Posted on 12/03/2007 3:24:58 AM PST by abb
NBC has made an ambitious deal, apparently the first of its kind, to buy a two-hour — or perhaps even three-hour — block of prime-time programming from outside producers, including Thom Beers, the creator of adventure documentary series like “Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers.”
Under the plan, NBC has agreed to broadcast at least two new hours produced by Mr. Beers back to back on a single night, with many more hours possible. The terms guarantee Mr. Beers and his partners 30 hours of programs on NBC — three separate 10-episode series.
These 30 hours would come at a fraction of the cost of standard network scripted or reality programming, a factor that made the deal attractive to NBC.
The project is not related to the current strike by Hollywood writers but the background forces are somewhat similar as networks struggle to revise their financial formulas to face a future of diminishing ratings and growing uncertainties about how the Internet will figure in viewers’ choices. The programs, which are all documentary in style, would not have staff writers
snip
The chief economic benefit of programs from Mr. Beers is that they are strikingly cheap to produce by network standards. Shows like “Ice Road Truckers” cost about well under $500,000 an hour, a modest figure next to a typical cost of about $3 million for an hourlong scripted network series. Conventional network reality shows are also much more expensive at $1.5 million to $2 million an hour. The producers will split ownership with NBC, giving the network control of domestic rights and the producers the international rights.
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
ping
The Network News broadcasts will continue until the last viewer dies of old age... which should happen by next Tuesday...
Heres’ a reality for these striking writers.
Maybe America doesn’t NEED YOU after all! lol
I think what will happen to the news divisions is a money thing. The entertainment divisions no longer can throw off enough money to float the losses from news. It will be a glorious day.
I think this is very accurate.
Perhaps they can get a job as air traffic controllers?
I doubt you are right especially your timeframe. The reason for this is the strike and not your phoney title.
If you check the link you will see that the title is on the original (except for the Dino Media Deathwatch FR addendum)
When anyone turns on TV do any of you pay attention to if it’s a sitcom, drama, reality show, documentary etc? I mean, do you sit down and say I want to watch a funny show and only one network is running sitcoms that night so that’s what you watch?
Of course not. I went to school for broadcasting and my professors would have fits with me questioning then standard programming logic.
They were aghast when I told them that I found network TV boring and bland and was frequently more interested in the History Channel and Discovery Channel. I told them that studio shot scripted programming would go the way of the Dumont network and B&W TV as a dominant staple of network programming.
They didn’t believe me when I said there would be 5 HBO’s, 3 Cinemaxes and that the VCR was not good enough technology to keep subscribers happy with just one of each. Multi-plexing sports/movies, time shifted stuff like “The Soap Channel” would find their way onto cable boxes.
Nope, none of this would happen they said.
The best thing I’ll never forget is my prediction that everyday people would become the next famous TV stars for doing stupid things or what they do every day for a living. Of course, stolen from Warhol’s everyone will be famous for 15 minutes statement.
No, networks will not jeopardize their relationships with the 5 studio system and make programs that will jeopardize that financial arrangement.
Oh I wish I could post my 1992 thesis. I got a B+ on it just because I argued so passionately about what were my media habits then increasing with younger viewers as the years went on.
Writers?
No, no, no - Trilateral commission conspiracy to ensure people believe broadcast TV employs writers.
I happen to like some of the network shows, but I also like the reality shows (survivor, american idol, amazing race). I never watch the network news which I think they should get rid of and stick to the morning shows that seem to be more popular. Who has time to watch the news at dinnertime anyway. lol. They finally have begun keeping track of people who “tape” the shows which has made some differences. I just don’t think that TV is going to suddenly die and not be offered. Some FREEPERS truly think this will happen and I refuse to believe that.
I would love to read your thesis. Is it in a digital format? FReepmail me with details.
abb
Whatever you're smoking, pass it over here.
Katie Couric, the lowest-rated big-3 anchor, draws just under 8 million viewers each evening. Bill O'Reily, the highest-rated cable anchor, draws just over half a million. The network newscasts aren't gonna go away any time soon.
What they will do, and have already done, is keep packaging and delivering news, leaving more and more of the actual news-gathering and picture-taking to organizations like the AP and Reuters. Its cheaper that way.
“By the end of this decade or shortly thereafter, televsion networks as we know them today will cease to exist. Network evening news broadcasts will go dark after the ‘08 elections and their news divisions disbanded.”
This past Friday, we had dinner with a couple of friends.
We started discussing the realities of liberals in business and the problems they cause and the anti business liberals in the communities where the businesses are. The conversation got into the lies of the MSM and damages they cause.
The husband got into the CNN acts of terrorism, his words, in the recent Republican debate. He blocked all CNN channels on his Dish system after our discussion.
That discussion flowed over to the Nightly newsm and I told her that many of us on Free Republic see the nightly national news disappearing after the 2008 elections. My wife said that we hadn’t watched nightly news for well over a decade.
Our lady hostess said she couldn’t live without the nightly news. Surprisingly, my wife laughed and said yes you can. My wife said that seldom is our community ever mentioned in the nightly news, and anything on the nightly news of value has been on Free Republic since the night before. She could get a recap from me of what is happening.
The husband just laughed and reminded his wife about how she said she couldn’t live without her daily copy of the San Francisco Gayronicle and the NY Slimes. They cancelled their subscriptions after 9/11 because of their pro Islamo stances. She now reads books instead of wasting her time with the NY Slimes and SF GayRonical.
Evidence suggests a different conclusion.
Great more boring and useless “reality” tv.
Yes seeing what people with little to no education are willing to do to earn a living can be interesting as a documentary.. but week after week sorry... not this huckelberry.
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