The Market Rules
Over the weekend I had a discussion with a friend concerning the change in how creative content is distributed. He torrents everything, I stream everything. And we chuckled over how little the studios can force crap upon us, now.
Except TV. Because no one will support a TV show that doesn't bring in ad revenue.Since Scyfy was bought, it stopped being the place for science fiction, etc. Quality programming isn't as important as marginally associated content that's cheap and gives lots of time for ads.
And if a show chooses something other than studio production it too has to at least reimburse the bankroller. I guess that explains why Sanctuary is ending. Space is filled with Star Trek and Stargate, science fiction movies and...Hollywood Treasure? That's not even an alternate history Hollywood, either; it's a reality show.
There are lots of geeky movies coming out, granted they're mostly based on novels (graphic and regular) or other franchises, but at least they're NEW.
If the nerds and geeks and technophiles are all happily torrenting and netflixing (netflicking? netflixating?) then there's noone watching TV shows that cater to them. And without someone bankrolling it there's no Netflix, is there? Until there's a season, there's no streaming, and until there's streaming there aren't enough watching for another season.
It's a Catch-22.
Hey, anyone want to greenlight that for a redo?
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ReplyDeleteand with TV PVRs now automatically skipping commercials, TV ad revenue is going to get worse, so programming is going to get more real time and gamified (viz voting for American Idol).
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I hadn't thought of that! *shudder* Also, the product placement that is so prevalent in blockbuster movies is bound to creep into popular tv.
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