More Entertainment From The Television People

Michael Hedges October 12, 2009 Follow on Twitter

Television’s future is not in doubt. There are channels and there are viewers. The way they connect is in the throws of change. And so is the stuff in between.

Content is the single most pejorative term in media: uglier than change or economic crisis. For television that ‘content’ brings in the viewers. It’s the downsizing of television, cutting costs where it hurts, that’s causing a shift in programming to the fast-food variety; low cost, lots of bulk, no nutrition.

The annual Mipcom television mart, concluded October 9 in Cannes, attracted fewer buyers and sellers even with the lure of beach warmth.  Last year’s Mipcom saw more people, attitudes fearful. By the springtime Mip TV show the hot topic was job security.

Described in trade press as “risk averse” and “ratings driven,” program buyers looked at – and sometimes bought – the tried and true name brand shows, games shows and comedies. Audiences, said the conventional wisdom, want happiness in tough economic times. Producers want happiness, too; deep catalogues being an advantage.

“A year on from the start of the crisis, TV viewers still have to endure harsh time and entertainment is the big winner on TV,” said a NOTA/Eurodata TV/IMCA report – International TV Trends 2009/2010 Season – released ahead of Mipcom (September 29). “Entertainment with a big E offers distraction to viewers of all ages and now goes beyond genres: game shows, sitcoms, alongside comedy shows, all strike back.”  The NOTA/Eurodata TV/IMCA focuses on new show trends.

“Entertainment programs aim at targeting a large audience,” said the report, “and are very cost-effective.” Topping their list of hot formats are game shows with “limited production costs” and humor. One new comedy from the Netherlands mentioned in the report - Van Zon op Zaterdag (Van Zon On Saturday) - features a right-wing talk show host interviewing “people involved in the current financial crisis, all played by comedians.” In the series opener on VARA last June the lead character (Henk van Zon) tells Charles Darwin’s ghost: “I have nothing against new species, but not if their families join them. Fortunately you can say that again today.”

Situation comedies – sitcoms – could be having another day in the sun.   The genre ebbed during the latest dramatic phase – crime and medical procedurals (i.e. CSI). Typically studio productions and shorter formats, sitcoms – until they become big hits – are less taxing on the production budgets. In Germany the American (CBS) produced “Two and a Half Men” is an unexpected prime-time hit. American sitcom reruns “Hogan’s Heros” and “Cheers” are popular with German day-time audiences.

Dramatic series are far from waning. Public broadcasters – particularly the well financed, like ARD and BBC – will continue to commission expensive hour-long dramas, which are considered “quality TV.”  Commercial broadcasters, and public broadcasters that rely on advertising revenues, are likely to ride out the current financial storm with less expensive – and more filling – fare.

All broadcasters still face digital shock – digital dividend in reverse. Just as viewers tune into new digital tricks like catch-up TV advertising revenues continue to shift to new media. Pay TV operators have sports to rely on. The rest of television broadcasting, if Mipcom is an indicator, is looking to feed the beast with the least expense.

Digitally enhanced free-to-air broadcasters will look more seriously at pay models. Suggested recently – perhaps credit should be given to Rupert Murdoch – is a premium viewers pay for a hit show. During the short period when former Sky head Tony Ball was headed for ITV – and now as BT becomes the buyer of choice for ITV – the idea of a premium charged to viewers of hits like “Coronation Street” was floated. Advertising dependency many be easier to shake as the price rises.

Commercial broadcasters – and not a few public broadcasters – are seizing the moment and, like an automobile engine without oil, seizing up. Widespread is the belief that economics are cyclical and ad revenues will return next year or the year after and the good times will roll again. Unfortunately – for them – the viewers are far less patient.

“The hybrid DTT/IP boxes coming soon from the major players is going to be interesting,” wrote Content Economics Research Director James Healey in an email. In the UK, this is Project Canvas, which is like Google News for television. Viewers will love it – just enter “Friends” in the search box, choose from all the available episodes from any source and watch it now. Broadcasters will hate it for the same reason newspapers publishers hate Google News.