Bravo’s Moneymaker — “The Real Housewives” — Fiscal Impact on RI

Bravo’s Moneymaker — “The Real Housewives” — Fiscal Impact on RI

Bravo made it official on Wednesday, announcing that Rhode Island will be the location for their next “Real Housewives” franchise.

According to Bravo, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island is the 11th Real Housewives franchise, joining The Real Housewives of Orange County, The Real Housewives of New York City, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, The Real Housewives of D.C., The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of Miami, The Real Housewives of Potomac, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and The Real Housewives of Dallas.

There have been numerous international installments and spin-offs, including Real Housewives of Dubai, Real Housewives of Melbourne, and more. 

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The Real Housewives franchise's total value is estimated to be around $1 billion, according to multiple sources, The franchise's success is attributed to its long-running format, global adaptations, and the popularity of the individual cast members. 

 

No Film Tax Credits

The new show will bring a lot of buzz to Rhode Island, but the production costs for the reality show may be just a fraction of those of more traditional movies and television series.

According to Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, the Bravo series is not eligible for the state’s tax credit program because it is a reality show.

Further, the series does not have the production costs of a series like The Gilded Age, which Feinberg said has spent $35 million to $40 million a season in Rhode Island. The Gilded Age also films in New York City and Troy, New York.

 

 

How Much Per Show for Housewives

Cast members’ salaries are a major factor in the overall budget of The Real Housewives, often representing one of the largest single production expenses. As the franchise has grown in popularity, so have the salaries of its stars — especially for veteran or high-profile cast members.

These salaries alone can account for a significant portion of a season’s total production budget, which often ranges from $5 million to $25 million for a full season, according to C&I Studios.

 

Salaries

According to the celebrity website The Thing, new cast members may start around $60,000 for their first season, while established stars can earn over $1 million per season.

First-year salaries tend to be low. The most dramatic example of that is Bethenny Frankel’s $7,250 for her first season of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2008. She became a star and within a few years her per-season salary jumped to $1 million a year, and she was the focus of a spinoff show, which was critical to her business.  Frankel sold Skinnygirl Cocktails to Beam Global for an estimated $100 million.

The high-paid Housewives, like Kandi Burruss ($2.3 million/season) and Cynthia Bailey ($1.8 million/season), can earn well into seven figures per season. The highest salary ever paid to a Real Housewives cast member is NeNe Leakes’s $2.85 million per season for her final season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta

With some cast members earning hundreds of thousands per season, per-episode costs rise significantly, especially for shows with multiple high-earning stars. For example, if a season has 20 episodes and a top Housewife earns $2 million, that’s $100,000 per episode for just one cast member.

As shows develop and if they achieve high ratings, popular Housewives can negotiate higher salaries, and Bravo may pay more to retain stars who drive ratings and storylines.