The State of TV Today
While that question may seem like it’s less than relevant to you, consider how our TV habits are changing. Nowadays, everyone has access to hundreds of channels, plus Netflix and Hulu. It’s actually not all that different from the early days of television when there were only a handful of channels. There are even more choices for those who have cut cable altogether and are using an over-the-air digital antenna to pick up local programming for free! So, rather than ask if TV is good or bad today, maybe we should be asking if it’s better or worse than ever before? I don’t know about you, but I think it might just be... And here’s why In some ways, yes—but in others, no. Today’s entertainment landscape is arguably much richer and broader than it was even ten years ago. Take scripted dramas alone: If you look at shows like Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Homeland, Orange Is The New Black —even The Sopranos —these series push boundaries in terms of their complexity, storytelling style, themes, and visual effects (and that’s not even counting things like The Walking Dead ). These shows rival anything on cable or network TV at any point in history; they simply do so with modern technology as their aid.
How Soaps Became Must-See TV
Soaps were a huge part of television throughout most of its existence. They became immensely popular in cities and suburbs, bringing in millions of viewers who didn’t have many other things to do during their day (working 60 hours a week was not an option). The popularity of soaps has faded since then, thanks to shows like Law & Order that all but eliminated their need for viewership, but soaps were clearly a staple for decades. We won’t be seeing them back on TV anytime soon, unfortunately. If you want to relive some old favorites, you can find out where they are streaming online. Or, if you want something new, check out soap operas from South America. Brazil is especially good at creating soap operas and its style is unique enough to separate it from American soaps. Watch Globo for more information about Brazilian soaps!
To Air Is Human
The development of television and its ongoing impact on society has been—and will continue to be—the stuff of science fiction. The small black-and-white box that brought live broadcasts into people’s homes transformed our entire culture, from how we get our news to how we enjoy entertainment. To see a time before the television is like visiting a place that no longer exists. The fact that an entire generation can’t conceive of such a place speaks volumes about just how much TV has impacted modern life. Whether you think that impact is positive or negative, it’s hard to deny TV’s power as an agent for change and influence. So, have we seen better TV over the years? Or worse? It depends on what your definition of better means. If your criteria are more visual effects and higher production values, then yes, things have improved dramatically since those early days in black-and-white. But if you want deeper stories with complex characters who are fully developed over multiple seasons instead of one episode at a time...well, it might be harder to find good shows these days than ever before.
The Appointment Viewing Challenge
In an era of on-demand content, live television is becoming more and more scarce. When we did watch TV, it was usually appointment viewing: The family gathered around at 8 pm on Tuesday nights to see what Ryan and Kelly were up to. But now, with cable gone streaming and streaming has gone VOD (and every other acronym for video distribution that you can imagine), there’s no reason for us to sit down in front of our television at any particular time. That’s why when we do come together to watch TV as a family, it’s even more important than ever that those shows are worth our time. This means that if you want your show on a major network, it needs to be great—and it needs a compelling premise. It also means that if you have a favorite show, it better not get canceled because I won’t be watching anything else until it comes back. And that’s not just me; millions of viewers feel like they have an obligation to support their favorite shows because they don't want them to go away. So here's my question: Are we too picky about our television? Are we setting unrealistic expectations for what makes good TV and should we loosen up a bit? Or are there still plenty of reasons to keep old-fashioned appointment viewing alive?
Have We Reached Peak TV?
This question has been answered in a way, with FX announcing they will add more than 50 hours of new original programming to their schedule next year. Will, that amount of television being watched by viewers? That remains to be seen. But many pundits would argue we’ve already reached peak TV and it might have plateaued earlier than expected. When networks are bleeding ad dollars, budget cuts have to come from somewhere, right? At least for now, television is alive and well—and it will continue to thrive because there’s still money to be made in Hollywood. Just don’t expect scripted shows to go away anytime soon. We may not have as much time to watch all those programs as we used to, but you can bet your bottom dollar we won't stop watching them anytime soon. The average American watches four hours of live TV every day. A few years ago, Nielsen reported that adults spend more than 10 hours per day consuming media content on multiple platforms, so I guess my prediction was pretty accurate after all. (Sorry if I ruined your night.) So where does that leave us? With plenty of options on how to spend our free time. As long as advertisers keep paying top dollar for commercial spots during primetime television broadcasts, network executives will continue to invest in high-quality scripted series (they’re expensive!). It's really just math at its finest: supply + demand = profit! And no matter what people say about the death of television, one thing is certain: audiences are going to keep tuning in and advertisers aren't going anywhere either.
What the Future Holds for TV
In 2016, we can see that there are more options for television than ever before. Whether you want to enjoy live TV through a cable subscription, on-demand video through a service like Netflix, or watch full episodes of your favorite shows on Hulu’s streaming platform, there’s something out there for everyone. But how much will change in five years? In ten years? We have no idea! Only time will tell... but it sure will be interesting to watch!
TV is evolving as technology improves and new content becomes available. Five years from now, who knows what platforms people will be watching on? Ten years from now, who knows what kind of screen technology we’ll even be using?
You must be logged in to post a comment.