Local TV Broadcasters Worried About Internet TV, iPods
Apr 19th, 2007 | By James Lewin | Category: Digital Movie Store, Digital Video Downloads, Internet TV, iPods & Portable Media Players, Video 
Local TV broadcasters are worried about the rise of Internet television. They’re seeing popular prime-time content like Fox’s 24 go online, and wonder if the rise of Internet TV will put them out of business.
While Internet television is creating new opportunities for content providers, local affiliates think that the Web may give networks more clout than ever. Last month, NBC Universal and News Corp., parent company of Fox Broadcasting, established a new Internet video network that will distribute full-length movies and TV shows. CBS announced its own video network last week.
“Plenty of people are worried,” said Richard Jones, general manager of Bay City Television in San Diego. “It’s still so new nobody knows for sure what’s going to happen. But there is some real concern about shows that have been seen a lot of times on the Web and whether it will affect ratings.”
Jones got to see the future of television in person on a recent flight, when he noticed the man next to him was watching Fox’s hit show, 24.
“He told me he missed the show during the week so he downloaded the episode on his iPod,” Jones said. “He wanted to get caught up by the time Monday’s new episode aired. That’s what we’re dealing with.”
via CNET
Here’s the point that Richard Jones is missing: The man on the plane watching “24” wanted to get caught up on the episodes he’s missing in time to watch it as it airs on Monday night. It’s not diminishing loyal viewers, it’s giving them an option besides VCRs and TiVO for when they can’t help missing shows. Was Jones’ local affiliate planning on re-airing the show at the convenience of all the viewers who wanted to see “24” but had business trips or other obligations?
I didn’t think so.
Eric
Eric is right on.
Not only isn’t it affecting loyal watchers, it is ensuring the infrequent viewers have the ability to walk in on the middle of the story and go back and get caught-up so that they can be converted to loyal first-run watchers. I missed out on the seasons of LOST and 24 for this very reason. Friends talked it up, but I felt “lost” myself trying to dive into the story mid-season.
An approach they ought to try is to capitalize on the first-run fever of the audience-influencers. Run a “be the first to see it” campaign, or a “this is the episode you’ll be telling all your friends about” and make certain their sites and episodes offer a “tell your friend to catch-up” or a “did you miss it?” button that forwards :30 recaps with a link back to view/download the entire episode.
Television is missing the point. Yes, the way people use tv is evolving at a rapid pace — but so should the medium is positioned with its audience. Stop complaining about it and start looking for a way to enable it from a profitable position.