ON A NEW DILEMMA FOR TV

MORE IS NOT MORE?

This LA Times article titled "TV:  More bang for more Bucks" outlines an interesting dilemma for the TV industry:

"This fall's freshman class of prime-time network shows is shaping up to be the most expensive ever. A full season of a television drama now costs as much to make as the average feature film.

More than half of the 14 drama pilots produced this fall for the major networks — CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox — cost $6 million or more. That's up 50% from just two years ago. "

Here's the good news for customers:

"The big budgets could be a boon for viewers, considering the level of creativity, talent and special effects this money can buy. Storytelling devices once reserved for the cinema have come en masse to the small screen."

And here's the problem for media execs:

"The networks are not paying the program suppliers much more than in previous years for the rights to air these shows. Advertising dollars that underwrite the networks' costs for these programs are slowing, not growing. And new media outlets, such as Internet downloads, may not pay big dividends for years to come."

The piece then goes through a number of factors that kicked off the "chain of events" that made this dilemma happen, including the success of the TV series "Lost", the development of HDTV, the mainstream popularity of home theaters decked with plasma TVs, amongst others.

Definitely worth a quick read.

Comments

[AlFromChicago]

Michael --
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Hope this helps --

--Alan