TV Producers pay psychic $30,000 plus

[Sherlock]

During a lengthy period of investigations and the use of subpoenas in early 2010, documentation provided directly from major bank depository accounts shows that four of the largest TV production companies creating psychic detective shows paid major fees to "psychic detective" talent.

Story House Productions, with offices in Washington, D.C., as the producers of 'Psychic Detectives' paid a single psychic more than $30,000 --- providing over multiple times checks written on their Citibank account of $5000 "before/after completion of filming" case reinactments.

New Dominion Pictures, based in Suffolk, Virginia paid a single psychic a $6000 payment, and Max Weissman Productions in New York City also signed and stuffed thousand-dollar eye-openers for psychic deposit. A fourth company paid for both the initial psychic filming sessions, and then added regular bi-annual 5-year syndicated royalties.

The result of all this story-telling? For one psychic the deposited income from psychic TV production companies represented greater than a 99% of the income over a three year period compared with checks received directly from public law enforcement agencies. And over a full year apparently as little as 5% of the psychic income was from clients compared to the 95% from TV psychic series production companies.

An analysis based on the number of episodes produced since 2003 after compiling the list of the psychic talent filmed, yields an estimate that several psychic detectives may have earned $65,000 to $105,000 per year for as few as 4 hours of actual master production video. At these rates "truth" and valid claims may not matter as much as creating ever more visions to regurgitate before the cameras.

More information will be released over the next several months as its compiled. Names of specific psychics are not ready for release due to on-going investigations.

 

[Zep]

Psychics have only one Golden Rule: FOLLOW THE MONEY.

And $30,000 is peanuts out of most TV series production budgets.

 

[devnull]

$30000 plus what? A toaster?

 

[Bob Klase]

Too bad that in lieu of actual payment they didn't just hide $1,000,000 somewhere and tell the psychic it was theirs if they could find it.

 

[Sherlock]

Just for point of clarification --- that's a minimum of $30,000 for just one psychic. I recognize these "talent costs" are low compared to Hollywood talent, but $1000 should be a concern. Psychic detective producers generally showcase a "news documentary" facade where the viewer isn't informed the talent being presented is a paid actor/actress "reenacting" the scene --- a scene often based exclusively on their recalled visions.

The other question is how much did the police and sheriff personnel get paid for their on-camera "reenactments"?

 

[Questioninggeller]

Just for point of clarification --- that's a minimum of $30,000 for just one psychic. I recognize these "talent costs" are low compared to Hollywood talent, but $1000 should be a concern. Psychic detective producers generally showcase a "news documentary" facade where the viewer isn't informed the talent being presented is a paid actor/actress "reenacting" the scene --- a scene often based exclusively on their recalled visions.

The other question is how much did the police and sheriff personnel get paid for their on-camera "reenactments"?

Sounds like this research will make for a really good article?

 

[shandyjan]

Too bad that in lieu of actual payment they didn't just hide $1,000,000 somewhere and tell the psychic it was theirs if they could find it.

Love that one!
It doesnt surprise me, they are hired in the same way as guests of other types of programmes, its the entertainment business. They dont care about truth or accuracy.

 

[Ernie M]

Psychic defectives

I find it disgusting and reprehensible to see "psychic defectives" (yes, I spelled that correctly) making money and benefiting in other ways, from purported powers they can't prove they possess.

Perhaps legal action against those individuals who claim to "psychically" divine information, as well as the media (ie: television networks) who promote this charade, is in order to help stop the selling of a lie.

 

[RecoveringYuppy]

Too bad that in lieu of actual payment they didn't just hide $1,000,000 somewhere and tell the psychic it was theirs if they could find it.

Someone has actually told them where it is and they still can't find it.

 

[alleracsum]

For one psychic the deposited income from psychic TV production companies represented greater than a 99% of the income over a three year period compared with checks received directly from public law enforcement agencies.

This is confusing. Are you talking about law enforcement agencies paying psychics with public funds? Which agencies and which psychics?

I've worked on many TV shows that used real cops or detectives to recreate things or simply be interviewed. The producers were rarely asked to pay anything to the department or the individual cop. If there was overtime involved or the cop was working on his day off the department picked up the tab. Sometimes, they might urge the production company to donate to a local charity. A token amount of money called an "honorarium" might be given to the department or, in the rare case, an actual individual. Cooperating with TV shows is simply good PR for the department -- and in the case of a pending criminal investigation another way to generate public interest and appease the families of victims. Cops can legally "moonlight" but if they were being portrayed or speaking in any kind of "official" capacity, paying them as private contractors would be frowned upon by the production company AND the department.

So, in general, I'm very interested in the OP, but also confused. Can you give more details, please?

 

[Robo Sapien]

The only reason that the TV show earnings account for 99% instead of 100% is because of that one cop that said "Here, I'll give you 5 bucks if you just GO AWAY"

 

[Tumblehome]

Too bad that in lieu of actual payment they didn't just hide $1,000,000 somewhere and tell the psychic it was theirs if they could find it.

Beauty!

If only we could get them to show up at the studio without an implicit promise of payment.

 

[Sherlock]

There are numerous psychic detectives who claim direct payments from law enforcement agencies. Both Noreen Renier (Virginia) and Laurie McQuary (Oregon) have claimed they have worked directly with/for law enforcement personnel, and Renier has claimed 70% of her "cases" have been solicited and paid directly by law enforcement agencies. A Virginia-based (Lynchburg) U.S. Justice Department Trustee has repeatedly refused to provide W-2/99 income forms filed by Renier to her largest creditor (one owed more than $40,000) over the past year --- even though the documentation was submitted by Ms. Renier as part of her current Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings.

The creditor was given no opportunity to see her W-2/99 forms that would (or should have) shown the sources of income by business name (such as police agencies or key clients). This is certainly odd since creditors normally have the right to examine the income tax filings or W-2/99 forms for self-employed persons declaring bankruptcy. Is this because the U.S. Department of Justice (and two Trustee's based in the state of Virginia) would prefer NOT to allow disclosure of Ms. Renier's income sources because of a previous connection with the DOJ? In previous testimony in Oregon Ms. Renier stated under oath that she received payments for her services directly from an agent with the U.S. Justice Department. And it has already been verified that she spoke at the FBI before U.S. Justice Department staff members on more than one occasion, with the events sanctioned by former FBI agent Robert Ressler.

If you review several of the current psychic detective shows several statements imply at least three psychics have been paid on behalf of the local agencies involved. Lane County (Eugene, Oregon) previously paid two psychics to work with local sheriff department personnel on a missing person case --- a fact publicized in the Eugene Register Guard, the city newspaper. While there is certainly less direct payments going on --- there is some. And as to why the U.S. Department of Justice seems to keep soothsayers it has used protected is an interesting question several people are currently exploring. Lynchburg Police and other nearby Virginia communities have had three decades of police/psychic ties --- and they are extremely protective to answer questions. And clearly the U.S. Justice department Trustee's based in the same area are protective of at least one psychic who while declaring bankruptcy is also a soothsayer previously used and paid by the U.S. Justice Department according to previous testimony.

 

[Sherlock]

For more on the history of key psychic detectives, an update has been posted at http://www.gpinquirygroup.com/

 

[alleracsum]

Interesting stuff. Keep it coming.

 

[Cuddles]

During a lengthy period of investigations and the use of subpoenas in early 2010, documentation provided directly from major bank depository accounts shows that four of the largest TV production companies creating psychic detective shows paid major fees to "psychic detective" talent.

Have to say I'm not sure I see the problem here. TV companies pay people for appearing in shows about them. In other news, the Pope is a bear.

I mean sure, it's disappointing that people can make false claims on TV, but that's hardly restricted to shows about psychics. Hell, we're in election season in the UK at the moment, and the party political broadcasts will each contain far more falsehoods than a whole year of psychic shows. But complaining about false claims is one thing. Pointing out that people get paid for appearing on TV is something else entirely, and doesn't really seem to achieve anything.

 

[Bob Klase]

If only we could get them to show up at the studio without an implicit promise of payment.

That's another good idea. Don't call them- just write a check for their payment, leave it on a table in the production room and see if they show up.

 

[Ernie M]

Have to say I'm not sure I see the problem here. TV companies pay people for appearing in shows about them. In other news, the Pope is a bear.

[...] But complaining about false claims is one thing. Pointing out that people get paid for appearing on TV is something else entirely, and doesn't really seem to achieve anything.

FALSE ADVERTISING?
Having a "psychic" or "psychic detective" or other similarly-related titled person on a TV show is, in my opinion, akin to false advertising.

Since TV viewers may believe they are presented with factual and truthful information on these "psychic-type" shows, they could enter into future commercial transactions based on information that was false/fabricated, misleading, inaccurate, or intentionally withheld.

THEFT BY DECEPTION?
I'll also continue, that it's my opinion, that paid "psychics" and the TV shows or media coverage they are on, seem to be getting away with theft by deception.

So I feel it's important for amindformurder to point out that "psychic detectives" and the like, get paid for purported paranormal powers they can't prove they have. Laws and regulations have been enacted to help curb false, misleading, and deceptive advertising, so why shouldn't regulations apply to "psychics" and psychic-genre TV shows?

 

[Just_Me]

well said ernie m . it is not just the moneny that they get but what about "psychics" like silvia brown taking advantage of people at there most emotional and vunerable , for exmple telling parents their missing chidren are dead when they are alive and vice versa

 

[RSLancastr]

For more on the history of key psychic detectives, an update has been posted at http://www.gpinquirygroup.com/

I recently saw Renier on, I think it was, the Biography Channel, and thought of you.

I think it detailed her supposedly helping police to find a rapist, with such amazing information as "he lives near a movie theater." And that he had a scar on his knee.

Wow, that also describes me.