In just one generation, according to the article titled "The Future of TV," the U.S. television distribution system of three broadcast networks - ABC, NBC, and CBS - has mushroomed into "thousands of outlets including broadcast's own growing array of digital extensions, cable, satelite, telco, mobile and Web sites." More viewer splintering will occur and more players, specifically internet giants like Google and Microsoft, will move in this sphere and compete for viewers alongside traditional TV broadcasters. The viewer splintering will also impact the use by and business practices of the advertisers who use these media.
I chose this article because my professional goal is to be in the broadcast industry and I am exploring how my education, experience, and personality will fit into the broadcasting business which "expands, contracts, and mutates into different forms" (Eastman 218). This article provides important insight about issues facing the traditional TV broadcaster, cable stations, internet powerhouses" foray into TV, and how these issues impact the advertising business in light of the changing ecosystem.
I learned that the TV broadcast industry is responding to competitive forces with a cooperative start-up of six cable operators - Comcast, Time Warner, Bright House, Cablevision, Charter and Cox - in "Canoe Ventures." The goal of this joint venture is to create a "national platform to display advertising that is both addressable and interactive," keeping up with the current trends in viewer CONTROL over content. I was surprised that Google and Microsoft, two Internet heavy-weights, see their future in TV too, with Microsoft planning that a good portion of 25% of its projected revenue will eventuallybe derived from advertising on broadcst TV.
This unsettled and disrupted world in what was once a "relatively settled ecosystem is now undergoing massive disruptive change," according to one founder of Web ad networks. Consequently, these developments also pose special concerns for marketers like him who want to know their role in "the big picture of the small screen" especially in this ever-changing landscape. Marketers are motivated by profits, just like every business. TV viewership has eroded due to technology that lets viewers delete, skip-over, or otherwise ignore advertisements. So, they are concerned about how to measure performance, target and segement audiences.
Because the business model of TV is "dead" or "on life support" due to digital distribution, the article's authors predict more varied formats other than the "commercial-break model." These include overlay ads around content, interactive overlay ads, a type of search-based content with advertising offers, and longer-form brand programing. TV broadcast stations, both traditional and newcomers, are also doing experiments like the "choose-your sponsor model." And, more will come.
If people, via the newer digital technologies can delete or skip-over advertisements with more technologies to come which will allow viewer control over content, a huge issue will be: how will broadcasters sell "commercial time at America's more than one thousand commercial television stations"(204), especially during the most highly viewed TV shows and stay in business and make a profit? Another issue that looms is if the trend in TV continues to favor "running more commercials . . to meet short-term financial targets" (214) but viewers are not watching the traditional type of TV advertisements because they are, for example, using DVR's, what form will advertising take to survive as a revenue and profit maker?
One development that this article did not predict was the Apple iPad. Not only does it facilite information and entertainment, but it is a pretty comprehensive interactive telecommunications system. Another development is the eBook and its role in education. One school district in Pennsylvania now has "no books" - everything is on the Apple iPad. I believe that this piece of technology is the most important innovation that proves the article premise about an unsettled ecosystem true, although they did not predict the Apple iPad.
TV broadcasting is an unusual blend of "technology, creativity, and commerce." The best example of this is found in the Apple iPad. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTIJdzah9t0
So, TV broadcasting will not die because the traditional TVbroadcast commercial-break model is dead or dying; rather, the creativity of people and the spirit of entrepreneurship in the fields of technology and telecommunications even if it means cooperating with prior "enemies" - the competition, and the pursuit of profit and recognition will drive TV broadcasting into continual expansions, contractions and mutations into different forms.
http://athena.rider.edu:4066/us/lnacademic/frame.do?reloadEntirePage=true&rand=1272802
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
second interview
John Mozes
General Manager
107.7 The Bronc WRRC-FM
John Mozes, Station General Manager for 107.7 FM The Bronc, at Rider University
I found this contact by having class with him. This was truly a luck of the draw kinda thing, the class was Writing For Broadcast, which is required for my major and the only available time slot it was offered for me was being taught by Mozes.
I will use this interview for my second interview blog.
This individual manages the school radio station, and conducts sales to better the station.
Mozes got started by selling advertising for a small 1000 watt AM radio station in Bucks County.
I asked him what led to The Bronc, his response was that he was downsized while employed in corporate radio and through his networking found out about The Bronc.
I asked about his likes and dislikes of his job, he started with his dislikes about the station. He said that he wants more, he’s not satisfied with where things are and wants to build the station up even higher… When he started at the station, it was pretty much dark, but he brought it from "total obscurity to complete relevance," something that he prides himself on and likes very much. He also likes the atmosphere the personalities provide.
When talking about getting started he said the best way is to start from home with podcasts and things of that nature, he also advised me to be multi-faceted and to stay on top of new media.
He also said that the experience is secondary to a degree. And the best place to gain experience is with hands on time.
As for the qualities and characteristics of people in the industry, you need to have personality, a great work ethic (tireless), you need experience and life experience, and you can never say “no.”
As for the industry journal recommendations, he gave me a few.
Billboard Magazine
Sunday, March 28, 2010
interview 1
Neil Slotkin, Senior Producer, Comcast Sportsnet.
I found this contact in the simplest way possible, I had class with the man last semester.
I used my contact with Neil as the basis of my station profile.
He is a Senior Producer for Comcast Sportsnet. That means he does editing and he sits in the control both during broadcasts and can pull up b-roll on a moments notice.
He initially started as a production assistant at ESPN but moved back to this area after 2 years because Comcast was starting CSN and there was a better chance of advancement.
He seemed to really like the fact that there was a lot of freedom in terms of side projects he could work on, but at the same time he hated the amount of money he made because, "it's really hard to raise a family on 30 to 60 thousand dollars a year."
When I asked him how I could get started he said to apply for internships online. As for his take on experience he seemed to think that "more is better."
When asked what qualities you need in order to be successful, he responded by telling me that you need to be relentless and willing to work more than is required.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Making A Stretch on Smartphone Usage...
The annual "South By Southwest" convention was held last week in Austin Texas, and one particular piece caught my attention.
The article talks about two rival companies using smartphone applications to "digitally check in at specific locations." Using these applications will enable customers to build up rewards points for say, a free martini or burger. In other words, these apps will enable companies to monitor where their prospective clients go and what they spend their money on.
Now, I'm going to make an educated guess and state that this specific kind of application can be used to go beyond the simple social networking that it was intended for and truly revolutionize the fields of radio and television...
"Well Duh, How's it gonna do that smarty pants?" (don't lie, I know that's exactly what you were thinking for that moment)
If we make a step in a different direction and say offer individuals rewards to "check in" with what radio or tv station they're using, along with what kind of places they go to and what they might be eating. Think about how much easier it will be to use this to actually market a product effectively. This kind of technology screams, "targeted demographic." (pg 346-349)
Think about it, advertisers can now truly design a marketing campaign specifically for YOU based on exactly what you like and don't like, and the specific stations you watch or listen to can better charge the advertisers accordingly. In other words, apps like this will generate bookoo loads of cash for everyone, even the consumer.
"Wait, wait, wait, how's the consumer gonna make money?" you ask. Simple, there must be some sort of incentive to make people want to subject themselves to having "Big Brother" know everything, what better way than to offer them cold hard cash, or the equivalent (does anyone want to win free gas for a year? Try this app.)?
Although this technology is not quite ready for the maximum exposure of this proposed usage, I feel it's A LOT closer than you might think...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Article Summary
I chose to do this article summary on one a blog post that was more compelling than my local paper. It was called: The Future of Media: Radio by Celia Farber (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=91573). In the article, Celia talks about the radio that was, and what it has become. She cites Vince Gardino saying that radio used to be innocent, and now it's just a big bully.
She predicts that the future of media will be something called "a media station." She describes it as "Radio, TV, magazine, and newspaper all rolled into one." This description she offers matches perfectly with what our book calls "The Mutation of Broadcasting" as stated on pages 217 and 218.
From the article, she makes the implication that as radio changes to fit its role in society, Radio had "lost its soul." It makes sense, because when radio started it was the primary entertainment in the world. Now, radio is a gentle companion that goes with us everywhere. She states that the way in which we receive radio is the only thing that will change (AM to Satellite).
The Future of Sirius
It seems like just yesterday that all of the business critics on this tiny pale blue speck in the universe were saying "satellite radio has all but nailed the coffin shut on terrestrial radio." However I must admit that this was 10 years ago... Now, I'm no doctor, but doesn't that seem like an awfully long time to put a casket in the ground if the deceased is really dead?
I checked the books for Sirius XM, and according to their quarterly report for the third quarter of 09 and my findings were somewhat unnerving. Sirius XM shaved almost $89 million from their operating costs, but at the same time, acquired expenses of $141 million dollars... That's almost $52 million in losses ($12 million alone in interest payments). http://investor.sirius.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=422100
This differed from clear channel in that clear channel actually managed to outdo themselves even with a 17% decrease in revenue. http://www.clearchannel.com/Investors/Documents/328.pdf
This poses an extremely unique situation, with Howard Stern possibly leaving Sirius XM for a position on the American Idol judges panel, (many individuals did indeed switch to satellite just for him, as implied by Media Programing: Strategies and Practice by Susan Tyler Eastman's page 342), and all of the debt that these companies have, will terrestrial radio "rise from the coffin" as Stoker put it? I guess we'll just have to see.
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