Friday, September 30, 2011
Bad Masculinity
Linda Holmes laments that TV is just as bad (if not worse) at depicting masculinity as it is femininity.
Spectrum Fight
The Washington Times' Tim Devaney lays out the spectrum auction debate. The NAB is warning of potential catastrophe, such as a shutdown of broadcast stations in Detroit, if wireless providers get their way, and says wireless companies should lose tax loopholes if this goes through.
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
-Winners: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), The X Factor (Fox)
-Down but Not Out: Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Mentalist (CBS)
-Disappointing: The Secret Circle (CW)
-Major Erosion: Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
-Losers: Community (NBC), How to Be a Gentleman (CBS), Parks and Recreation (NBC), Whitney (NBC), Prime Suspect (NBC)
Free Agents & Playboy Teeter
Free Agents and The Playboy Club are worthy of cancellation but NBC's Bob Greenblatt says he'll give them more time.
New Flow Issue
Check out the new Flow essays: Kristen Warner with Don't Hate the Player, Hate the (Nearly Impossible To Win) Game: Analysis of Minority Employment; Scott Webel with Garbage Collectors; Steven Boyer with Belmont, BRAVIAs, and Barcraft: Video Content and Game Consoles; and Brett Caraway with XXX Litigation: The Seedy Underworld of Copyright.
Show Apps
TV show producers and programmers are developing apps for their shows to encourage viewer interaction. (Note: article behind WSJ paywall) USA's Psych app is proving successful.
Viewer Study
A Blip.tv study finds that viewers are still mostly watching TV in prime time rather than online original video, but the percentage of viewers doing both is increasing.
State of Community
Alan Sepinwall and Todd VanDerWerff start by discussing last night's episode of Community and then expand into a consideration of the current state of the show.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Social Fall
Mashable tracked social media comments on new fall shows and found X Factor had the most mentions.
Peak Usage
Peter Kafka has a cool chart that shows prime time isn't only peak TV viewing time; it's also peak iDevice usage time.
Bounce Rival
Bounce TV has only just begun, and it already has a competitor in the works, courtesy of MGM.
Canadian Retrans
Canada's Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether pay TV operators should have to pay retransmission fees to broadcasters.
Pay TV Future
Ryan Lawler considers how pay TV operators have to plan for a future of devices and clouds.
Wednesday Ratings
X Factor helped Fox to a victory, but it's still not the juggernaut some expected. Suburgatory started well. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Parks & Rec Process
Alan Sepinwall treats us to a two-part look at the writing process at Parks and Recreation and how pitches are judged in the writers' room.
Sex & Advertising
The PTC is happy that advertisers have dropped out of The Playboy Club, while they probably wouldn't be happy about the sex toy ads airing in the UK that might show up here.
Update: Some of the advertisers are saying they haven't left Playboy Club, and Wayne Friedman asks if Playboy Club is offensive or just bad.
Update: Some of the advertisers are saying they haven't left Playboy Club, and Wayne Friedman asks if Playboy Club is offensive or just bad.
Ratings Perspective
Josef Adalian shows how today's network hits are yesterday's bombs, in terms of the ratings they draw. Jaime Weinman adds thoughts.
Cable A La Carte
Reuters reports that cable operators are increasingly in favor of unbundling or a la carte pricing for cable, allowing consumers the freedom to drop expensive channels like ESPN. Ryan Lawler adds thoughts, as does Devin Coldewey. JB Flint says, don't hold your breath waiting for this. Kevin Fogerty says it's a bait-and-switch.
Twitter Reports
Twitter is doing quite well in product placements on TV, while Glee is not doing nearly as well these days on Twitter.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Free Ads in 2.5 Men
CBS is angry over Ashton Kutcher working logos of companies he invests in into Two and a Half Men shots.
Adjusting to Pay TV
Behind Variety's paywall, Marc Graser and Andrew Wallenstein look at how studios are dealing with the new world where premium channels are increasingly interested in producing original content rather than paying to air studio features.
Youtoo TV
If you've never heard of the AmericanLife TV Network, that's a good thing, because it doesn't exist anymore, having been rebranded as Youtoo TV, a channel that will feature user-submitted videos.
More Screens Are Better
A Nielsen study commissioned by Google finds that consumer recall of ads rises when multiple screens are used.
Don't Fear the F Word
Gavin Palone argues that characters should be able to say f--k on networks and basic cable.
Reality Pitches
Peter Hamilton outlines what execs at channels like A&E are looking for in reality show pitches.
Tuesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
-Winners: NCIS (CBS), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS), New Girl (Fox), Unforgettable (CBS)
-Down but Not Out: Glee (Fox)
-Losers: 90210 (CW)
TV By the Numbers' numbers
Final ratings & Cable ratings
-Winners: NCIS (CBS), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS), New Girl (Fox), Unforgettable (CBS)
-Down but Not Out: Glee (Fox)
-Losers: 90210 (CW)
TV By the Numbers' numbers
Final ratings & Cable ratings
Outlet Comparisons
PaidContent has a great chart comparing the offerings and distribution windows of Netflix, Amazon, Blockbuster, and Hulu.
GLAAD Report
GLAAD has judged Fox to be the most LGBT-inclusive network of 2011-21. The report includes a chart of LGBT characters with their ethnicity also noted.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Ivi Losing Fight
Janko Roettgers reminds us that the Ivi online TV service is still fighting for the right to stream broadcast channels online, but in a sign that things might not be going well, Ivi is asking for public help with legal costs.
Ratings News
A bunch of ratings links: CBS won the first week in total viewers, FX had its best September ever, Boardwalk Empire was down, The Chew bested All My Children's 18-49 ratings yesterday, post-Oprah talk shows are doing well, and Jaime Weinman rambles about the first week of ratings.
Soaps on Online Network
The new outlet that plans to take up All My Children and One Life to Live will be called The Online Network.
Early Stream
Following Fox's lead with New Girl, NBC will make the next episodes of Up All Night and Whitney available via streaming before they air.
30 Rock Campaign
NBCU has developed a promo campaign to prepare local audiences for the syndication of 30 Rock.
NFL Thursday Paused
The NFL's plan to sell a package of Thursday night games has been dropped for now.
2.5 Men & Social Media
Simon Dumenco wonders if Two and a Half Men can continue capitalizing on Ashton Kutcher's social media prowess.
Monday Ratings
Initial overnight impressions from Marc Berman:
-Winners:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), 2 Broke Girls (CBS), Two and a Half Men (CBS), Castle (ABC)
-Soft Launches:
Terra Nova (Fox), Hart of Dixie (CW)
-Losers (excluding repeats):
The Sing-Off (NBC), Gossip Girl (CW), The Playboy Club (NBC)
More numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
-Winners:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), 2 Broke Girls (CBS), Two and a Half Men (CBS), Castle (ABC)
-Soft Launches:
Terra Nova (Fox), Hart of Dixie (CW)
-Losers (excluding repeats):
The Sing-Off (NBC), Gossip Girl (CW), The Playboy Club (NBC)
More numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Tax Credit Rejected
It's official: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie rejected Jersey Shore's tax credits.
Hulu Bids
In the Hulu sale auction, Dish Network had the most favorable bid, but Hulu wanted more and is still deciding how to proceed.
Grace Malfunction
James Poniewozik wonders if decency groups will create a stink about Nancy Grace's nip slip on DWTS last night. (Check out GoodTVeets for the TVitterati take, which decency groups also probably wouldn't appreciate.)
Landgraf Profile
Joe Flint checks out how head of entertainment John Landgraf is pushing FX to greater success.
Good TVeets
Congrats to the writers and producers of the biggest ratings hit
on television, "Football Overrun."
Is anyone watching the Terra Nova premier? Am I allowed to like
this or should I pan it w/ a series of cutting tweets? Could go either way.
Follow @GoodTVeets
Monday, September 26, 2011
No Spectrum Shortage
So claims a report: "According to a CitiGroup market analysis, there is no shortage of spectrum, and control -- not availability -- of that spectrum is the constraint on mobile broadband. The Federal Communications Commission and White House have been pushing incentive spectrum auctions on the premise that there is such a looming shortage."
Netflix Analysis
Wired's Tim Carmody says Netflix is a video channel, not a replacement for your cable provider, and Netflix's co-founder defends the Qwikster move.
L+3 Ratings
The initial live plus 3 days program ratings for last Mon-Wed are showing some significant gains among certain shows (like Modern Family up 28%).
Big Hopes
Brian Stelter looks at how networks are spending a lot of money trying to create the next blockbuster show.
TAR & Social Media
I haven't watched yet so I'm avoiding reading this for now, but there's much buzz about how Twitter helped a couple succeed in The Amazing Race last night.
FX Ad Drama
FX has worked with Audi on a set of short-form drama episodes/advertisements that will air during Sunday night movie programming.
Lockout Impact
Old story, new sport: This time it's an NBA lockout that could affect TV, though not quite like the NFL one could have. (Note: article behind Variety paywall.)
Amazon Fox Deal
Amazon has made a deal with Fox to make some Fox programming -- some 2000 titles, including rare ones like The Wonder Years -- available on its Prime service.
Targeting Babies
Brian Braiker says marketers are trying to make infants to 3-year-olds a targeted demographic.
News Study
The Pew Research Center has released a report on views of the media from 1985-2011; Brian Stelter reports on the TV-related findings, and David Lieberman observes that the availability of mobile news could hurt local station news. Elsewhere, another study found that investigative reporting is becoming more rare on local news.
Ailes' Next Move
Howard Kurtz says Roger Ailes is repositioning Fox News' agenda for the 2012 election.
Good TVeets
kristenwarner
Follow @GoodTVeets
Dear Fall TV: #goodwife is how you do it in case you
were wondering.
My body is not equipped to deal with the kind of stress that #BreakingBad just put me through.
HOLY S--T. @questlove called "breaking
bad" the white "The Wire". #perfect
Follow @GoodTVeets
New In Media Res
Theme: Reality TV and Otherness
- Monday September 26, 2011 – Raquel Gates (College of Staten Island) presents: You Can’t Turn a Ho into a Housewife: Basketball Wives and the Politics of Wifedom
- Tuesday September 27, 2011 – Jeremy Sarachan (St. John Fisher College) presents: A Question of Taste: Cultural Identity on Chopped
- Wednesday September 28, 2011 – Charity Fox (University of Baltimore) presents: One Man Army: Ultimate Warfighters and Interchangeable Tough Guys
- Thursday September 29, 2011 – Roger Almendarez (Northwestern University) presents: Situating Snookie: The Jersey Shore’s Framing of an Ethnic Enclave
- Friday September 30, 2011 – Shawna Kidman (University of Southern California) presents: Fitting In on The Glee Project
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Week One Reflections
Josef Adalian looks back on the first week of the fall season and makes some predictions. Brian Stelter also has a look back. One major theme: comedies did well.
Netflix Signs Dreamworks
Netflix outbid HBO for the rights to stream Dreamworks movies. Greg Sandoval isn't impressed.
Social Showrunners
TV Guide delineates five ways showrunners can engage audiences through social media.
Pushing Conan Online
As Conan continues to struggle in TBS ratings, Turner works harder to bolster his online appeal and the revenue attached to it.
BBC3 & 4 Problem
The Guardian's Steve Hewlett argues that BBC3 and BBC4 have brought more harm than good to the BBC.
NYTVF Winners
The New York Television Festival winners will receive development deals. Aymar Jean Christian reports on what he saw.
Hollywood Shunning DVD
Ben Fritz reports on how the Hollywood studios are turning away from DVD and toward internet distribution.
The Chicago Way
Neil Tesser explores how Chicago is coming across as a setting for numerous TV shows.
Good TVeets
#SNL cast members need term limits.
Unless you're Phil Hartman there's no need for you to be on more than four
years.
Down to four women. Guess that's all they need? Or is
Christopher Hitchens their casting guy? #SNL
BREAKING: Florida Woman Spots Miraculous Image of
"Whitney" Billboard in Her Toast
Follow @GoodTVeets
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Good TVeets
jillianbowe
I bow down to thee Agnes Nixon. #AMC.
All My Children is really off the air? Or will it show up in 6
months, wearing a goatee and carrying General Hospital's baby?
I can't believe these people want to stay here and write. If
this was anything on CBS, we would've been waterskiing since 2.
Follow @GoodTVeets
Lost History
Damon Lindelof delved into the history of Lost during a keynote address at the New York Television Festival.
News Bias
A Pew study finds that most Americans believe news organizations are biased in their reporting: "The study found that more than three-quarters (77%) of Americans believe that when it comes to reporting on political and social issues, news organizations tend to favor one side -- a 3% rise from 2009, the last time the survey was conducted, and a 10% increase from 2001. Some 80% of respondents felt that news organizations were often influenced by powerful people and organizations -- a 6% jump from 2009."
Comcast AnyPlay
Comcast is working on a TV Everywhere app for iPad that will let you stream live TV.
Audience Laughter
Cari Nierenberg notes many complain that multi-cam sitcom laughter is annoying, but a psychologist has proven its effectiveness.
Making the Daily Show
A Rolling Stone editor chats with Jon Stewart about how The Daily Show is put together.
Friday, September 23, 2011
African-American Consumer Stats
Nielsen has a report on African-American consumer behavior, including stats on TV and DVR usage.
Diversity Criticism
Sarah Ventre criticizes the Emmys, and TV in general, for a lack of racial diversity and says it deserves greater attention.
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman summarizes the overnights:
-Winners:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Charlie’s Angels (ABC), The X Factor (Fox), Person of Interest (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Office (NBC), Whitney (NBC), The Mentalist (CBS)
-Losers:
Community (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC)
More detail from TV By the Numbers and analysis from Josef Adalian: "The network with little upside today is NBC." Final ratings
-Winners:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Charlie’s Angels (ABC), The X Factor (Fox), Person of Interest (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Office (NBC), Whitney (NBC), The Mentalist (CBS)
-Losers:
Community (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC)
More detail from TV By the Numbers and analysis from Josef Adalian: "The network with little upside today is NBC." Final ratings
48 Hours App
CBS has put its 48 Hours Mystery app behind a paywall: "Like everyone else in TV land, CBS is trying to figure out how to value its once-free on-air product when it moves off live TV and onto the Web as well as devices. For TV on the iPad, the network is defining value as access to full episodes."
Retrans Lobbying
DirecTV and Time Warner Cable are lobbying the FCC to overhaul retransmission consent rules.
Leslie Knope, Feminist
Alyssa Rosenberg praises last night's Parks & Rec episode for its feminist plot choices.
Facebook & Social TV
Cory Bergman says the Facebook overhaul announced today will kick social TV into overdrive. Facebook will add movies and TV into the mix and let users watch TV shows together on Facebook.
Blockbuster Streaming
Today Dish Network will launch a Netflix competitor through Blockbuster, which will further fragment the market. The details, though, indicate that this won't be a Netflix killer (especially because for now it's only available to Dish subscribers), and Dish is missing out on a chance to really challenge Netflix.
Morning Shows Rise
For the first time in a very long time, all three morning shows have added young viewers.
PTC v. X Factor
The PTC has filed a complaint with the FCC over a contestant's exposure on The X Factor.
Farewell to AMC
I've been watching All My Children since I was a kid, and there hasn't been a moment in my lifetime when I couldn't watch Erica Kane on TV. That ends today. Here are some goodbye links:
- An amazing pdf map of all the show's marriages, divorces, affairs, murders and resurrections
- Alice Hoffman says goodbye
- Eleanor Morrison says goodbye
- Cassie Belek says goodbye
- Jean Lethlean says goodbye
- Susan Lucci (Erica Kane) says goodbye
- AfterEllen says thanks
- Soap fans mourn and are furious
- Soaps are in trouble
- AMC's online future is uncertain
Good TVeets
These Republican debate audiences need to star in their own
reality show. Am I right, people?
My DVR is at 92 percent. My name is Ishira, and I am a
television addict. Too bad new Fall TV is the equivalent of crystal-meth #TAA
Why does Whitney exist?
Follow @GoodTVeets
Relationship Arcs
Alan Sepinwall interviews Parks & Rec co-creator Mike Schur about the Leslie-Ben relationship and writing long-term relationship arcs on comedies.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Bewkes Dismisses Cord Cutting
Staci D. Kramer reports: "Warned by an interviewer at today’s Goldman Sachs conference hat he was about to talk about cordcutting, the subject that won’t go away, Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) CEO Jeff Bewkes couldn’t resist a bit of a joke. “The cordcutting that won’t go away won’t come either. It hasn’t arrived yet.”"
Studio One
Noel Murray uncovers revealing info about 1950s anthology production and writing via an analysis of a Rod Serling-penned episode of Studio One.
Dateline Campaign
Brain Steinberg says Dateline's latest ad campaign was forged after closely observing fan behavior on social media sites: "For several months, "Dateline" personnel have studied the behavior and postings of the show's fans on Facebook and other social-media milieu, allowing them to create a campaign now that speaks to the way viewers interact with the program, not its smiling personalities or lurid headlines."
Gaming Key to 3D
Variety reports (behind paywall) that gaming might be the key to getting 3D TV sets off store shelves.
TNT Backing Away From Movies
TNT will pass on bidding for big hit movies, because the ratings don't pay off thanks to the availability of movies on other platforms before they reach basic cable.
WSJ Live
Ken Doctor says cable news outlets should look to the Wall Street Journal's new video app venture with competitive concern.
Disney Against Sports Tiers
A Disney exec said the company is not in favor of pushing mainstream sports channels into exclusive tiers, despite soaring sports rights prices that will make ESPN even more pricey.
Next British Decade
Telegraph's Emma Barnett predicts what the next decade in British TV will look like.
New Food Network
AdWeek interviews Food Network president Brooke Johnson about the Cooking Channel spinoff.
Imports Up, Revenue Down
Despite Britain importing more American dramas lately, they have generated less revenue, likely due to the recession.