The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

[DaveDQ]

While not new to the OS boards, I am rather new to this neat section tucked below all the other forum topics. It's another great place for OS.

In light of the DVR/TiVo revolution, and the obvious alterations major broadcasters are making to cater to such viewers, I was wondering what you guys thought about the future of broadcast TV.

Will we see shows without commercials during but maybe "sponsored by" type commercials? Ford has done this with 24, and others have followed suit. I'm just wondering with the ease of skipping commercials now, will we see such things that are more one time commercials or quick overlays during the broadcast.

Also, will we see more on-demand type broadcasting that doesn't particularly have a time slot, but is up for immediate download at your convenience?

These things are already there, and personally, I think it will become the norm.

I'm introducing my son to Superfriends and Justice League. They come on Boomerang at like 11:00pm, so I DVR them. He can watch it when I want to show it to him, or if he asks, I can say, "Sure, let's watch it."

My sons will grow up with this type of viewership. They will be conditioned, just like we were, to expect TV to be a certain way.

It's interesting to me and I think would make some great discussion.

[Graphik]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

Great topic. I honsetly cant even imagine how tv will look without commercials. Even though you got the hour blocks of tv without any, they are still there right in your face whenever you change. I believe eventually, tv will go the way of movies and offer product placement to companies. Like Jack Bauer will be sippin on a Pepsi while hitting 0-60 on a Lexus, all done in cinematic fashion. There is already product placement in tv, its just not as obvious.

[aukevin]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

I'm surprised that networks haven't come up with a way to prevent commercial skipping. If advertisers have to pay money to be seen, I would think they would be making these networks research ways to stop the fast forwarding. It could be done, but they'd have to work with the individual DVR makers like TIVO, Motorola, Scientific-Atlanta, etc...

Maybe things will just switch to promoting the product in the show. Of the shows I watch, Smallville does this the most. A couple weeks ago there was an episode where two characters were in a car and you hear a full commercial for the new Camry Hybrid. I know last year they had product placement for Acuvue contacts and a Ford car. ABC's Lost did the same thing with a book that mysteriously showed up as a manuscript from the plane and Sawyer was reading it. I think we'll see more of these things.

[ehh]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

As others have said, one thing that was mentioned in one of my Comm. classes in college was the sponorship where companies would by the right to have their products incorporated into the show.

EG: Coke buys the right to have a Desperate Housewife drinking a Coca-Cola in each episode or something like that.


Another idea that I think might have a chance of coming to fruition if TV becomes commercialess is a "Advertising Bottom Line" similar to ESPN's and CNN's bottom lines. Instead of sports scores and stock quotes, it's constant advertisements scrolling along the bottom of the screen.

"24 is brought to you by: Ford, Microsoft, etc...."

[aukevin]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

Another idea that I think might have a chance of coming to fruition if TV becomes commercialess is a "Advertising Bottom Line" similar to ESPN's and CNN's bottom lines. Instead of sports scores and stock quotes, it's constant advertisements scrolling along the bottom of the screen.

"24 is brought to you by: Ford, Microsoft, etc...."

I wouldn't mind a small ticker at the bottom if it meant longer shows and less commercials. I'd probably also prefer that over obvious in-show product placement.

[ehh]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

I wouldn't mind a small ticker at the bottom if it meant longer shows and less commercials. I'd probably also prefer that over obvious in-show product placement.

I think it'd be a good idea, I mean there already are ad's in the bottom line for ESPN, CNN, etc. "The bottom line is brought to you by..."

Might as well go one step further and make a bottom line that's 100% advertisment.

[fishepa]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

Commercials don't do anything for me anyway. I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial for something and said, "Wow, I have to go out and buy that."

[DaveDQ]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

I sure hope there won't be a bottom line type display. To me it's ok for sports because they are statisticly based, but something streaming during a TV show would be annoying to me.

Also, the culture of TV viewing is changing. Where the major step in TV was cable for my generation, I believe on-demand/DVR is what will be the next major aspect that TV revolves around.

People are busy 24 hrs a day now. These broadcasters know it too. NBC has their "2-minute" catch up vids on their site that are for the "I was too busy that week" crowd.

You can factor in next-gen gaming too. MS had a Battlestar Galactica episode they ran. That was most likely to advertise, but I'm sure they are alos looking to hold such content on a regular basis. Sony, with the licensing they have and ownership of movies/music should be huge in that department.

I really believe the whole culture of TV viewing will change dramaticly.

[SPTO]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

Commercials don't do anything for me anyway. I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial for something and said, "Wow, I have to go out and buy that."

Hah...well here in Canada (don't know if they've done it in the states or not) but Raisin Bran has basically re-aired one of their old 1980s comercials as a NEW comercial. The first time I saw it I was like "Uh WHAT THE BLEEP DID I JUST SEE?!"

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Anyways this is one of my favourite topics as i've been generally thinking about this in the last year or so. I honestly believe that DVR/TIVO and VOD is the new wave for TV. I personally don't have a PVR and sometimes I wish I did however time shifting comes in handy as my digital cable provider provides the west and central time zone feeds of Global, CTV and CBC.

I see VOD as being huge in the next few years. The PPV channels are starting to be slowly phazed out on my cable provider. Last month there were about 41 slots for PPV channels but it has dropped to 36 or so. We have Rogers On Demand for movies (the service is free except when ordering said films) TMN On Demand (which you have to order to get access to) WWE 24/7 On Demand, NFL Network On Demand, Howard Stern On Demand, YTV Anime On Demand and some gay/lesbian lifestyle on demand network. (the last 5 you have to place on your cable to get access to)

I truly think that in the US and maybe in Canada you're going to see the over the air networks put up their own On Demand services for those who are too busy to watch tv on a set schedule. I also have the hope and dream of the sports entities doing the same thing with current and classic games being offered to folks to watch. I know that there's a huge underground grey market for previous NFL and NBA telecasts out there and something like this would surely make money.

I also believe that we could see internet versions of the networks. One would have to pay for access but the programming would be free of course. TV will also become more accessible. Already, we're seeing the beginnings of celular TV and i've heard that there is actually development going on of mini TVs that would fit on your arm like a watch.

The DVD in cars phenomenon for the upper middle class/rich will trickle down to everyone in the next 20-25 years and i have a feeling we may see cars equiped with mini-dishes more often then not.

To sum it up: There will be no way to miss television in the future.

[dagger55]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

ABC already offers all of its shows on the web, with GREAT clarity. Only a matter of time before all the networks do this.

[SPTO]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

ABC already offers all of its shows on the web, with GREAT clarity. Only a matter of time before all the networks do this.

NBC and Fox has been doing this a bit this year as well. It's still very experimental in some ways. It won't be completely permanent until the nets start charging for the online content.

[sva91]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

Commercials don't do anything for me anyway. I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial for something and said, "Wow, I have to go out and buy that."

I bet at least once you saw a food commercial while feeling really hungry and decided to go pick up that burger or pizza.

[DaveDQ]

Re: The Future of TV, Your Thoughts?

Already, we're seeing the beginnings of celular TV and i've heard that there is actually development going on of mini TVs that would fit on your arm like a watch.

That is interesting. I'm not big on the smaller TVs (on the wrist etc). Again though, I'm wondering what the next generation will prefer. My little boy, who is almost 3, can sit and watch a small block of Homestar Runner and be perectly content.