Television Sports Production, 5th Edition

Chapter 6Planning the Production

Television has undergone many changes. One of the things that hasn’t changed is the need for thorough preparation. A good director or producer goes to the control room prepared.

Roone Arledge, television sports pioneer, former President of ABC Sports

The planning process is always much more time-consuming than the actual production process. In fact, some have stated that 99 percent of a producer’s time is spent planning or in preproduction, leaving 1 percent for the actual production process.

While the production process is the most glamorous part of the business, the planning phase is where the majority of the decisions are made. The purpose of the planning process is to review the various available options ...