"I don't know when network executives will get out of the Dark Ages"
About this Quote
“Dark Ages” is doing blunt cultural work. It’s not a neutral critique of strategy or ratings; it’s a moral accusation, a shorthand for entrenched, old-boy decision-making and institutional fear of change. Coming from Chung, the subtext is inseparable from media history: the era when networks were loudly modern on screen and quietly archaic behind it. Her career unfolded through the high-gloss age of broadcast authority, when women and people of color could be visible yet still treated as exceptions, liabilities, or “difficult” for wanting parity. The quote reads like a refusal to keep performing gratitude for access.
It also functions as a power move. Chung doesn’t plead for inclusion; she mocks the legitimacy of those withholding it. By casting executives as temporally behind, she flips the hierarchy: they may control budgets and bookings, but they look small, provincial, and embarrassed by time itself. The real target isn’t one decision - it’s a culture that confuses caution with wisdom.
Quote Details
| Topic | Management |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Chung, Connie. (2026, January 15). I don't know when network executives will get out of the Dark Ages. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-when-network-executives-will-get-out-150361/
Chicago Style
Chung, Connie. "I don't know when network executives will get out of the Dark Ages." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-when-network-executives-will-get-out-150361/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't know when network executives will get out of the Dark Ages." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-when-network-executives-will-get-out-150361/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.




