characters; 13.4 percent were career criminals; 5.7 percent were doctors; 5.7 percent were government officials; 5.7 percent were police officers; 5.1 percent were entertainers; 4.5 percent were military personnel; 2.5 percent were blue collar workers; 2.5 percent were scientists; 1.9 percent were clerical workers; 1.9 percent were service workers; 1.9 percent were teachers; 1.3 percent were athletes; 1.3 percent were journalists/writers; 1.3 percent were nurses/medics; 1.3 percent were students; 0.6 percent were clergymen; 0.6 percent were housewives; 0.6 percent were lawyers; 0.6 percent were mercenaries.

APPENDIX V: BIG BUSINESS VS. SMALL BUSINESS

Of the 731 total business characters, 302 (41.3 percent) owned or managed big businesses, while 424 (58 percent) owned small businesses. The size of five businesses (0.7 percent) was not made clear to viewers. There were more small business characters, but far more big business murderers:

The way the two types of businesses were generally portrayed also varied greatly:

72.3 percent of business murderers were big business characters; 84.7 percent of the business characters who met society's needs were small business owners; 66.2 percent of the business characters who cheated to get ahead were big business owners or executives.

APPENDIX VI: WORK MESSAGES

During the study period, television sent many messages about the workplace. These included:

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