About
"I work very hard. I'm very demanding. I'm in the trenches with the guys just like they are. Some chairmen or presidents sit up in some ivory tower, but I'm in the ditch with them. I understand the mudslinging. I understand the difficulties."
In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Roger King (1944-2007) talks about his early years in television, including his position as general manager of Fort Lauderdale station WKID. He discusses the founding of the family business, syndication company King World, by his father Charles King, and his later association as an executive with the company. He talks about some of the first shows that King World syndicated and the transition to syndicating its own properties that started with the game show Wheel of Fortune. King details the continued success of the company with popular programs, including Jeopardy!, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Dr. Phil. Additionally, he talks about the merger between King World and CBS and his subsequent role as CEO of CBS Enterprises. Karen Herman conducted the interview on April 20, 2004 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
Roger King on distributing and selling The Oprah Winfrey Show
Roger King on his desire to go into his father's business, and on his father's business philosophy
Roger King on getting the distribution rights to Wheel of Fortune from Merv Griffin, and selling the show
Roger King on what was different about King World that led to its massive success, and on working with his brother Michael King
Roger King on creating and distributing Inside Edition
Roger King on advice to an aspiring television executive
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years and influences; on his father's company, King World, which owned the rights to the Hal Roach "Our Gang" shorts known as The Little Rascals on television; on his desire to go into his father's business, and on his father's business philosophy
On King World acquiring the rights to The Little Rascals, and on the controversy in its depiction of African-Americans; on the first time he saw television; on working in sales and on-air at local station WKID in Florida
On going to work at King World with his brother Michael King; on King World selling The Joker's Wild
On getting the distribution rights to Wheel of Fortune from Merv Griffin, and selling the show; on acquiring the distribution rights to Jeopardy!, and on hiring Alex Trebek to host the show; on selling Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune at the same time, in tandem
Chapter 2
On the success and legacy of Jeopardy!; on the decision to take King World public; on distributing and selling The Oprah Winfrey Show
On creating and distributing Inside Edition; on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show, starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure; on the King World merger with CBS/Viacom, and on working with Sumner M. Redstone to make the deal
On King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living; on creating and distributing Dr. Phil, featuring Dr. Phil McGraw
Chapter 3
On working with Phil McGraw on Dr. Phil, and on the launch of the show; on the business of television syndication; on how the business of television syndication has changed since he started, and on the emergence of cable and the internet
On what was different about King World that led to its massive success; on career highlights, then-current projects, and continuing to work; on what attracts him to a project, and on his working style
On advice to an aspiring television executive; on the then-future of television, syndication, and King World; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
Dr. Phil
Roger King on creating and distributing Dr. Phil, featuring Dr. Phil McGraw
Roger King on working with Phil McGraw on Dr. Phil, and on the launch of the show
Hollywood Squares, The
Roger King on King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living
Inside Edition
Roger King on creating and distributing Inside Edition
Jeopardy!
Roger King on acquiring the distribution rights to Jeopardy!, and on hiring Alex Trebek to host the show
Roger King on selling Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune at the same time, in tandem
Roger King on the success and legacy of Jeopardy!
Joker's Wild, The
Roger King on King World selling The Joker's Wild
Little Rascals, The
Roger King on his father's company, King World, which owned the rights to the Hal Roach "Our Gang" shorts known as The Little Rascals on television
Roger King on King World acquiring the rights to The Little Rascals, and on the controversy in its depiction of African-Americans
Martha Stewart Living
Roger King on King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living
Oprah Winfrey Show, The
Roger King on distributing and selling The Oprah Winfrey Show
Roger King on Oprah Winfrey's business acumen regarding The Oprah Winfrey Show
Roger King on the then-future of The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the initial difficulties King World had in selling it
Roseanne Show, The
Roger King on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show, starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure
Wheel of Fortune
Roger King on getting the distribution rights to Wheel of Fortune from Merv Griffin, and selling the show
Roger King on the success of the nighttime version of Wheel of Fortune, and how he sold the show
Roger King on selling Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune at the same time, in tandem
Topics
Advice
Roger King on advice to an aspiring television executive
Media Consolidation
Roger King on the King World merger with CBS/Viacom, and on working with Sumner M. Redstone to make the deal
New Media
Roger King on how the business of television syndication has changed since he started, and on the emergence of cable and the internet
Television Industry
Roger King on the King World merger with CBS/Viacom, and on working with Sumner M. Redstone to make the deal
Roger King on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure
Roger King on how the business of television syndication has changed since he started, and on the emergence of cable and the internet
Roger King on the then-future of television, syndication, and King World
Roger King on advice to an aspiring television executive
Professions
Executives
Roger King on his desire to go into his father's business, and on his father's business philosophy
Roger King on the decision to take King World public
Roger King on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show, starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure
Roger King on the King World merger with CBS/Viacom, and on working with Sumner M. Redstone to make the deal
Roger King on what was different about King World that led to its massive success
Roger King on what attracts him to a project, and on his working style
Roger King on advice to an aspiring television executive
Roger King on the business of television syndication
Television Executive
Roger King on his desire to go into his father's business, and on his father's business philosophy
Roger King on the decision to take King World public
Roger King on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show, starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure
Roger King on the King World merger with CBS/Viacom, and on working with Sumner M. Redstone to make the deal
Roger King on what was different about King World that led to its massive success, and on working with his brother Michael King
Roger King on what attracts him to a project, and on his working style
Roger King on advice to an aspiring television executive
Roger King on the business of television syndication
Genres
Comedy Series
Roger King on his father's company, King World, which owned the rights to the Hal Roach "Our Gang" shorts known as The Little Rascals on television
Game Shows
Roger King and syndicating Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!
Roger King on King World selling The Joker's Wild
Roger King on the success and legacy of Jeopardy!
Roger King on King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living
News and Documentary
Roger King on creating and distributing Inside Edition
Service Shows
Roger King on King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living
Talk Shows
Roger King on distributing and selling The Oprah Winfrey Show
Roger King on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show, starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure
Roger King on creating and distributing Dr. Phil, featuring Dr. Phil McGraw
Roger King on working with Phil McGraw on Dr. Phil, and on the launch of the show
People
Whoopi Goldberg
Roger King on King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living
Merv Griffin
Roger King on getting the distribution rights to Wheel of Fortune from Merv Griffin, and selling the show
Michael King
Roger King on going to work at King World with his brother Michael King
Roger King on what was different about King World that led to its massive success, and on working with his brother Michael King
Phil McGraw
Roger King on creating and distributing Dr. Phil, featuring Dr. Phil McGraw
Sumner Redstone
Roger King on the King World merger with CBS/Viacom, and on working with Sumner M. Redstone to make the deal
Roseanne
Roger King on creating and distributing The Roseanne Show starring Roseanne, and on how King World dealt with failure
Martha Stewart
Roger King on King World reviving, producing, and distributing The Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg as the center square, and on distributing Martha Stewart Living
Alex Trebek
Roger King on acquiring the distribution rights to Jeopardy!, and on hiring Alex Trebek to host the show
Oprah Winfrey
Roger King on distributing and selling The Oprah Winfrey Show
Roger King on Oprah Winfrey's business acumen regarding The Oprah Winfrey Show
Roger King on the then-future of The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the initial difficulties King World had in selling it