We're very fortunate in that the casting couch has been less of a
problem in the Industry over the last ten-twenty years than it has been
in the past. The CC was most in play when studios were run by one or two
individuals who could dictate to their producers and directors who to use
in a movie. Over time, as power within studios and networks got more
widely spread among other executives, directors, producers, you name it,
there isn't any one person any longer who has that clout. Does it still
go on? I believe it does, at a much reduced level, and mainly in the
film arena, where again there's more individual discretion.

That kind of discretion is less readily present in TV, so there isn't
the power to fuel the temptation. For instance, on B5, our casting
sessions include: casting director Mary Jo Slater, me, Doug Netter, John
Copeland, Larry (if it's his episode, otherwise not), the director of
that episode, a reader to work opposite the actor, and sometimes, if the
role is crucial opposite a regular performer, that performer is there.
That's as many as 8 people, as opposed to one big studio guy sitting behind
a desk, smoking a stogie and eyeing whoever's opposite him.

jms