Do You Want To Change The Future Of Television?

POSTED BY: NewsAdmin
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 07:59
VIEWED: 8546
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NEWSADMIN

Thursday, January 30, 2003 8:47 PM

Perhaps this is the future of television:

Quote:
TV-Next was created in an effort to save quality television programming. How many times have you really enjoyed a tv show, only to have it canceled? Bad timeslots or inadequate promotion are often to blame for good shows getting the axe, and letter-writing campaigns just don't go far enough to keep this programming alive. After a lot of consideration, we think that we may have come across an idea that the networks will listen to: Money.

Let's face it - the networks aren't in business to make us happy. They're in business to make money. If the programs that they have on the air fail to attract sufficient ratings, they can't charge enough for advertising to cover production costs and still make a profit.

Notice, however, that we didn't say "viewership", but "ratings". In the case of many popular shows, viewership can be quite high without attracting those all-important ratings numbers. It is our belief that the television viewing public has reached a critical mass - that for the first time ever a means exists to unite those disenfranchised viewers that are tired of losing out on their favorite entertainment because the families with the Nielsen boxes didn't "get it".

If you're one of the countless viewers who feel that your voice isn't being heard, that you're powerless in the face of network programming decisions, and that you'd like to make a change, we encourage you to read more about how it works.

To learn more, you can go here:

http://www.tv-next.com/intro1.shtml

LOSTANGEL

Thursday, January 30, 2003 9:34 PM

I already signed up. I've been yelling about this for ages. What better way to show how displeased we are by shutting out the networks all together?

This is one bandwagon I would not only jump on, I'll serve the peanuts, and pass out the headphones to anyone else flyin' the bandwagon express!!!

Ye-Hah!!!

______________________
Lost Angel

WASH: Psychic, though? That sounds like something out of science fiction.
ZOE: We live in a space ship, dear.
WASH: So?

BOLT

Thursday, January 30, 2003 9:53 PM

I've signed up too. Don't know if it will work, but it can't hurt. Anything we can do to save the show! Great to see someone has taken the idea for subscription television and is trying to turn it into a reality. Imagine how cool this will be if it works!

SUCCATASH

Friday, January 31, 2003 5:11 AM

I signed up too, dammit!

SUINEGAGPF

Friday, January 31, 2003 6:45 AM

I signed up. However, I think they are overlooking a couple of major drawbacks to what they are proposing. So I sent them some feedback. They will have to demonstrate that the risk associated with these drawbacks can be mitigated if they hope to convince the affected networks, sponsors, and studios.

An excerpt from my email follows:
Interesting concepts. However, both plans have obvious flaws.

Plan 1: Offline Distribution
Given the rampant piracy that has been going on with current episodes of Firefly, I have to wonder how many people would actually subscribe and how many would wait for the pirated copies to show up on Ebay or through fan message sites. Additionally, it is unlikely that every person in a fan cluster would subscribe; more than likely they'd chip in and share one set of DVDs.

Plan 2: Time-Shifted Airing
I would suspect that most people would record a program that was aired between 2AM and 5 AM rather than watch it at that time. Whether it is recorded on VHS or TiVo, the commercials can be fast-forwarded through. I don't think the Sponsors would be happy with this arrangement. (I think this is the reason why there are only infomercials on during this time period.)

Of the two, I like plan one the best. Eventually I'll get around to adding all of my favorite TV shows to my DVD collection.

----

GREYBARD

Friday, January 31, 2003 3:46 PM

Most of the piracy occurring is because there *is* no other way to see any Firefly at all, unless you were lucky enough to tape it, like me. We can't tell if these "pirates" would pirate if they had legitimate, Joss and actor paying sources for the show.

Give the people who missed it the first time around or who live in non-Fox-having countries the benefit of the doubt.

QUEENTIYE

Friday, January 31, 2003 5:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by suinegagpf:
Plan 2: Time-Shifted Airing
I would suspect that most people would record a program that was aired between 2AM and 5 AM rather than watch it at that time. Whether it is recorded on VHS or TiVo, the commercials can be fast-forwarded through. I don't think the Sponsors would be happy with this arrangement. (I think this is the reason why there are only infomercials on during this time period.)

Of the two, I like plan one the best. Eventually I'll get around to adding all of my favorite TV shows to my DVD collection.

----

I liked plan 2 best... and please correct me if I'm wrong - but I understood that the idea of plan 2 (like plan 1) was that subscribers were paying per episode... with the result that they may or may not need as much advertising revenue! And if shows are still produced for 44 minutes because of the potential for moving a show up to prime time, then networks can squeeze more programming into this graveyard timeslot, making it that much more valuable...

And... tivo statistics are collectable... I would hope that such a network would take advantage of that statistic to make future programming decisions...

QT

QueenTiye, Companion Academy drop-out!

Shamelessly gushing over Mal...

TVNEXT

Sunday, February 2, 2003 8:44 AM

As a courtesy to the board, I'm going to copy 'n paste my emailed response to SUINEGAGPF here...

* * * *

> Plan 1:
> Given the rampant piracy that has been going on with current
> episodes of Firefly, I have to wonder how many people would
> actually subscribe and how many would wait for the pirated
> copies to show up on Ebay or through fan message sites.

That's exactly what we're trying to find out. We'll know that we've succeeded when we have enough people registered to offer content at a reasonable price. If everyone would prefer to copy, they'll have to make a decision - pay and keep the show alive, or copy and let it be cancelled?

> Additionally, it is unlikely that every person in a fan cluster
> would subscribe; more than likely they'd chip in and share one
> set of DVDs.

Certainly possible, in which case we'll have to work either to keep the price low enough for groups to justify paying for each individual, or else devise an alternate pricing structure to account for group purchases. These are all questions that we hope to be able to answer in the near future.

> Plan 2:
> I would suspect that most people would record a program that was
> aired between 2AM and 5 AM rather than watch it at that time.

Absolutely. For this reason, we think that there may be partnership opportunities with DVR manufacturers.

> Whether it is recorded on VHS or TiVo, the commercials can be
> fast-forwarded through. I don't think the Sponsors would be
> happy with this arrangement. (I think this is the reason why
> there are only infomercials on during this time period.)

People can do this for prime time programming. And they do. Yet, somehow, commercial television stays on the air. As for the reason that infomercials occupy the late night timeslots, it is primarily because most viewers have gone to sleep (meaning that advertisers reach fewer sets, and are therefore less willing to pay for airtime). There's a strict correlation between ratings and advertising dollars.

> Of the two, I like plan one the best. Eventually I'll get
> around to adding all of my favorite TV shows to my DVD collection.

Let's just hope that they continue to produce your favorite shows long enough to compile a season's worth on DVD. We'll keep our fingers crossed, but in the mean time we're going to keep pushing to make the voice of the viewing audience heard. :-)

Best regards,

Jim

SUINEGAGPF

Sunday, February 2, 2003 5:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by TVNext:
People can do this for prime time programming. And they do. Yet, somehow, commercial television stays on the air.

My point is that advertisers can't as easily dismiss ratings for a show where it is unknown how many people are actually watching it as it is aired. During prime time, a fair percentage of the viewers are probably watching it or watching while taping. During the early morning hours, the majority of the people watching it as it airs will be the same people who watch whatever normally airs in that timeslot. The remaining viewers will be recording it. I suspect the only advertisers you'll be able to attract are the ones who normally advertise at that time. I doubt that the revenue made from those ads would even cover 5% of the per episode cost of a TV show.

Thanks for replying. I hope you are successful with your proposal.

(Actually, I'm predicting the demise of commercial television within 25 years unless there is a major paradigm shift within the advertising world. When people are forced to buy HDTVs or converter boxes, I figure that'll eliminate most of the financially challenged viewers. And I figure in about 10 years most of the remaining people will have TiVo or some equivalent which will make TV commercials no longer a viable advertising means. The only way I see commercial television surviving is if they focus less on revenue generated solely from the commercial interuptions and instead focus on using banner ads and product placement. And then follow up with interactive guides and other promotional merchandise featuring both the TV show and it's sponsors.)

----

RADEGUND

Sunday, February 2, 2003 7:00 PM

Quote:

Actually, I'm predicting the demise of commercial television within 25 years unless there is a major paradigm shift within the advertising world.

I can't recall where I saw it, but I remember reading about one TV producer's idea to replace advertising with product placements. Instead of seeing ads for Coke and Toyota, you'll see the cast drinking Coke and driving Toyotas. This wouldn't work well for a show set in the future like Firefly, though.

There's an article over at CNN.com about a company that's distributing independent movies on DVD directly to people who have signed up for the service. It's for people who have no access to independent film festivals who want to see these movies that will never make it to the big screen. It's not quite the same situation as we're in with Firefly, but it's an interesting example of people thinking of new ways of distribution.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/02/wkd.dvd.club.ap/index.htm
l

Radegund

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