There’s nothing on television

Too many amazing shows have taken the axe and replaced with filler mostly comprised of fluff, lacking any real content, but with a pretty package.

Television programming in the United States has gotten out of hand. The thoughtless fast-food version of reality television (which is highly staged and anything but reality) and contrived situational comedy has long lost its luster and Americans have become increasingly hungry for real entertainment with a meaty plot complete with twists and turns to keep us satiated. Too many amazing shows have taken the axe and replaced with filler mostly comprised of fluff, lacking any real content, but with a pretty package.

With an increasing number of Americans searching for intellectually stimulating shows, they have begun taking refuge on the BBC. The impressive popularity of Downton Abbey can speak to this new trend. Yet an entire night can be spent clicking through pathetic and mindless offerings until with exasperation we realize, “there’s nothing to watch”. Why should that be? How can that be? With hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on television production and marketing how can there be little to choose from?

One can’t help but wonder how the executives at major networks have become so out of touch! Networks often cancel shows due to dips in viewership. It’s understandable that if consumption of your product dips that you need to adapt and offer something new. However, it seems many networks are far too quick to dump products only to replace them with something less viable. I can’t help but wonder why more networks aren’t actively looking to start secondary networks like CBS did with The CW to provide an alternate avenue for shows that are still bringing in millions, but perhaps not at the rate they’d like to see.

One obvious point that many networks seem to not want to accept is that their way of doing business is nearly dead. People no longer want to be tied to their show on a specific day at a specific time. People are demanding the same flexibility out of the programming they love that fits their lives. On demand and streaming are the future. Networks have been slow to fully accept and embrace this fact. With so many pirating options open to the public, networks have stood by and watched their syndication and DVD profits plummet. Making a demanding population wait isn’t profitable. The binge-culture has raised thanks in part to outlets like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu which allows you to watch your favorite programming with limited or no interruption for seasons on end. What is interesting is how often people who subscribe to these outlets talk about how upset they are by premature show cancellations. Often networks driven by immediate cash interests overlook the long-term potential gains from alternative outlets.

Limiting and streamlining creativity and entertainment to what a few executives interpret as entertainment hurts us all. When six million, ten million, or sixteen million viewers are no longer seen as enough to justify continuing a series perhaps networks need to take a serious look at why that is. Is there really no other alternative for these customers then to cancel a product they are invested in? It seems that networks should have more of a responsibility to the products they offer, and the customers they serve. It would be wise for networks to consider moving into the age of streaming and on demand that customers are clearly in favor of, and to consider a more flexible means of programming that takes into account the lifetime and evolution of a show and storyline. Because the truth is they aren’t just losing profits – they’re bleeding out.

Limiting and streamlining creativity and entertainment to what a few executives interpret as entertainment hurts us all.