Then – and now

Garth Ancier, president, BBC Worldwide America. In 1988, Ancier was the first programming president of then-fledging Fox network, and the prospect of a sustained strike was a daunting one.

“It was a time when the other networks and even Fox were so dependent on scripted programming,” said Ancier. “Our feeling was that it would slow our growth down. It was already a very difficult time for the network.”

No “American Idol,” no “Survivor” – reality TV was in its infancy. Fox executives had begun developing unscripted programming in hopes of offering an alternative to the fare on the other networks, “but I don’t think any of us thought it would be game-changing,” Ancier said.

When the strike hit, however, the nascent network plugged its schedule with two reality shows that had been running on local Fox stations: “America’s Most Wanted” and “Cops.”

“A show like ‘Cops,’ which seems like not a particularly inventive show nowadays, was pretty crazy in its day,” Ancier noted.

The programs took off, Fox’s competition took note, and it changed the future of TV.

“There’s no question reality television took a big leap forward in that period and really became integral to the networks’ growth,” Ancier said.

If Hollywood is forced to cope with a writers strike now, the blow to the television networks could be cushioned by the genre that gained traction during the last major walk-out: reality programming.

With shows such as “Dancing With the Stars” and “Survivor” to fall back on, “I think a strike would have an impact,” he said, “but I don’t think it would have the kind of tectonic effect it would have had.

“When you’re in the worst possible situation is when you get the most inventive,” Ancier said.

“Some of the best stuff comes out of desperation.”