What does it mean to say that the new TV will be shows built around everything else? I don't even believe that the shows are going to be the biggest thing anymore in the near future. Not only are there a number of vignettes, webisodes or mobisodes being made in conjunction with TV shows; but they are in high demand.
This should be great news for the TV studios that are willing to cede more and more control to the consumer. If they get this right, people will not want less of a popular offering, but will actually demand more.
Think of it if shows would take individual members of the cast and show some of their day leading up to a show and why something happens. Maybe they could do the same with the ending of a season and keep short stories of what is happening in character's lives in the minds of viewers.
The new TV could easily become the secondary aspect of the characters and their development, while the numerous spokes of the wheel connecting to it the primary interest of the true fans.
While this may force broadcasters to rethink how to monetize their shows, it wouldn't take away from the overall interest as it is developed across multiple platforms. What the studios need to do is not only offer repeats only of the same stuff across platforms, but rather add some new things to each platform it is offered on.
It could be something as simple as some behind the scene humor or fun that was caught on camera and shared with the viewers.
I'm a big fan of Battlestar Gallactica and love the short webisodes they are offering to lead up to the season opener coming soon.
I think that the day is here now, for those who get it, to exploit the interest of their fans for the shows they really get into, and make it far bigger than TV alone ever could. The world is now here where the TV show is simply one small piece of a much bigger puzzle. We await those who understand this to give us what we want.
"The world is now here where the TV show is simply one small piece of a much bigger puzzle."
I like that line a lot. It's quite evocative in the context of the larger post.
One thing that struck me about MTV's recent VMA awards is that they really touted the multiple platforms, especially for advertisers, but by all accounts that I read, the backstage material and so forth was a real mixed bag. However, I didn't see it myself and am not sure what their target audience thought.
In any case, I think the control model is what's holding things back here and will continue to hold things back on the part of big media.
In any case, you've got me thinking.
Posted by: Clyde Smith | September 21, 2006 3:34 PM | Permalink to Comment