Rod Serling said that aspiring unknown writers had ''practically no chance of breaking into TV today''
"Television cries out for new talent," said the writer.

Rod Serling was an inspiration to television writers everywhere. Initially a writer of scripts for radio, Serling began his television career in Cincinnati. After writing for programs like Playhouse 90, Serling was able to gain enough traction in the television industry to head his own series. Today, we know it as The Twilight Zone.
But in a 1960 interview with the Daily News, Serling had some cautionary advice to those aspiring writers who wished to work in television. The writer said that some would have a tough time finding success, despite the necessity for their talent.
"The unknown beginning writer stands practically no chance of breaking into TV today," said Serling. "Television cries out for new talent. It's in desperate need of it. But with few exceptions, it doesn't provide any channels through which new writers could be recognized."

Watch The Twilight Zone on MeTV!
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*available in most MeTV marketsWith years of experience under his belt, Serling understood the ins and outs of the entertainment industry, as well as where it was lacking in fairness. It seems that in television, success is built for those who already have a foot in the door.
"Suppose you're an unknown and send a story to a magazine, or a novel to a book publisher," said Serling. "It'll be read and considered. However, most TV program producers won't even look at a script unless it's submitted by an accredited agent. But most good agents won't read a TV play unless the writer has credits, that is, unless he is already a professional."
Luckily, when Serling became the head of his own television series, he became the very forces that had previously tried to shut others out. The television creator was determined to change things.
"I read every new script submitted to me," said Serling, who was also a producer in addition to his work as a writer on the series. "So far I've waded through 200."












