In the world of motion pictures and television programming, a tent pole is a production which, with heavy promotion, and probably carrying a large investment, is expected to hold up (as is the function of a tent pole) and balance out the performance of a movie studio or television network. An example of this strategy in television is to schedule a popular program alongside new or unknown programming, in an attempt to keep viewers watching after the flagship program is over. In the movie business, tent poles are sometimes widely released initial offerings in a string of releases and are expected by studios to turn a profit in a short period of time. When the production fails to meet expectations it can be said that the "tent pole has flopped".
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