only a select few creators -- including some fine artists and SF writers and social philosophers -- who have the thoughtfulness and vision to conceive of ways that things might be different

I think I'm somewhere between you and Alison.

In my extensive professional experience, corporations (rather like politicians) will put on whatever face they think will make them look good. Their tendency is to Be So Bland as to Offend the Fewest Possible Customers and/or Clients. And I'm sure that applies to major networks.

Is this a conspiracy? Not to me. It's just a conservative reluctance to take a chance. It's the same reluctance that stops companies like Dell from ever innovating -- innovation takes money and doesn't always justify the investment.