MediaPost | TV Board

Will Broadcast Avoid Its Annual Summer Slump? Not For Lack Of Trying

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:23:50 -0400

The traditional broadcast television season is an outdated concept -- right up there with quarterly sweeps periods and upfront week -- but it continues nevertheless, formally marking the beginning in September and the end in May of a nine-month period when most network programming is supposed to be new. Typically, broadcast goes dead after that final day in May (this year the 22nd).

Less Choice, Please

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:38:05 -0400

Like other Bluth Family fans, I am excitedly looking forward to NetFlix's May 26 launch of a new season of "Arrested Development." If the trailer is any indication, the new season will be as mordantly funny as the original episodes, which ran on Fox from 2003-2006. It says something about the state of contemporary television, though, that a show that barely had enough viewers to stay alive on a major broadcast network, is now being touted as a major growth driver for an online streaming service.

'Constitution USA': The Most Important TV Program You'll See All Year

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:23:35 -0400

In the opening moments of the four-part PBS series "Constitution USA," host Peter Sagal sums up the significance of this program far better than anyone else could. After noting that the Constitution of the United States was written in 1787, Sagal observes, "More than two centuries later, many of us don't have any idea what the Constitution says. Of course, that's never stopped us from arguing about what it means."

Q&A With Media Behavior Institute's Alice K. Sylvester

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:33:40 -0400

Alice Sylvester started her career in ad agencies before joining Media Behavior Institute as COO. Her deep knowledge of research well prepares her for the creative qual / quant application of MBI's TouchPoints study. In my interview with her, Alice talks about TouchPoints, how one measures emotions, agency research applications, and how the media landscape will evolve over the next few years.

Upfront 2013: Attack Of The Shrimp-Eaters

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:11:36 -0400

Let's consider the traditional upfront week. Are its days numbered? If not, they ought to be. Almost everything about it has become a great big expensive waste of time. The crush of outsize events has made the week more of a grueling marathon than a valuable business event. And to what end? Thanks to digital technology and social media, advertisers already know what they're dealing with before the week begins.

Pivot TV Targets The Next Greatest Generation

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:38 -0400

Pivot TV, Participant Media's new venture into television, is apt to change the single-screen television paradigm with its blend of multiscreen programming formats targeted to Millennials and their media usage tastes.

'Mad Men' And The Boston Marathon Bombing

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:56:19 -0400

Watching "Man Men," always a disquieting experience, was more unsettling than usual on April 28, coming so soon after the Boston Marathon bombing. The episode in question ("The Flood") revolved around the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., and was a case study in how people react to national tragedies.

Are Online Versions Of 'All My Children' & 'One Life To Live' TV Game-Changers?

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:01:26 -0400

Media history was made earlier this week when, for the first time, two broadcast series that had been cancelled by their network returned to life largely intact on the Internet. Specifically, new episodes of the long-running and now former ABC Daytime serials "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" produced by Prospect Park's The Online Network and distributed via Hulu, HuluPlus and iTunes became available on Monday; this after an outcry from millions of fans of both shows when ABC saw fit to replace them with unremarkable reality efforts.

Cross-Platform Measurement, With Help From CIMM

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:54:15 -0400

One of the most frenetic areas of measurement development today is in cross platform. Creative and scalable solutions are being crafted that enable programmers and advertisers to gain a more complete picture of how the usage of various media platforms compare to and blend within each other. There is no standard yet, but there are a myriad of possible semi-solutions that can link some, but not yet all, platforms under one metric. Progress is being made and it is only a matter of time (and data) before we get to a complete and scaleable measurement.

Do Sweeps Make Sense In The Age Of TV Anytime?

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:52:45 -0400

Industry observers have been questioning the value and wisdom of the three traditional sweeps periods (four if you count July) for as long as I can remember. It likely would have made sense to do away with them altogether many years ago. Given the current state of the media in general and television viewing in particular, the continuation of this antiquated practice seems inane. We're in the era of TV Anytime, and that includes any time of the year. Why focus on what may or may not happen during three months?

Big-Data Issues Discussed At Conference

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:29:00 -0400

Want to know what keeps CMOs awake at night? Call it revenge of the nerds, but according to John Kennedy from IBM, it is Big Data preparedness. 70% of all CMOs polled by IBM said their number-one fear is trying to figure out how to harness the Big Data tsunami.

TV's Missing Middle Class

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:32:41 -0400

Americans who love "Downton Abbey" and its penetrating observations on British class conflict are less comfortable with shows that highlight class differences in the U.S. This reflects an enduring American myth that we have a classless society. Would that that were true. America has multiple social classes, and Americans are afflicted with considerable status anxiety.

'A' Is For 'Television'

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:03:30 -0400

If Apple's impact on the mobile phone industry is duplicated - even partially - when Apple enters the world of television displays, then cable and broadcast networks, as well as traditional content creators, have reason to be concerned. I'm increasingly convinced that they don't see what's coming.

New Scripted Standouts: Sundance Channel's 'Rectify,' BBC America's 'Orphan Black,' Syfy's 'Defiance'

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:03:29 -0400

No network this year has delivered more fascinating original dramatic programs than Sundance Channel, with its recent seven-hour mini-series "Top of the Lake" and next week's new entry "Rectify," its first wholly owned original series. If this keeps up, Sundance is going to find itself in the company of AMC, FX, TNT, USA Network and other basic cable networks that continue to distinguish themselves as providers of some of the most compelling scripted dramas on television.

We're Here: Q&A With Here TV's Josh Rosenzweig

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:57:07 -0400

Josh Rosenzweig, senior vice president of original programming and development at Here TV, started out as a filmmaker and director in California before making the transition to the corporate side of the business. In my interview with him, Josh talks about Here's mission, programming, multiplatform efforts, its audience skew, competitive set (spoiler alert: there isn't any) and the celebration of its tenth anniversary.

The Fall Of 'American Idol'

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:53:53 -0400

No doubt about it, the once-mighty "Idol" has finally begun circling the drain. This leaves Fox in a position of intense vulnerability, especially as the long-time No. 1 network among the prized 18-34 and 18-49 demographic groups. What in the world will Fox do without a super-strong "Idol" -- or without "Idol" at all?

TRA Licenses Nielsen Data

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 06:56:10 -0400

TRA announced that it would begin to license Nielsen data, including it in its media analytics interface. This announcement, made during a breakfast panel at CBS' Paley Center, was part of a bigger discussion of Big Data -- or, as TRA CEO Mark Lieberman says "naturally occurring data" in the media marketplace.

More Lessons Television Is Teaching Us In 2013

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:57:40 -0400

This continues to be a highly educational year for anyone working in or around the television business, especially where programming is concerned. Here are the latest lessons:

What's Next For TV?

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:48:45 -0400

If there's anything constant about television these days, it's the constant change. From digital compression a few years ago to today's connected TVs, multi- and cross-platforming, second screens, STBs, OTT and Big Data sets, it's hard to keep pace.

Some Questions About 'Mad Men'

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:29:33 -0400

You may have heard that "Mad Men" is returning for season six on April 7. Those of us who have been waiting for this day since the enigmatic end of season five have a few questions on their minds, including:

'General Hospital' Marks An Amazing Milestone On Monday

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:56:46 -0400

Next week will bring with it an extraordinary broadcast milestone: on April 1, the 50th anniversary of ABC's "General Hospital." Given all the excitement surrounding this event, it is somewhat sobering to note that just last year ABC seemed ready to cancel this still-vital series. Happily, "GH" survived a real-life cliffhanger that rivals those of classic serials on the radio and at the movies, not to mention prime-time and daytime soap operas themselves, and now here we are, marking a significant broadcast accomplishment at a time when significant broadcast accomplishments are increasingly few and far between.

Getting In The Flow State At The ARF Re:Think 2013

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:28:31 -0400

One of the best research-oriented conferences in the industry is the ARF Re:think, which took place in New York City this past week. "Re-think" is an appropriate word to describe the role of research in the media industry today. Research is no longer the corporate function that we have known for the past 30+ years. Instead, it has evolved into a range of disciplines including analytics, strategic insights, big data mining and even storytelling.

'The Following' And 'Hannibal': Bashing Broadcast Barriers

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:08:09 -0400

I'm all for the maturation of broadcast television content. In fact, I can't imagine how broadcast series entertainment will survive in the years to come if it doesn't continue to push boundaries ... and if advertisers don't continue to support bolder programming ... and if the FCC doesn't loosen up a bit and acknowledge the realities of new and old media alike. Still, I have to admit that recent episodes of Fox's daring new drama "The Following" and advance screeners of NBC's upcoming "Hannibal" have me wondering, how did this material even get on broadcast television?

How Networks Can Reassert Their Relevance As Content Kings

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:33:43 -0400

For years, only television networks possessed what every consumer brand desired to create: a portfolio of sought-after content. Today, however, leading brands like Red Bull, Coca-Cola, and American Express are themselves content networks. Are they TV networks? No, but they've reimagined their brands to be content publishers fully integrated into social media feeds. They're creating content that's built around their customers' passions in order to gain relevance and a unique, authoritative voice in a crowded sea of sameness and ineffective ads. Having spent my career uniquely straddled between brand agencies and TV networks, I see TV networks clearly facing the same challenge of keeping their brands relevant. Perhaps it's their turn to take a cue from the consumer brands that were once their ad revenue jackpot.

Who Are The AlphaBoomers? NBCU's Alan Wurtzel Explains

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:24:41 -0400

I have written articles on the value of targeting Baby Boomers, and now NBCU's Alan Wurtzel goes one step further. He says that it is not specifically Baby Boomers that advertisers should target, it is the AlphaBoomers, a valuable subset of adults aged 55-64. Who exactly are the AlphaBoomers and why are they so important?

Is 'House Of Cards' A House Of Cards?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:20:05 -0400

Is it too early to talk about "House of Cards" -- or is it already way too late? As all the world knows, Netflix unleashed all 13 season-one episodes simultaneously rather than doling them out weekly like a regular TV series, so we have no idea how many viewers have finished it already, how many are partway through, or how many haven't even started watching yet.

Valerie Harper Evokes Memories Of Broadcast At Its Best

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:29:15 -0400

The sad news about Valerie Harper's battle with terminal brain cancer has me thinking about the incredible power broadcast television used to have. How else to explain the massive outpouring of love and support from millions of people for Harper at this very challenging time?

Simulmedia's Happy Hour Salons

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:25:00 -0400

There are a number of excellent industry get-togethers, but there is only one I can think of that blends the actual happy hour with the program itself: Simulmedia's Happy Hour Salon. This provocative monthly speaker series gives media and tech people the chance to mingle and share opinions on a trending industry hot topic, all over a pint of beer or a glass of wine.

'Girls,' 'Shameless,' 'Spartacus' And 'Banshee' Heat Up Pay Cable

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:24:57 -0500

Aside from HBO's "Girls," there hasn't been significant talk lately about current original series on the pay-cable networks. That has a lot to do with the absence of such showcase franchises as HBO's "True Blood," "Game of Thrones" and "The Newsroom" and Showtime's "Homeland," "Dexter" and "Nurse Jackie." But there is still much to get excited about in the pay universe.

Next Steps For Addressable Advertising

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:10:57 -0500

Addressable advertising has been an active, although custom, application for media purchasing for several years. Some agencies have been very strategic in folding in addressable advertising campaigns for certain clients, and several data-oriented companies have built successful businesses helping advertisers -- from insurance companies to political candidates -- more efficiently and successfully target their consumers. A recent conference discussed the necessary next steps that need to be taken before addressable advertising becomes a universal component of an advertiser's buy.