| It all began in the 1980's. Ronald Regan was | | | | infomercial industry. There was Jane Fonda |
| president and one of the many controversial | | | | who captured lightening in a bottle with her |
| things he did in that office was to | | | | exercise tapes simultaneously boosting the |
| deregulate the TV industry. Why did he do it? | | | | video business along with the infomercial |
| Well, as a conservative Republican he lived | | | | business. There was Ron Popeil, who marketed |
| and breathed by the "free market rule," which | | | | every gadget and device people didn't even |
| stated that the government didn't belong in | | | | know they needed and made the switch from |
| business, and businesses should live and die | | | | printed contact to electronic contact so |
| by the success or failure of their own | | | | successfully he's still doing it today. And |
| practices and market forces.At the same time, | | | | there was Kenny Kingston who made the Psychic |
| cable TV was just starting its expansion into | | | | Hotline into one of the largest businesses in |
| the American television marketplace, and that | | | | the world without even having anything to |
| opened up a huge broadcast venue which simply | | | | sell! Only in America and only in |
| didn't exist beforehand. Anybody with any | | | | infomercials could such overwhelming success |
| experience in the broadcast industry was | | | | happen so quickly.Soon, everybody with an |
| starting his own channel and pretty soon | | | | idea was trying to come up with the next big |
| cable channels were commonplace. The most | | | | thing. As is always the case with any new |
| successful channels at the time were | | | | industry, immediately following the initial |
| religious based channels which were basically | | | | success there comes a huge wave of imitators |
| used for fundraising purposes. There were | | | | and innovators trying to cash in. And as |
| literally hundreds of them, from local, small | | | | always happens - most fail. There was such a |
| time reverends and ministers with dubious | | | | huge crush of wannabes flooding into the |
| backgrounds, to nationally broadcast | | | | business that production rates skyrocketed |
| spiritual and religious shows, utilizing | | | | and broadcast time became more and more |
| well-known religious figures.At this point, | | | | expensive and less and less available. Almost |
| two things happened. For one, many of the | | | | overnight, the infomercial industry went from |
| young, fledgling channels and networks who | | | | nothing to today's enviable haul of billions |
| counted on ad revenue to keep themselves | | | | of dollars annually. And that's just in |
| afloat attracted less than stellar ratings | | | | America. Successful infomercials, like |
| and starting going under. And at the same | | | | Hollywood movies are translated into foreign |
| time, the religious channels started to | | | | languages and played all around the globe |
| realize that their fundraising efforts were | | | | especially when they are celebrity driven.The |
| failing miserably in the late evening and wee | | | | newly created infomercial industry was the |
| hours of the morning.Cheap broadcast space | | | | precursor to the Home Shopping Network and |
| was born! And enterprising businessmen, more | | | | QVC which are essentially 24 hour mini |
| like vultures than saviors, swooped down and | | | | infomercials, product driven, price driven |
| began to chew on the dying carcasses of the | | | | and celebrity driven. And now we have The |
| young cable industry, buying up blocks of | | | | Infomercial Channel - 24 hours a day of |
| cheap, late night, off peak broadcast time | | | | infomercials. Gone are the days of loud |
| and running 30 minute or 60 minute, | | | | mouthed hucksters, snake oil salesmen yelling |
| inexpensively produced commercials | | | | into the camera, hawking the latest "it |
| refashioned as entertainment programs.Pretty | | | | slices! it dices!" home improvement device. |
| soon there were infomercial superstars. | | | | Today, infomercials are slick, expensive and |
| Celebrities, as well as a cast of unknowns, | | | | if they work, highly profitable. |
| found fame and fortune in the newly created | | | | |