I guess I'm lucky as my television only really knows CBC, Discovery and History (though I guess I could say it also knows Teletoon, Space and the Comedy Network). As such I'm not missing John Steward so long as Rick Mercer keeps doing his thing I'll be good. As for reality TV... well I watch the Lens, though that's a Doc show rather then current reality TV...
I think part of the problem is the overwhelming profit mindset of many people in Hollywood. When an actor requires $10M just to be in a movie I see a problem. You also have studios that think a show is not a success unless it doubles the initial investment in profits.
Profits are not evil but if a show only makes 10% return on the investment it will be dumped. I have to wonder if the opening up of the stock market to everyone in the 90's may be a factor in this. Many investors (and CEOs) no longer look at long term gains but only short term.
"If I gut the company the stock price will double and I can cash out my options," is the current mentality. No one is seriously looking at long tail anymore as a reliable revenue stream anymore.
The company that I work for (several corporate mergers ago) laid down a massive fiber optic network across the country in the late 80's. They later sold it for twice what it cost them to build it. The buyer made that much money every year on it for the next five years!
The executives at my company wanted to see a quick stock jump so they could cash out and leave. If they had kept the fiber the company would have reaped a far bigger reward.
Same thing with TV. I expect one of the best new shows (Pushing Daises) to be cancelled because it is too niche.
Scott can rail against commercials as much as he'd like, but he's talking about the core of the American system of media, selling something.
Just because something's important doesn't mean it's good. ^_~What do you mean by good? If a lack of commercials and major interuptions is good, then the British system is good because the BBC doesn't air commercials during their broadcast. Is that a good way to create a content delivery system? I think it does serve a purpose, but it is as a public good and advocacy for British Culture that is specifically defined by the Government. That attitude does not exist in America towards media, at least not on any mainstream level, or PBS would be receiving a much greater level of public support.
I think if the American Mass Media moves to a on-demand model, we are going to see advertising in the product in some form or fashion that is going to be hard to ignore or remove.
Awesome. People will either accept it or stop watching as they please. In the case of the former, I'll either get around it or stop watching. In the case of the latter, the industry will undergo a long-needed realignment to a business model that isn't as patently flawed.
Rym, the system hasn't been considered flawed until recently. The new technologies are posing a threat to the underpinnings of the system, the way that mass media and communications is done, and the adoption of these new technologies. The companies are going to fight against this release of media, we've seen it already. And Kilarney's right, it's pretty easy if you've got enough money to pay for cable to add a DVR to your service and never watch television as the corporations present it. A person can avoid commercials if they try, they can remove them if they want, but the fact that our current models are what they are seem to indicate that those who desire to remove all advertisements from their world are a smaller percentage then the people who just ignore ads or live with them.
Scott, you're right that more shows are being written with a continuous narrative that sells really well as a DVD set. It's part of a change in people's taste that may bring some people closer to where you and Rym are right now, but most people aren't there yet. You to exist on a forward edge of technology that not everyone is ready to join yet, or perhaps will ever join. Some people enjoy the idea of a serial narrative slowly broken up over the course of several months. This is another reason the serial narrative sells really well as a concept because it keeps bringing people back in to watch week after week, because they have an investment in the show. It helps to sell advertising as well as the DVD set.
In addition, you aren't really free from advertising when you use Netflix. Every DVD they ship out has an ad printed on the inside of the package. What makes those inherently better then the Television ads? The ease with which you can ignore them?
In addition, you aren't really free from advertising when you use Netflix. Every DVD they ship out has an ad printed on the inside of the package. What makes those inherently better then the Television ads? The ease with which you can ignore them?
In regards to advertising and product placement, you can blatantly see how Heroes does their advertising in the show. If anyone recalls the last episode with Claire and her cell phone, how the camera zoomed in when she was text messaging West, or when they were lying in bed together listening to mp3's on her cell phone. They purposely showed her pushing the fucking stop/pause button so she can talk to him.
This sort of advertising reminds of me of The Truman Show. -_- If this is the best way they can think of product placement in shows, and if it continues to be that way, I don't know how much more TV shows I can tolerate.
Ok, so everyone thinks that the current system is broken. What do you guys think would be a better system? And don't just say "zomgnoadz!!", because people need to get paid at some point along the way.
What about the car her dad purchased for her? Makes you wonder if the car was stolen because it was only a one-off advertising gambit!
It's not quite a one-off advertising thing. Take a look at the car the wonder twins and Sylar are driving. It's Claire's. And they are advertising that same car in the front page of each of the graphic novels. Nissan is putting a good deal of money into finacing Heroes.
What about the car her dad purchased for her? Makes you wonder if the car was stolen because it was only a one-off advertising gambit!
Of course. If you read the novels online, for last season, there is 1 page advertisement of the Nissan Versa, aka the car Hiro and Ando used in their travels, and for this season it's the Nissan Rogue. That was pretty obvious. Hell, the season premier, that had limited commercial interruption, if I recall correctly, all the commercials were for the Nissan Rogue. They would even show the same commercial back to back. I try not to pay much attention to it, however, whenever my boyfriend and I are out and about and we see a Nissan Versa, we quote it like Hiro did in season one. -_-
Of course it doesn't mean we're going to buy the car, we just associate it with the show.
Ok, so everyone thinks that the current system is broken. What do you guys think would be a better system? And don't just say "zomgnoadz!!", because people need to get paid at some point along the way.
My solution: 255 channels of PBS. Masterpiece Theatre and McLaughlin Group all day long!
Ok, so everyone thinks that the current system is broken. What do you guys think would be a better system? And don't just say "zomgnoadz!!", because people need to get paid at some point along the way.
My solution: 255 channels of PBS.Masterpiece TheatreandMcLaughlin Groupall day long!
Welcome to the BBC. Please do remember to pay your yearly tax for each TV and computer in your home.
Ok, so everyone thinks that the current system is broken. What do you guys think would be a better system? And don't just say "zomgnoadz!!", because people need to get paid at some point along the way.
My solution: 255 channels of PBS.Masterpiece TheatreandMcLaughlin Groupall day long!
Welcome to the BBC. Please do remember to pay your yearly tax for each TV and computer in your home.
Y'know, I'll bet it's less than or equivalent to cable. However, if it's a tax, it's automatically evil in the minds of the cons and their like.
First off, let me just state that I like the idea of the BBC, and I think some truly quality programming has come out of this model. But models like this, that use public money to finance an entertainment medium don't make as much sense in our country because of the gravity that American media exerts. We don't need to make sure that American writers/actors/directors get jobs, because all of the big jobs can be had in Hollywood.
I also believe that politicians can not run TV ads in the UK. Many American networks look towards the political spending seasons like wolves look at sheep with broken legs flopping around in a pool of barbecue sauce by a geyser.
What do you guys think would be a better system? And don't just say "zomgnoadz!!"
zomglessadz!! I don't have that much of a problem with commercial blocks, as long as they do not total to be longer then the show they are interrupting. I mean, during a movie you need time to pee, get pop corn and drinks.
I propose a system much like the iTunes TV Show Store, but integrated into the television and cheaper. (I'm purposely ignoring the shit that is the Apple TV.) Get the first few episodes of a show free to see if you like it, and if you do you can subscribe or purchase episodes individually. Keep in mind the loads of monies you save on cable bills. Yeah, fuck you, Comcast!
Of course, I have a similar system in place, but without the "purchase" part.
/idealistic
//not totally unrealistic
///did not account for live TV
////Also, you can watch episodes of many TV shows for free on many networks' websites.
What do you guys think would be a better system? And don't just say "zomgnoadz!!"zomglessadz!! I don't have that much of a problem with commercial blocks, as long as they do not total to be longer then the show they are interrupting. I mean, during a movie you need time to pee, get pop corn and drinks.
So you would be fine with a scheme of ads that goes, just off the top of my head thinking of some random numbers, 22 minutes of show to 8 minutes of ads? Just throwing some random numbers out there...
So you would be fine with a scheme of ads that goes, just off the top of my head thinking of some random numbers, 22 minutes of show to 8 minutes of ads? Just throwing some random numbers out there...
8 minutes if you include the blocks before and after the show, yes. Else, no, 8 minute commercial breaks are too long. 3 minutes out of 15 = ok. As is, roughly, the system in the Netherlands.
Has anyone here checked out virv.tv ? Granted it only works in Windows (plug-in) but the architecture underneath it is the shit! It is esentially a P2P grid network used to deliver video content. Think streaming torrents.
All the strikers are now in front of Fox Studios. Stuff will be going down soon.
Isn't Fox News off the air or running repeats? Unless they have non-Union writers.
From what I read, the news writers are different from the screen writers. However, I also heard that the CBS news writers might strike soon independently for their own reasons.
From what I read, the news writers are different from the screen writers. However, I also heard that the CBS news writers might strike soon independently for their own reasons.
I read that if the Actor's and Directors Guild's don't seal up their new contracts with the AMTPT soon, they will strike as well, effectively shutting down Hollywood.
Comments
Profits are not evil but if a show only makes 10% return on the investment it will be dumped. I have to wonder if the opening up of the stock market to everyone in the 90's may be a factor in this. Many investors (and CEOs) no longer look at long term gains but only short term.
"If I gut the company the stock price will double and I can cash out my options," is the current mentality. No one is seriously looking at long tail anymore as a reliable revenue stream anymore.
The company that I work for (several corporate mergers ago) laid down a massive fiber optic network across the country in the late 80's. They later sold it for twice what it cost them to build it. The buyer made that much money every year on it for the next five years!
The executives at my company wanted to see a quick stock jump so they could cash out and leave. If they had kept the fiber the company would have reaped a far bigger reward.
Same thing with TV. I expect one of the best new shows (Pushing Daises) to be cancelled because it is too niche.
Scott, you're right that more shows are being written with a continuous narrative that sells really well as a DVD set. It's part of a change in people's taste that may bring some people closer to where you and Rym are right now, but most people aren't there yet. You to exist on a forward edge of technology that not everyone is ready to join yet, or perhaps will ever join. Some people enjoy the idea of a serial narrative slowly broken up over the course of several months. This is another reason the serial narrative sells really well as a concept because it keeps bringing people back in to watch week after week, because they have an investment in the show. It helps to sell advertising as well as the DVD set.
In addition, you aren't really free from advertising when you use Netflix. Every DVD they ship out has an ad printed on the inside of the package. What makes those inherently better then the Television ads? The ease with which you can ignore them?
This sort of advertising reminds of me of The Truman Show. -_- If this is the best way they can think of product placement in shows, and if it continues to be that way, I don't know how much more TV shows I can tolerate.
Of course it doesn't mean we're going to buy the car, we just associate it with the show.
@Pilitus
Hehe. You beat me to it. But I assumed that the car in Mexico that is driven by Maya, Alejandro & Sylar is the came car that was stolen from Claire.
I stopped watching. This show ended for me at Season One.
Of course, I have a similar system in place, but without the "purchase" part.
/idealistic
//not totally unrealistic
///did not account for live TV
////Also, you can watch episodes of many TV shows for free on many networks' websites.
So you would be fine with a scheme of ads that goes, just off the top of my head thinking of some random numbers, 22 minutes of show to 8 minutes of ads? Just throwing some random numbers out there...