Who Says TV Is a Dying Medium?
TV continues to evolve, not disappear
It’s clear that the way we watch television and the very meaning of the word television have been radically altered over the past
decade. After all, who needs to watch a big box at a particular time, in a particular place, when we have YouTube, digital recording devices and Hulu?
Consumers’ television habits
have simply evolved with technology, and it has completely stretched the definition of what television programming actually is. It’s the very change in definition that has the business trades
publishing goofy stories claiming “television is king” one week and crying “television is dying” the following week. The definition and the supporting metrics are drastically
different, and it’s become difficult to have a serious, constructive conversation on the overall health of the industry.
What we do know is that the two simple words on demand have
shattered the confidence in the long-term value proposition of television advertising. A true on-demand world for television means shifting consumer behavior from passive receptivity to active
engagement on their time and terms. This is very different from what television has always been for me. The metrics in how the media is purchased and their effectiveness measures will be significantly
different. It ultimately means a whole new thought process for doing business in the world of media. It’s all quite exciting when you think of what the evolution could actually look like for the
industry.
But, while “on demand” is clearly a significant part of our future, there is a corresponding track that is also only going to continue to blossom and ultimately show
“on demand” who’s the boss — it’s the power of live programming.
Sports, music, awards, politics, world news — our appetite for the “now” has
only increased and will only become further accentuated through increases in social connectivity across global cultures. How could you not watch the Super Bowl live? Would you DVR the final episode of
American Idol? Chances are, you won’t because the entertainment value of these events is directly proportional to their ability to be consumed live. DVRs don’t stand a chance
against the power of the live experience, the real-time connective influence of Facebook and the range of social tools available to consumers. Because let’s face it: The second we log on to
Facebook or Twitter, we will find the outcome.
As a marketer who works in the live-entertainment industry, we are always marketing moments that have to be experienced live, whether in
theater, tourism or film. I can tell you firsthand, looking through the data, that when we map social activity and consumer buzz to live (in-person) experiences, the connection is so clear: People
crave the live moment and use it as a vehicle to connect and share their excitement with their network.
I wish the narrative surrounding the future of television would begin to shift toward
the need for content creators to begin to develop entertainment that is meant for the screen in which it is showed on. This is the single biggest challenge, and corresponding growth opportunity, that
has landed in laps of the executives at the major networks — developing an entertaining, relevant and profitable content model that matches consumers’ fragmented media preferences.
The NFL is one of the few brands we should all look to that is truly pioneering the space by creating experiences designed for the destination. They maximize the platforms. Mobile is about
speed; desktop is about access; and television is about the view. I think their ratings this past year and noted success in digital validate my strong admiration for them.
Like Betty White
(who doesn’t love a Betty White reference!), the television platform is about to truly reinvent itself and evolve with the changing times and consumer needs. I’m just hoping it happens
sooner rather than later because my mobile device is screaming for some good content!
Recent Media Magazine Articles
-
Weighing the Numbers Game April 16, 4:11 p.m.
For media agencies, preparing for the upfronts used to be fairly straightforward: Watch the new shows, ...
-
Negotiating a New Frontier April 16, 4:10 p.m.
We hear about them more and more these days — those cord-cutters who have set sail ...
-
Fast Forward: Worn And Threadbare April 16, 4:09 p.m.
I collect T-shirts the way other people collect art or wine, but unlike them, I don’t ...
-
Staying Power April 16, 4:08 p.m.
Long-term, TV’s big broadcast networks need much to maintain their continued viewer and advertising dominance: More hits, ...
-
Let's Go Numb April 16, 4:06 p.m.
On the road to hell (or, at least, its kitchen) will be an enormous street party ...
-
The View From the Stage April 16, 4:01 p.m.
Mitch Oscar, a long-time agency executive, remembers Robin Williams taking the upfront stage to interest advertisers ...
-
Show Starter April 16, 3:59 p.m.
When it comes to announcing their annual fall schedules,do the big broadcast networks really need to ...
-
Bande A Part April 16, 3:54 p.m.
The last upfront presentation I attended was a Nickelodeon breakfast-palooza three or four years ago. I ...
-
The Turnaround April 16, 3:53 p.m.
In the spring of 1984, Edsel Ford II, the Ford Motor Co. scion who was then ...
-
Confessions of an Upfront Reporter April 16, 3:44 p.m.
Twenty-five years ago, I began writing a story just like this one. The article, for the now-defunct ...
Be the first to comment on "Who Says TV Is a Dying Medium?"
Leave a Comment