Veteran television writer and producer Rob Long joined Chicago’s Morning Answer this week to discuss the ongoing economic struggles in Hollywood and the misguided government policies aimed at propping up the entertainment industry. The former Cheers showrunner, co-founder of Ricochet, and host of the Martini Shot podcast was blunt: let Hollywood feel the pain—it’s the only way it will learn.
Long criticized both state-level film subsidies and the idea of federal tariffs to “protect” Hollywood, describing them as wasteful policies that fail to deliver promised benefits. Using New York as an example, Long explained that when his show received hundreds of thousands of dollars in state subsidies per episode, the production didn’t save money—it simply spent more. The incentives, he argued, don’t build permanent infrastructure or long-term jobs. Instead, they artificially inflate budgets, especially for high-salaried actors, directors, and writers.
“These subsidies are sold to the public as job creators for carpenters and caterers,” Long said, “but in practice, they mostly subsidize already wealthy people and don’t lead to a sustainable local film industry.”
Asked about the Trump administration’s recent idea to impose tariffs to protect American film production, Long was even more dismissive, calling it “the dumbest idea in a long line of dumb ideas” when it comes to economic intervention in Hollywood. Rather than shielding the industry, he said, policymakers should let it adapt through the market process.
Hollywood, according to Long, is in a deep recession—one largely of its own making. The explosion of streaming platforms led to unsustainable growth, as studios and investors flooded the market with shows that few people watched. Netflix and other streamers took advantage of near-zero interest rates, borrowing billions to churn out content in the hopes of cornering audiences. But much of that content flopped.
“We’ve all had that moment where someone mentions a show and you’ve never even heard of it,” Long said. “That’s the bubble. And now it’s popped.”
He doesn’t believe the answer lies in propping up the industry with public funds. Instead, he thinks Hollywood will recover the way most industries do—through creative destruction and refocusing on what audiences actually want. “Let the people with skin in the game figure it out,” he said.
Long also weighed in on the decline of network television, the explosion of streaming, and the fragmentation of audiences. While he pointed out that there are still solid shows out there—like Ghosts and Elsbeth on CBS—they often get lost in the deluge of content. Comedy, in particular, is suffering from an over-reliance on niche storytelling and the kind of overly serialized, backstory-heavy formats that drive away casual viewers.
On the rise of faith-based content like The Chosen, Long expressed admiration for its independent success. He suggested that shows rooted in classic storytelling—from biblical epics to character-driven comedies—could provide the roadmap out of Hollywood’s creative rut.
Addressing the rise of “woke” programming, Long noted that while some audiences enjoy it, there simply aren’t enough viewers to support such content at scale. “Hollywood is pretty responsive to financial pain,” he said. “If it doesn’t make money, they’ll stop making it.”
When asked about the future, Long was optimistic. He believes Hollywood will eventually recalibrate, reduce excess, and return to producing compelling stories for broad audiences—especially once it moves closer to what viewers want instead of lecturing them.
“The mistake was losing touch with the customer,” he said. “Now we’re paying the price. But that’s how you learn.”
The interview closed with a few jokes about The Met Gala, streaming fatigue, and even a nod to Bonanza. Through it all, Long maintained that if the entertainment industry is left alone to sink or swim, it will eventually right itself.
“It’s not the government’s job to fix this,” he said. “We created the mess. We can fix it—just not with subsidies and bailouts.”