What are some of the things
broadcasting and cable networks are doing to attract and keep viewers? How have
these efforts helped them compete with SVOD services? In 3 – 5 years, what do
you expect the TV industry to look like and what role will
broadcast/cable/streaming play? Limit: 12 responses
As time goes on, more and more people are getting used to easy television access right at their fingertips. This is the direction technology is heading towards, everything being digital and always by our side. With this said, broadcasting and cable networks have to work a lot harder to keep their viewers from going digital only. One of the main things that broadcasting and cable networks are doing to attract and keep their viewers is getting the fans highly involved in social media. Nielson explains, “with nearly a billion Tweets sent in the U.S. about TV in 2015, social media continues to play a starring role in fans’ living rooms” (The Biggest Social TV Moments). Personally, I absolutely love watching live shows, especially award shows, and then live tweeting about it at the same time. This leads to more social engagement with friends and other fans, as well. Also, the fan engagement over the various social mediums such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook lead to even more buzz about the show/network it’s airing on. Nielson continues to explain, “with online response to linear TV peaking as programs air live, networks, agencies and advertisers pay close attention to highly engaging moments and look to capitalize on social programs as opportunities for advertisers to drive earned media” (The Biggest Social TV Moments). Because of this problem and the declining viewers of regular television, Forbes recently reported what changes broadcast networks are making. “Broadcast networks are adding more original hours, increasing their production costs, favoring in-house production, and introducing big stars, according to a UBS analysis of the upcoming primetime season” (Tietjen). These things are being done to assure that broadcast and cable television don’t disappear, because as much as people enjoy watching television on iPhones, iPads, Tablets, etc., there are still many people that enjoy watching a regular television set.
ReplyDeleteThese efforts have helped broadcast and cable networks compete with the SVOD services. Alan Wurtzel, NBCUniversal's president of research and media development, explains, “broadcast and cable are still superior to SVODs” (Lynch). He says, “80 percent of content viewing that occurs during prime time is of cable and broadcast shows, while only 13 percent represents SVOD options. SVOD ‘is a compliment, not a replacement’ to linear TV” (Lynch). Wurtzel believes that broadcast and cable television will still exist for a long time. In a few years, I do believe the television industry will look different than it does now. I think a lot more people will be using SVOD services only, especially the younger generation. This includes millennial and the upcoming generation x. With that said, social media is growing as well. Therefore, people will still want to watch broadcast/cable television for live shows. Also, I know people in older generations will always want to watch live cable television, like my dad for example. He would never become a SVOD service user because he is very old school.
DeleteWorks Cited
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware: Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch TV Shows." – Adweek. N.p., 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.
Tietjen, Denali. "Content Wars: How Television Networks Are Fighting The Netflix Threat." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 11 June 2015. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.
"TV Season 2015-2016 in Review: The Biggest Social TV Moments." Nielson. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.
Broadcasting and cable networks have had to work harder in order to attract new viewers and keep existing ones. The growth in SVOD options like Hulu and Netflix have changed the industry. Certain cable networks have chosen to keep the stacking rights for their current in-season shows. NBC for example “has full in-season stacking rights for all of their shows except Blacklist and Law & Order SVU,” thus allowing their viewers access to prior episodes from that season only if they have a cable subscription (Lynch). Utilizing streaming services through cable providers may possibly be what is keeping them a contender. In a survey done by Alan Wurtzel, NBCUniversal’s President, “seventy five percent of those surveyed said they’d watch more TV in full-season stacking, or the ability to watch all previous episodes from a show’s current season, were available” (Lynch). That being said, it is clear that through his research it would be more beneficial to cable networks if they had streaming capabilities for all of their shows since viewers want to watch shows when and how they want as opposed to the traditional method. Having the ability to stream through their own websites may be just what these cable and broadcasting networks need to keep competing with SVOD options since they would still be able to attract viewers.
ReplyDeleteThe growth in social media engagement has also helped to attract viewers. “With nearly a billion Tweets sent in the U.S. about TV in 2015, social media continues to play a starring role in fans’ living rooms” (TV Season 2015-2016 in Review). Viewers are engaging with other viewers via social media and creating an environment in which they can share their opinions on the show. Utilizing social media has helped to keep the fans involved in the show. In some cases, the actors and actresses will live Tweet and hold Q&A sessions in which fans can feel like they are connecting to these characters on a more personal level.
DeleteEfforts like these have definitely helped networks compete with SVOD services like Hulu and Netflix. “Delayed viewing is the new normal,” which would make services like DVR and the ability to watch over network’s websites more convenient for consumers (Lynch). Not having to watch your favorite shows while they are airing live has given networks an extra boost when it comes to convenience. Broadcasting networks are buying into the idea that streaming and social media engagement may be just what they need to have success against Netflix and Hulu. A study by Nielsen showed that “adults consume an entire hour more of media per day than they did last year,” thus consumers are still consuming typical television programming even with the tough competition from SVOD services (TV Season 2015-2016 in Review).
In 3-5 years, I expect the TV industry to have moved more towards fully streaming since that is the current mean for consumption. At the moment broadcasting networks are holding up in competition, but with the growth in SVOD services they might fall under. In Wurtzel’s study, “eighty percent of them said they were watching TV much differently than they did several years ago,” the viewers are consuming media through portable devices instead of TVs (Lynch). Yet many of those surveyed said they no longer watch shows when they first come on, they prefer to watch them at more convenient times, which has shifted the trend away from live viewing. “TV viewers haven’t been rushing to sever their cables just yet, the threat of cord-cutting is staring traditional networks in the face” (Tietjen).
Works Cited
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware: Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch
TV Shows." – Adweek. Adweek, 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Feb. 2017
Tietjen, Denali. "Content Wars: How Television Networks Are Fighting The Netflix
Threat." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 11 June 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2017
"TV Season 2015-2016 in Review: The Biggest Social TV Moments." TV Season 2015-
2016 in Review: The Biggest Social TV Moments. Nielsen, 6 June 2016. Web.
10 Feb. 2017
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMackenzie Rowe (1/3)
ReplyDeleteBroadcasting and cable networks aren’t out of the game, at least not quite yet. While many have been saying that the networks have been going downhill since SVOD services have gained prominence, examples including Netflix and Hulu, I would argue that they’re coming into their prime – if they capitalize on the current market, and don’t try to remain rooted in the past.
One of the biggest tactics the networks are utilizing to try to retain viewers is by gaining in-season stacking rights. For me personally, one of the biggest draws Netflix has is that it provides the option to binge-watch an entire season in one sitting (if I feel so inclined). It seems only natural that broadcast and cable execs would notice the popularity of this “service”, and would try to capitalize on this where possible. NBC and ABC are two of the most aggressive networks seeking these rights, “…pursuing in-season stacking rights on all new shows” (Andreeva). NBC Chairman Bob Greenblatt going so far as to say, “This is the future of our business; stacking is important to us. It is the order of the day” (Andreeva). By specifically targeting stacking rights for currently airing shows, it draws the need away from SVOD services such as Hulu – if viewers are already paying for cable services of some variety, providing all in-season past episodes is likely to incentivize customers to remain with their current provider. This is a smart strategy, especially in this day and age, as Alan Wurtzel, NBCUniversal’s president of research and media development said, “Delayed viewing is now ‘the new normal’… Live viewing ‘is a choice, not a default’” (Lynch).
Mackenzie Rowe (2/3)
DeleteAnother tactic that broadcast and cable networks are employing is the use of “social TV”. As of now, there are arguably certain networks that are better at using this feature than others, such as ABC with Scandal and AMC with The Walking Dead – two of the top programs with the most “loyalty” on Twitter during the 2014-2015 season (Nielsen.com). However this is a tactic that can be used to boost engagement with any program, it simply needs to be examined and more or less exploited by the network correctly. According the Nielsen study, approximately 25% of Twitter “authors” engage in social media during premieres and about 16% during finales (Nielsen.com). Many networks are already using these prime times to engage with their audience base further, and in particular using it to create more buzz about the show – but it is absolutely a tactic that will be of utmost importance in the coming years.
In the next 3-5 years I expect the TV industry to have continued to evolve, but I also suspect certain aspects of today’s societal preferences will remain as well. I wholeheartedly believe that we will continue to see a steady increase in the amount of original content streaming services will put out. In particular, I expect Netflix to begin to compete more aggressively with both broadcast and cable networks. According to analyst firm MoffettNathanson, “…SVOD players have started to show interest in buying non-fiction content which could start to put pressure on the bigger non-fiction cable networks…given the high cost of scripted originals, Netflix will need to incorporate more unscripted content…” (Munson).
Mackenzie Rowe (3/3)
DeleteThat being said, I also anticipate that broadcast and cable networks will remain afloat if they choose to capitalize on live+ engagements, and acknowledge that viewing habits of consumers are simply changing. Long-tail data shared by Wurtzel proves that networks are getting significant numbers of views, it simply is taking place outside the C3 and C7 windows that advertising is typically sold by – “Sixty-sevent percent [of those surveyed] said they no longer need to watch new episodes of shows when they first air” (Lynch). By using this, and continuing to support mobile engagement I see no reason why broadcast and cable networks can’t compete with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
Andreeva, Nellie. “Network Ownership & In-Season Stacking Rights Rule 2016 Upfronts”. Deadline 19 May 2016. Web.
Lynch, Jason. “Advertisers Beware – Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch TV Shows”. Ad Week 2 Aug. 2016. Web.
Munson, Ben. “Netflix will start outbidding cable networks for reality TV shows, analyst says”. Fierce Cable 24 Jan. 2017. Web.
Nielsen.com. “The Making of Social TV: Loyal Fans and Big Moments Build Program-related Buzz”. Nielsen 24 Aug. 2015. Web.
“Thank the streamers for another record year (455 original series aired in 2016) as Netflix leads the growth amid broadcast and cable cutbacks.” (Goldberg) The steady growth from SVOD services like Netflix and Hulu, have put test to broadcasting and cable networks, challenging them to adapt or be left behind. SVOD services are providing people with content that’s easily accessible at all times, which is proving to be extremely useful and attractive to consumers. To avoid becoming outdated, broadcast and cable networks are implementing many fresh ideas to attract new customers and keep ahold of existing ones.
ReplyDeleteOne way that broadcast and cable networks are attempting to keep up is through their attempts to gain and keep the in season stacking rights. Binge watching is extremely popular amongst consumers today, as people enjoy camping out with a cup of tea and watching several episodes of a series at one sitting. In previous years, broadcast and cable networks have usually kept the previous five episodes available, but this is not enough for these binge watchers, and networks are beginning to realize as they attempt to buy up and get the advantage of the stacking rights. “While only the previous five episodes of a show are usually available to stream via VOD or digitally, more networks have been pushing for stacking rights in their negotiations with studios.” (Lynch) NBC has shown us their push as they have purchased the stacking rights for its fall prime-time shows. “Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said they won't start a current TV series that has been airing for a while if they can't access past episodes or seasons. "That's a big deal," said Wurtzel.” (Lynch)
Broadcast and cable networks are now also using social media accounts to help consumers become more involved. Networks are using social media to engage with consumers personally, as well as a tool for public relation movements. Between Facebook and Twitter, networks have the ability to create hash tags and then track them through Neilsen. This not only tracks the popularity on social media, but the hash tag also shows feedback, popularity and opinions from the viewers and gives them a sense of a personal relationship contacting shows and actors directly whilst being comfortable at home. “With nearly a billion Tweets sent in the U.S. about TV in 2015, social media continues to play a starring role in fans’ living rooms.” (Neilsen) I (unfortunately) watched the Victoria Secret show with my neighbors this past year, Jennifer and Laura. For the complete show, they clicked away providing a live commentary of tweets to express their feelings towards dresses, models and Kylie Jenner. As though they were watching a tennis match, there eyes flicked to and from television to phone so that they could be the first person to share their thoughts. This was my first real exposure to the relation of shows and social media interaction. The social media feed was full of tweets, meme’s and even polls to rate their enjoyment of the different summer collections. During last night's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, there were a lot of butts, sparkles, air kisses and people on social media sharing a lot of feelings about the spectacle. Some tweeters were adamantly against promoting the Victoria's Secret model body stereotype, while others lamented their own lack of that body, and others just thought it was all really hot. (Holmes) Its not only the consumers who benefit, the broadcast and cable networks are keeping a keen eye watching us argue, discuss and bicker, “With online response to linear TV peaking as programs air live, networks, agencies and advertisers pay close attention to highly engaging moments and look to capitalize on social programs as opportunities for advertisers to drive earned media”. (Neilsen)
DeleteCitations.
Delete"TV Season 2015-2016 in Review: The Biggest Social TV Moments." TV Season 2015-2016 in Review: The Biggest Social TV Moments. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
Goldberg, Lesley. "500 Scripted Shows?! How Netflix, Amazon Are Sending Originals to All-Time Highs." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 5 Jan. 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
Holmes, Sally. "9 Types of Tweets From the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show." The Cut. N.p., 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware: Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch TV Shows." – Adweek. N.p., 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Dufault cont
ReplyDeleteIn a survey conducted by Alan Wurtzel, NBCUniversal’s president of research and media development, the survey found that “seventy-five percent of those surveyed said they’d watch more TV if full-season stacking, or the ability to watch all previous episodes from a show’s current season, were available” (Lynch). Viewers like being able to watch shows on their own time, so networks gaining stacking rights would be a huge benefit in helping them continue to attract and keep viewers. There’s also the fact that “80 percent of content viewing that occurs during prime time is of cable and broadcast shows, while only 13 percent represents SVOD options” (Lynch), which means that viewers are still watching more television than streaming services. Wurtzel commented that viewers are staying loyal to networks because they provide more options than streaming services, which are not “broad enough and consistent enough to affect networks in a meaningful way on a consistent basis” (Lynch).
Not only will stacking rights help networks stay in the game, but social media is also playing a huge role in keeping viewers interested, especially Twitter. “With nearly a billion Tweets sent in the US about TV in 2015, social media continues to play a starring role in fans’ living rooms” (The Biggest Social TV Moments). Most social media activity about TV occurs when an episode is airing live. Viewers enjoy engaging with each other and sometimes actors and producers of a show while the excitement of live airing is happening. Using social media promotions, contests and Q&A sessions while an episode is airing could help networks keep viewers watching live TV. Tweeting about shows after they happen does not occur as often and is not as engaging as live Tweeting; “through ongoing measurement and anlaysis of new and returning authors, networks, agencies, and advertisers can prepare to take action to amplify earned media driven by live TV content” (The Making of Social TV). Considering social media is so prevalent in society today, when many viewers Tweet about certain shows it could encourage others to watch the show as well and join the conversation. Social media interaction has the ability to increase show ratings and gain more viewers. And while viewers do Tweet about SVOD original series, social media interaction will help networks continue to have a relationship with viewers and keep them coming back for more.
Olivia Dufault cont (2)
ReplyDeleteAlthough streaming services are on the rise, I think with the increase of stacking rights and social media engagement, networks will continue to gain viewership, as long as they can keep up with new emerging technology. We live in a society that enjoys doing things on their own time, so networks need to continue to give them that option. Streaming services will definitely be creating more original content, however they have a lot of catching up to do if they want to be as diverse with their content as network television shows. I think that networks and streaming are going to be highly competitive when it comes to content in the upcoming years, but I wonder if eventually they will find a way to work together considering media convergence is so popular today.
Works Cited
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware – Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch TV Shows," Ad Age 2 Aug. 2016. Web.
Lynch, Jason. "NBC Says Netflix Doesn’t Yet Pose a ‘Consistent’ Threat to Broadcasters. Here’s Why," Ad Age 13 Jan. 2017. Web.
O'Connell, Michael. "NBCU Research Chief Talks Stacking, 'Superstore' and ‘Ted Sarandon,’" The Hollywood Reporter 2 Aug. 2016. Web.
"TV SEASON 2015-2016 IN REVIEW – THE BIGGEST SOCIAL TV MOMENTS," Nielsen.com 6 June 2016. Web.
"THE MAKING OF SOCIAL TV: LOYAL FANS & BIG MOMENTS BUILD PROGRAM- RELATED BUZZ," Nielsen.com 24 Aug. 2016. Web.
Ever since the birth of SVOD services, broadcasting and cable networks have had trouble keeping and attracting viewers. The networks’ strategy was to encourage fans to talk about shows via social media and also try to own the stacking rights to programs. For the sake of this blog post I am going to focus on the social media movement.
ReplyDeleteLittle did the networks know, having their fans discuss programs via social media would be the start of a movement that would give birth to “Live Tweeting.” If you have never heard of live tweeting, it is when fans tweet about a show as it is airing. It became so popular that in 2015, one of the most tweeted about shows of the year, “The Walking Dead,” averaged 435,000 tweets per new episode (Nielsen). Live tweeting is only one example of what is referred to as Social TV.
A recent study done by Nielsen Social sampled 113 program seasons from premier to finale, and they found 3 key insights:
1. New social TV authors regularly join program conversation – there are a number of authors who post on a consistent basis, but new fans/people will chime in as well
2. Loyal authors are valuable for more than just their social allegiance – social loyalty was defined as those authors who post about three or more episodes per season. These people tended to have more followers and are seen as an asset for the network and advertisers.
3. Big program moments inspire more fans to join the conversation – 25% of all program authors posts were about premiers and 16% about finales. It is during these episodes that networks can take advantage of the rise in social media buzz and capitalize on the demand for quality ad space.
This study provides evidence that broadcasting and cable networks were successful in their attempt to attract and retain viewers via their Social TV strategy. These efforts have helped them compete with the SVOD services by maintaining viewership numbers, but in an interview with Alan Wurtzel, president of research and media development for NBC Universal, Wurtzel was dismissive of any SVOD threats. “80 percent of content viewing that occurs during prime time is of cable and broadcast shows, while only 13 percent represents SVOD options. SVOD is a compliment, not a replacement to linear TV,” Wurtzel said (Lynch). Since 80 percent of content viewing during prime time is on cable, SVOD services should not be a serious threat to the networks, even with people cord cutting. In fact, these SVOD services may end up being an asset to the networks down the road.
(2/2)
DeleteIn 3-5 years I expect the networks to partner up with the most popular SVOD services. By doing this, they may allow customers to bundle their subscriptions as opposed to cord cutting; it will effectively shave down the price while still offering customers the same, similar, or potentially more content. As for advertisements, the bundling would allow commercials to still be played via the network but they could even start doing different types of advertisements. In 3-5 years we could be seeing diverse advertising tactics such as having more product placement in TV shows in addition to the commercials. This way the advertisements will have a longer shelf life and can still be shown to viewers who are accounted for on the long tail.
As a result of bundling broadcast and cable with SVOD services, I would also expect to see live streaming. The CEO of Hulu has already said that it will have CBS On Live Streaming Service soon (Andreeva). Who knows; maybe one day fans will be able to watch their programs in the same way the US soldiers watched the Super Bowl with their families in the Hyundai commercial. If three-dimensional cameras become a common household item the only other piece missing would be a live chat room designated to your program and your time zone. Either way, in 3-5 years I expect broadcast/cable/and streaming services to come together in order to generate the most revenue for themselves.
Andreeva, Nellie. "Network Ownership & In-Season Stacking Rights Rule 2016
Upfronts: In-Depth Look." Deadline. N.p., 20 May 2016. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware: Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch
TV Shows." – Adweek. N.p., 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
Nielsen. "The Making of Social TV: Loyal Fans and Big Moments Build Program
Related Buzz." The Making of Social TV: Loyal Fans and Big Moments Build
Program-Related Buzz. N.p., 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
lves.
We all know that broadcasting and cable networks struggle with attracting and keeping viewers due to the many SVOD options, which viewers find more appealing. According to Jason Lynch from Adweek, “Audiences are watching more TV than ever—a recent Nielsen study showed that U.S. adults consume an entire hour more of media per day than they did last year, and that SVOD penetration (those with access to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu) is about to surpass DVR penetration in U.S. households” (Lynch). This further proves that broadcasting and cable networks are losing audiences to SVOD services. I think that this has to do with the fact that SVOD services have stacking rights, which are rights to all of the episodes in the current season of a TV show, and broadcasting/cable networks do not. Although, more networks are pushing for stacking rights according to a survey done by Alan Wurtzel where he found that, “Viewers are more willing to embrace these new technologies, but they are being more discerning about which shows they watch. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed by Wurtzel's team said they'd watch more TV if full-season stacking, or the ability to watch all previous episodes from a show's current season, were available. While only the previous five episodes of a show are usually available to stream via VOD or digitally, more networks have been pushing for stacking rights in their negotiations with studios” (Lynch). If more networks push for stacking rights, I think they will have a better time competing with SVOD services and keep audiences from becoming cord cutters. In an article written by Michael O’Connell he mentions that, “Recognizing the uphill battle, and citing some concerning stats like 79 percent of study respondents who say they're being more selective and 47 percent who now wait until they've heard enough good things about a show, Wurtzel said that in-season stacking is key to bringing viewers on board new series” (Lynch). At the end of the day it seems like stacking rights is what these networks need to survive.
ReplyDeleteSomething else that broadcasting and cable networks are doing and if they aren’t, they should be is using the power of social media sites to attract new viewers and keep current ones. According to a Nielsen report, “on average, 25% of all program authors Tweet about premieres and 16% Tweet about finales. Between these two groups combined, networks can expect to hear from an average of 38% of program authors during those two moments” (The Making of Social TV). This presents an opportunity for networks to keep in touch with their fans, especially these program authors who constantly post commentary about TV shows they are watching. To be more specific, “For many programs, there could be an opportunity through retention strategies (e.g., on-screen calls to action, live Tweeting by owned accounts, or paid social campaigns) to convert new authors that join the program conversation over the course of a season into loyal program authors” (The Making of Social TV). If these authors feel more appreciated by the network, they could encourage new viewers to join the conversation, which would gain networks more viewers. When it comes to predicting what TV will be like 3-5 years to now, the answer is simple SVOD, SVOD, and SVOD. 5 years from now there will be more cord cutters than ever seen before and broadcast and cable networks are going to have to adapt to this change soon. According to Issie Lapowsky from Wired, “IN THE FUTURE, Netflix will know exactly what you want to watch, even before you do. You won’t have to spend all that time browsing through endless lists of shows on your television. That’s according to Neil Hunt, Netflix’s chief product officer. It’s just one of many predictions for the future of TV that the forward-thinking executive laid out on stage today at New York City’s Internet Week conference, and no one would be surprised if all that came to fruition” (Lapowsky). In conclusion, I believe that Internet TV is the way of the future and cable and broadcast TV will die out and I think this is a good thing because people will have more choice and accessibility when it comes to entertainment and at the end of the day convenience is everything.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Lapowsky, Illie. "What Television Will Look Like in 2025, According to Netflix." Wired. Conde Nast, 19 May 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. .
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware: Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever to Watch TV Shows." – Adweek. N.p., 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. .
Nielsen. "The Making of Social TV: Loyal Fans and Big Moments Build Program-Related Buzz." The Making of Social TV: Loyal Fans and Big Moments Build Program-Related Buzz. Nielsen, 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
.
O'Connell, Michael. "NBCU Research Chief Talks Stacking, 'Superstore' and "Ted Sarandon"." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. .
In my opinion, the broadcasters maintain certain advantages like production capital and older libraries of content. However, Netflix has honed in on the technology/interface that consumers desire, and as they become more popular (primarily through their original programming), they’ll undoubtedly amass more power in the entertainment industry. In the near future, I see live TV totally falling by the wayside (except for news and sports). A Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire will be the center of home entertainment, and the next generation will ditch cable television altogether. The sooner the cable companies and broadcasters accept this fate and adjust accordingly, the better off they will be.
ReplyDeleteGoldberg, Lesley. "500 Scripted Shows?! How Netflix, Amazon Are Sending Originals to All-Time Highs." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 5 Jan. 2017. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
DeleteLynch, Jason. "NBC Says Netflix Doesn't Yet Pose a 'Consistent' Threat to Broadcasters. Here's Why." – Adweek. N.p., 13 Jan. 2016. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
O'Connell, Michael. "Hulu Chief Says Library Acquisitions, Like 'Golden Girls,' Still a Key to Streamer's Strategy." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 17 Jan. 2017. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
Michelle Garcia
ReplyDeleteMSS*495*A
2/14/17
I haven’t watched broadcast and cable content for months. When my television broke I didn’t really stress about it because I knew I still had Netflix, I was sadder that I wouldn’t be able to watch Netflix on my TV anymore. However, broadcasting and cable networks are continuing to look for ways to attract consumers. Stacking rights are one of the biggest advantages these networks have especially when SVOD services are continuously looking to put out full seasons for consumers. SVOD services struggle to put out current content because of the rolling five, making consumers just watch their shows on a cable network. “All involved are fine with SVOD services buying up rights to previous seasons, but when it comes to the current season, all bets are off,” (Wallenstein, 1). This helps give broadcasting and cable networks a leg up from SVOD services, many fans would rather watch it now than wait months to find out what happens. Another way networks are staying in the game is with the help of younger viewers, they have a delayed start to old content like Law and Order: SVU.
One of the NBC executives mentioned that the late viewing of audiences have helped shift the average age for certain shows. “Delayed viewing is also bringing a younger audience to older-skewing shows…” (Lynch, 1). Companies are also making sure they’re doing their homework by keeping up with the latest ratings and reports they get from Symphony Advanced Media. The only time i’d really try to watch something on broadcast and cable networks would be if there were a social aspect. If a group of friends are all really into a show that is still on the current season, chances are they will watch it all together which gives them chance to make it more about being together than just watching it alone. It’s almost like the superbowl, it becomes more of an event than just sitting and watching something you can watch the next day with limited interruptions. After reading the articles I can see how networks are still working to stay relevant and compete with SVOD services, although I don’t have a cable box anymore I still wish I did just to be able to watch what everyone else is watching live. Their ratings and viewings seem to trump what SVOD services have and time will only tell where it’ll go from here. “80 percent of content viewing that occurs during prime time is of cable and broadcast shows, while only 13 percent represents SVOD options. SVOD "is a compliment, not a replacement" to linear TV,” (Lynch, 1). In a couple of years I think that SVOD services will try to find new ways to attract more consumers, especially the marginalized ages groups that don’t seem to be interested in new things like Netflix or don’t want to have to pay for it. To me, the content that SVOD services provide are much better and it’s just more convenient than broadcast and cable networks.
ReplyDeleteReferences
Lynch, Jason. "Advertisers Beware: Audiences Are Taking Longer Than Ever To Watch TV Shows". Adweek.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Feb. 2017.
Lynch, Jason. "NBC Says Netflix Doesn't Yet Pose A 'Consistent' Threat To Broadcasters. Here's Why". Adweek.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Feb. 2017.
Wallenstein, Andrew. "In-Season ‘Stacking’ Rights: TV Biz Battles For Binge Viewing". Variety. N.p., 2013. Web. 14 Feb. 2017.