If the conventional TV model means watching shows on television then I would say that it is dying out. Most people may not be able to watch shows at the primetimes of 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. They are busy so they catch it on their DVR or online at websites like Hulu.com and Fancast.com. Companies such as NBC and Fox are starting to realize the new age of things and stand behind Hulu, allowing their shows to be viewed without a problem. The Internet may one day, for all we know, kill the television, not the networks or the people working for these networks but the actually machine. We will simply be watching it on our computer, cell phone or iPod. Even now when we watch something on Hulu a commercial only last 30 seconds or a minute, each commercial break, that certainly beats the five minutes of commercial times we normally get.
The textbook keeps referring to the Big Three, CBS, NBC and ABC. Except now there are the Big Five, Time Warner, Viacom/CBS, Disney, NBC Universal and Fox. Because there are more channels and more things that people want to watch is the reason we have all of these companies. So either these companies will expand or a few will buy the others out and it’s only a matter of time before one or two of them becomes a big monopoly. The world of technology is obviously changing so it should not come to a surprise that the world of television is also changing.
Lea,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the internet taking over. Instead of paying for the trio of internet, (land line) phone, and cable, it is very soon that we will be only paying for the internet. I think that communication is not just viable over a cell phone either. It is also accessible via the computer - skype for example.
Just a small example of how television is shifting. Three television soap operas have been canceled in three years. Fans care, and they are following their favorite actors. Currently, some of the most blogged about soap operas are web based. They are cheaper and easier to make. Even big soap stars are flocking towards them, because in many cases the writing is better and they do not have to deal with one of the big three (daytime soaps are on the big three, despite there being five now). Firing, although still an issue, is not a much a fear anymore for them. Just some food for thought.
Television, I believe, is also dying because of the quick turn over of seasons on DVD. What are your thoughts on that? I suppose that would keep around the physical television, but as for the conventional. . .
Great post, Lea!
Samantha