Commentary

An Epitaph For Broadcast TV

Adele doesn’t want her new release, “25,” to be on any music-streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. Taylor Swift did the same thing a while back (though came back to sign with Apple). When you’re a big artist, you can opt out of such stuff.

Now, CBS doesn’t think the new “Star Trek” series should be on broadcast television (except for the premiere episode of the new show). Is that like cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face?

Chuck Lorre, a most verbal, opinionated TV producer, who has produced big CBS comedies like “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and A Half Men” and “Mike and Molly” -- doesn’t like what CBS is doing.  He wrote a “vanity card” -- an end-of-the-episode note (something he regularly does) -- for his latest “Big Bang” episode to say, that, as a result of CBS’s non-broadcast effort,  network TV is dead.

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So will big TV producers -- like Lorre --  be thinking about leaving that “system”? Hardly. Top TV producers will just shift to new area -- perhaps even making more money.

Still, Lorre is particularly peeved because of what CBS expects from new digital-savvy TV consumers.

At the end of his note — titled, “R.I.P. Network Television 1948-2015” — he added: “In lieu of flowers, CBS has requested that mourners send them six bucks a month.” That last bit refers to CBS’ still new digital site CBS All Access, which is priced at $5.99 a month for consumers.

You can understand Lorre’s angst, wistfully believing that TV, as a “broadcast” network, still provides the greatest ease and reach for TV networks and consumers, perhaps at the cheapest price: that of watching some advertising. (Lorre might be forgetting consumers  also pay plenty to pay TV providers).

To him, taking one of the most iconic TV shows, “Star Trek,” and shipping it out to a still-narrow part of the new digital TV-video industry seems like CBS is abandoning a platform much loved by TV consumers.

It makes you wonder how Lorre’s a negotiation with CBS might go for his next comedy. Or perhaps Lorre has another bigger bang theory about this.

Concerning music-streaming services and many other transitioning U.S businesses: Any final “vanity card” tributes to consider at the end of your business projects?

5 comments about "An Epitaph For Broadcast TV".
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  1. Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston, November 24, 2015 at 5:10 p.m.

    TV is not going gently into that good night. I guess it's up to Lorre to rage, rage against the dying of his honeypot.

  2. Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, November 24, 2015 at 6:22 p.m.

    Lorre is clueless about what is really happening. If CBS is successful in what I believe it is doing, the result will be the creation of a two-revenue stream---SVOD subs followed by ad dollars from broadcast and syndication exposure----that will allow the networks to fund quality dramas and other fare, which may disappear from the airwaves if left to rely only on ad dollars. Far from crying about this, Lorre and his colleagues should be pleased.

  3. Leonard Zachary from T___n__, November 25, 2015 at 2:06 p.m.

    In an Audience Fragmented Landscape, CBS will not be successful as CBS Legacy Business. It will be a Downsized trending model. CBS has no clear Mobile Strategy other than be a "Me-Too" app. 

    I am Amazed that Ed has better Intel than Lorre.

    Holy Cow!

  4. Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, November 25, 2015 at 3:40 p.m.

    It's not intel, Leonard, its more like common sense. I believe that you will be surprised by the CBS SVOD nitiative---providing they don't bungle it or fail to take the logical next steps.

    In any event, have a great holiday. To be continued------

  5. Nicholas Schiavone from Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC, November 25, 2015 at 5:20 p.m.

    Epitaph | Broadcast Television | Network Television | Digital Video

     

    One Of These Things (Is Not Like The Others)

    One of these things is not like the others,

    One of these things just doesn't belong,

    Can you tell which thing is not like the others

    By the time I finish my song?

     

    Did you guess which thing was not like the others?

    Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?

    If you guessed this one (i.e., Epitaph) is not like the others,

    Then you're absolutely...right!

     

    Copyright CTW Sesame Street

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