University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 5, No. 1/1995 ALUMNI PROFILE: Syndicating the stars Sure, the hit television show Seinfeld has won more awards than Martha Stewart at a county fair. Sure, it was the top-rated show on television in 1994-95. Sure, it's been one of the largest grossing shows in television history. But on Sept. 11, Seinfeld finally made it big. "Syndication is where shows make the money. The real money is on the back end," says Steve Mosko, Delaware '78. And, he should know. Mosko is senior vice president, syndication, for Columbia TriStar Television Distribution. That means he's responsible for signing up television stations to air the company's roster of off- network series, first-run programming and feature film packages. It also means that Mosko and his sales team were largely responsible for shattering the syndication sales record when Seinfeld appeared on 224 stations, reaching 99 percent of the country-more than any off-network series in syndication history. Of course, it didn't hurt that Seinfeld has become a national viewing obsession on Thursday nights. Millions of Americans tune in to see what crazy messes Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer will get in next. "It's one of the few shows that people consider appointment television," Mosko observes. "To be involved with a show that has an impact on the way people view television, that's pretty exciting." Mosko is passionate about the television industry and his behind-the-scenes role in bringing programming to the public. Some other popular shows he has handled are Ricki Lake, a talk show aimed at younger viewers, and Forever Knight, an off-beat drama about a vampire detective. He also will handle Mad About You and The Larry Sanders Show, two well-received shows slated to go into syndication. "Television plays a major role in how people view the world, how they're entertained, where they get their news and information," he says. "There's something exciting about developing and selling programming that affects so many people." Mosko majored in communication at Delaware, and he got the TV bug early in his career. He went to work as an account executive at WBFF-TV in Baltimore the day after finishing his last final exam. From there, he held a number of positions at other stations in Baltimore and Philadelphia. His experience at the station level was invaluable preparation for his job today, he says. "After we sell a show, we work with the stations' sales departments to help them maximize their revenue. We're only able to do that if we understand their business." The rapidly changing communications industry has opened up thousands of challenging and interesting jobs, says Mosko, yet many young people haven't discovered them. Before moving to California for a Columbia Pictures Television job in 1992, Mosko, then station manager at WPHL-TV in Philadelphia, made a special effort to return to his alma mater periodically to spread the word about the evolving industry. "There are so many opportunities for people coming out of college that the academic world hasn't embraced," he says. "I wanted to let people know what's available and what a great field it is." It's not for the faint of heart, however. Mosko's job is extraordinarily demanding. It requires him to be on the road 20 weeks out of the year and to begin each day with 5:30 a.m. telephone calls to his East Coast sales people. He usually wraps up his day at 9 p.m., and weekends are considered business days. The toughest part of the job is finding time for his family, which includes two children-Matthew and Bryan and his wife, Marianne Knake Mosko, Delaware '79. "It's hard making sure there's a balance between family and work, because I put in a lot of time at work," he says. "I never think of it in terms of hours. It's just a matter of doing what we have to do to get the work done." Mosko says he developed his work ethic because he came from a family with seven children. He has been working since he was old enough to get a job, and he paid his way through college by working as a janitor and driving a truck, among other odd jobs. He is one of four siblings who graduated from Delaware. The others are Mary Ellen Mosko Sullivan '72; John Mosko '81; and Jane Mosko Volker '83. Although selling syndicated series hasn't made Mosko a household name, he is well-known in the television industry and gets to rub elbows with the stars. He says many of them, including Jerry Seinfeld, understand the business side of the industry and are actively involved in marketing their shows. He adds that many people labor under the misconception that all stars are egocentric and difficult to work with. "Most are cooperative, good, family people," Mosko says. -Marylee Sauder, Delaware '83