storytelling: February 2009 Archives
One of the most commonly stated reasons that Australian viewers don't engage with new television programs is the difficulty they sometimes face in staying with the show as networks switch the days and times that the show is on, show's disapear for sports, and sometimes just plain disapear (Yes, I am looking at you, Channel Nine).
More often than not, we figure I'll wait for it to rerun of Foxtel, or binge view on DVD.
ADVERTISING AGE report that CBS in USA is taking a new approach with their new show, 'Harper's Island'. The audience has been told two things about this show, every episode someone will die, and it will run for just 13 episodes. The show is not just a traditional TV presentation either, it also has a strong online component.
It kind of makes sense, in our busy modern lives we all have to plan more, schedule more, have busier lives. Maybe in the future the TV schedule will not need to cover the next 7 days but the next quarter. Foxtel publishes their TV guide monthly, should free-to-air be aiming for the same. Viewer loyalty built through reliable and dependable programming.
But is this all that new, is Australian ahead of the game for once, 'Sea Patrol', 'Underbelly', 'City Homicide' and 'The Circuit' are all short run series and Australian audiences are responding well to these. The days of shows that run for 40 weeks of the year are definately on the way out.
Channel Nine this week are showing the Oscars at 9:30pm on Monday, after all with over 2.5 million viewers last week and some additional publicity courtesy of the Australian Family Association, that's a viewership you don't want to rock the boat with.
Additional digital channels also provide networks with an opportunity to improve programming, while not disgruntelling viewers, unsuccessful shopws could move down onto secondary channels, while popular shows could move up to the primary channel.
Shorter series allow for more creative storytelling and more engaging productions, a great example of this is any comparision between a British show, which can be as low as 6 episodes, and the same show be remade in the USA, where the concept might be pulled out to as many as 22 episodes. Take a look at 'Queer as Folk' for an example.
That's the guarantee I want from my broadcaster, if you begin watching this show, it'll be played all the way through.
More often than not, we figure I'll wait for it to rerun of Foxtel, or binge view on DVD.
ADVERTISING AGE report that CBS in USA is taking a new approach with their new show, 'Harper's Island'. The audience has been told two things about this show, every episode someone will die, and it will run for just 13 episodes. The show is not just a traditional TV presentation either, it also has a strong online component.
It kind of makes sense, in our busy modern lives we all have to plan more, schedule more, have busier lives. Maybe in the future the TV schedule will not need to cover the next 7 days but the next quarter. Foxtel publishes their TV guide monthly, should free-to-air be aiming for the same. Viewer loyalty built through reliable and dependable programming.
But is this all that new, is Australian ahead of the game for once, 'Sea Patrol', 'Underbelly', 'City Homicide' and 'The Circuit' are all short run series and Australian audiences are responding well to these. The days of shows that run for 40 weeks of the year are definately on the way out.
Channel Nine this week are showing the Oscars at 9:30pm on Monday, after all with over 2.5 million viewers last week and some additional publicity courtesy of the Australian Family Association, that's a viewership you don't want to rock the boat with.
Additional digital channels also provide networks with an opportunity to improve programming, while not disgruntelling viewers, unsuccessful shopws could move down onto secondary channels, while popular shows could move up to the primary channel.
Shorter series allow for more creative storytelling and more engaging productions, a great example of this is any comparision between a British show, which can be as low as 6 episodes, and the same show be remade in the USA, where the concept might be pulled out to as many as 22 episodes. Take a look at 'Queer as Folk' for an example.
That's the guarantee I want from my broadcaster, if you begin watching this show, it'll be played all the way through.
