Networks have been trying to figure out a model for generating revenue via Internet for a while now. Many different methods have been tried.
Currently, CBS is starting to offer next-day and previous (including classics) episodes for the low monthly cost of $5.99. [What does that do to the Full Episodes website and to cable On Demand?]
Hulu and Crackle (and probably others) have tried to insert commercials into their streams. The problem I find with that has been for the stream to quit after a series of commercials. And there is no way to restart it at the point of the disruption and I don’t care to sit through a restart from the beginning. I haven’t watched either in several years.
Netflix is still a success story. They even have original series now. Those series have short seasons, but when a new season starts, all episodes are available at the same time.
Several decades ago, a TV series or special could get 25 million viewers or more. Now, they are lucky to get 8 or 10 million. Many of the current ‘hits’ manage only around 5-6 million. But, many of those networks have a dozen cable channels, so they are getting revenue from those additional channels.
People will have Alacart TV going forward.
They great news is that channels like, MTV, will probably collapse.
Some show on nbc recently got a 0.6 rating.
They still are undecided on whether to cancel it yet....
I did a google search on this and found that the networks have several shows with below 1.0 ratings. Imagine that in past years how quick the shows would be canceled. They are desperate.
Here are some ratings from August 2014
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings.aspx?id=broadcast_20140812