# How can I protect my idea for a new reality show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2011, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823 "2011-03-24T10:23:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/1 "2011-03-24T10:23:15Z")
I am thinking about sending a proposal for a new show to one of the crappy cable networks. How can I insure that my idea won’t get refused and then stolen? ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/2 "2011-03-24T10:41:08Z")
I’ve always wondered how anybody can get credit for being the “creator” of most of the shows on TV. All the cop shows are alike, all the hospital shows are alike, all the housewife shows are alike. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/3 "2011-03-24T10:50:10Z")
You can’t. Unless you already work in television, you will never be listened to, and even if you got some kind of important person at the right level to listen to you, they will throw you out and then steal it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/4 "2011-03-24T11:16:10Z")
The Writers Guild of America - West provides a paid service that stores proposals, screenplays, and the like. It essentially gives a date stamp and makes them eligible for arbitration later on, though you’ll probably have to join the WGA as a member to do so. At $20 it’s remarkably cheap, although it’s really free money for them since no outsider ever has a case to make. Everybody has ideas. Nobody needs to steal yours. [WGA Registry](http://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/) However, you have to remember than an idea is meaningless and worthless. Even for a reality show, a full treatment is needed. You’d need to specify how the show works, what makes it more than just pointing a camera at someone, how any competitions function, and so on. That’s what makes it a protectable show. Just saying, “hey, let’s get some comic book nerds and have them do fake superhero stunts while remembering issue numbers” isn’t a show. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/5 "2011-03-24T12:08:12Z")
Networks and studios make it a policy not to even look at unsolicited proposals to shield themselves from yahoos saying they stole their ideas. So you could send in your ideas all you want with no fear. Ideas are cheap. That is the easy part. What matters is the execution. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/6 "2011-03-24T14:02:47Z")
I think the way you get credit for being the “creator” is not just coming up with the idea, but actually being able to execute it. I’d almost bet that most of these guys who get credit for being “the genius behind” or “the creater of” never really came up with the idea themselves. They were just savvy enough (or had the means to) make it happen. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/7 "2011-03-24T16:58:41Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Networks and studios make it a policy not to even look at unsolicited proposals to shield themselves from yahoos saying they stole their ideas. So you could send in your ideas all you want with no fear. You’re forgetting that the OP talked about reality shows, not fiction shows. There are conferences in which people can pitch reality shows to producers. I don’t know how many, if any, working shows result from them. But the universe of reality shows on the zillion cable stations is not anything like the world of network dramas and sitcoms. Not that you can just send in an idea to a cable network. That’s as silly as sending in an idea to a publisher. You have to do the proper amount of work first and go through the proper channels. But reality shows are pitchable. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/8 "2011-03-24T17:05:48Z")
And that’s why I’m seeking protection for my new reality show idea, “America’s Next Reality Show Producer”, where 12 people with ideas for reality shows compete before a panel of network executives and a live studio audience to get their show produced. The prize is, of course, that your reality show gets produced. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/9 "2011-03-24T17:26:57Z")
\*\* steals **Lemur866** s idea \*\* **Hal** , I guess you could always go the Poor Man’s Copyright route: snail-mail yourself the idea, and never open the sealed envelope. When you take 'em to court, have the judge open the envelope. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/10 "2011-03-24T17:29:30Z")
Wasn’t this the plot of an episode of What’s Happening? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/11 "2011-03-24T17:48:11Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > And that’s why I’m seeking protection for my new reality show idea, “America’s Next Reality Show Producer”, where 12 people with ideas for reality shows compete before a panel of network executives and a live studio audience to get their show produced. The prize is, of course, that your reality show gets produced. I claim prior art with my idea “America’s Next ‘America’s Next Reality Show Producer’ Producer”, where 144 people with ideas for reality shows about selecting reality shows get judged by a panel of network executives. ETA: and they all have to live in the same house when not participating in filming. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/12 "2011-03-24T17:50:46Z")
Let me guess - it’s going to be couples who have to guess what the other wants from a fully stocked freezer, using only body language and soft grunts?? ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/13 "2011-03-24T17:51:05Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I claim prior art with my idea “America’s Next ‘America’s Next Reality Show Producer’ Producer”, where 144 people with ideas for reality shows about selecting reality shows get judged by a panel of network executives. > > ETA: and they all have to live in the same house when not participating in filming. I go to Amsterdam and produce the show before it airs in America. Ha! take that! ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/14 "2011-03-24T21:43:06Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > \*\* steals **Lemur866** s idea \*\* > > **Hal** , I guess you could always go the Poor Man’s Copyright route: snail-mail yourself the idea, and never open the sealed envelope. When you take 'em to court, have the judge open the envelope. Better: snail-mail yourself an empty, unsealed envelope. Next time you hear a good idea, steal it, write it down, put it in the envelope, and seal it up. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/15 "2011-03-24T22:17:16Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I claim prior art with my idea “America’s Next ‘America’s Next Reality Show Producer’ Producer”, where 144 people with ideas for reality shows about selecting reality shows get judged by a panel of network executives. Well, see that’s the thing with creative works. There’s no such thing as “prior art.” That’s only relevant for inventions. > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > **Hal** , I guess you could always go the Poor Man’s Copyright route: snail-mail yourself the idea, and never open the sealed envelope. When you take 'em to court, have the judge open the envelope. Poor Man’s copyright really doesn’t mean anything. Copyright law protects your expression. All you have is an idea. That can’t be protected under copyright law, no matter whom you mail it to. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/16 "2011-03-25T07:29:53Z")
By the way, I know a guy who successfully pitched a mildly popular game show that is now on British TV (it’s a very clever idea for a show, too). But he was part of a production team already that was geared up to make the show - not only did the TV company buy the idea, they bought the whole production. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/17 "2011-03-25T07:43:37Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > By the way, I know a guy who successfully pitched a mildly popular game show that is now on British TV (it’s a very clever idea for a show, too). It’s not _Pointless_, is it? Because I love that show. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/18 "2011-03-25T09:35:24Z")
If the poster is serious what I would do is make a pilot on the cheap. You can film it with a home video cam as cheap as you can with cardboard backgrounds. Then upload it to YouTube. You’re going to have some verification of the date, the idea will be exposed. You can also seek out colleges for help with the video. I know of colleges where film and art students make video for credit, so you can get their help for free. Well they get to use your video as part of their course credit. The problem is, as one poster noted from that episode of _What’s Happening_, most ideas have already been done or thought out. I am a huge fan of OTR (old time radio) and I am amazed at the plot lines of radio shows still being recycled for sitcoms even today. And I’m betting those radio shows took the plot form Vaudeville skits and so on ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/19 "2011-03-25T20:17:02Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > …I am a huge fan of OTR (old time radio) and I am amazed at the plot lines of radio shows still being recycled for sitcoms even today… THAT’S why that show seemed familiar. The one where Alan Thicke traveled to “The Orient” and learned the ancient technique of rendering himself invisible by hypnotism (“Hey, kids, check this out. I’m clouding men’s minds so that they cannot see me!” “Finally, Dad – now we can’t see that haircut!” [cue laugh track]). The episode that our family absolutely loved was the one where Margo, his wife (the mom from Honey I Shrunk The Kids) has her book group over and Invisible Alan spies on them while they’re discussing “Ramon”. He’s a character in the book, but Alan assumes it’s someone who’s been coming on to his “lovely companion”. And amusing misunderstandings ensue. _ **“The weed of miscommunication bears bitter fruit…”** _ ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823/20 "2011-03-26T05:16:15Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The Writers Guild of America - West provides a paid service that stores proposals, screenplays, and the like. Ty, I know about the ways to protect written work, but I was wondering if it applied to reality shows. > [@even\_sven](#): > > 4 > Ideas are cheap. That is the easy part. What matters is the execution. > [@Hampshire](#): > > I think the way you get credit for being the “creator” is not just coming up with the idea, but actually being able to execute it. Ty. > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > **Hal** , I guess you could always go the Poor Man’s Copyright route… Ty, I’m familiar with the route used by writers, but I was hoping it could be verified that it applied to TV shows. > [@Markxxx](#): > > If the poster is serious what I would do is make a pilot on the cheap. Sure! Gimme a few thousand/hundred thousand/milllion, I’ll have a pilot for you right away! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-protect-my-idea-for-a-new-reality-show/575823.md?page=2)