6 ms·

When I cut the cord and went streaming, I sort of expected that I'd have to "make do". Instead (duh) it was like walking in out of the cold. TV's days are numbe

When I cut the cord and went streaming, I sort of expected that I'd have to "make do". Instead (duh) it was like walking in out of the cold. TV's days are numbered, and frankly, advertising-as-interruption is on its last legs.

mrweasel 10y ago
The quality of the content on TV seems to have been in a steady decline for many years. Looking at the graph in the article, ad spending on TV is at an all time high, it has just plateaued. So maybe revenue isn't the issue, maybe quality is. It my guess that the TV networks somehow believed that if you made X amount of dollars on one channel, then adding a second channel would make you twice that amount. Networks that had one or two stations 15 years ago, now have 8 or 10. Rather than increasing profit, they are left with roughly the same amount of revenue, but they have to spend it on content for many more channels. Not wanting to close channels, networks started to produce cheaper programs, "reality" TV mostly. Meanwhile you can't buy a good, independent news channel, even if you're willing to pay. TV can blame streaming, Youtube, the internet in general, but that's not what's "killing" TV. I believe it's the quality of the content that's the issue for TV.
- Aelinsaar 10y ago
  I absolutely agree. My 62 year old mother isn't looking to cut the cord because she loves to go a la carte and stream, she just hates what's on and how much she has to pay for it.
- dexterdog 10y ago
  I think the quantity has gone way up because there are so many channels but TV is in a golden age with so many series that are better than most movies. If you are cherry-picking shows to watch from the catalog, now is an incredible time to be watching.
  - vitd 10y ago
    It depends on what you mean. The OP was talking about prime time programming on the 3-4 major networks. That's very different from what's being produced on pay channels like HBO or Showtime, or on Netflix. I agree that the high quality stuff is better than 10-20 years ago, where everything was a Friends or Seinfeld ripoff. But I think most of the high quality stuff is on non-major networks these days. Though maybe that's just my perception. I find myself watching less and less stuff on those networks, and more and more on the other networks.
- _Understated_ 10y ago
  > The quality of the content on TV seems to have been in a steady decline for many years. You are too kind... it largely sucks. I have Sky+ here in the UK and there are a not-insignificant number of programmes that are on 3 channels at the same time. In addition, the same shit gets shown over and over again: A case in point is the ITV Bourne channel... which then switches to become the ITV Matrix channel and over and over again (It's actually ITV4 but they keep showing the same stuff repeatedly. Also, take the Discovery channels (I mean all the others too like History and so on). They used to have actual decent content but now it's all reality crap with the odd programme about nature. When you add in other shows about Kim Kardashian or <celeb of the week> and 24 hour news then there isn't much left. I don't watch much in the way of TV these days (over a week it probably averages out to 30 mins a day or something) but I do record some programmes to watch later: My favourites being Columbo and anything to do with dinosaurs or outer space :) That being said, I always forward through the ads... I fail to see how advertising on a channel that just shows repeats actually brings any significant value to the advertiser!
- increment_i 10y ago
  I agree in one sense. Classic American network TV is absolutely abominable. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would get this bad. Nobody I know is watching the big American networks anymore, it just does not work at all. On the other hand, the quality of serialized dramas being released these days is unparalleled. There are so, so many well written shows being made right now with razor sharp production. But people are mostly getting these shows by paying the production companies directly (Netflix, HBO, Amazon) or simply streaming them illegally.
crikli 10y ago
Same here. And it occurred to me last evening that I'll not be subjected to endless political ads during this most bizarre of election cycles. That's worth more than any financial savings.
- Aelinsaar 10y ago
  It's great, isn't it?! I'm forgetting the finer details of Trump's and Hillary's faces, and I couldn't be happier.
  - merpnderp 10y ago
    And you'd only find the oh so sweet lines of Gary Johnson's face on the internet anyways.
    - Aelinsaar 10y ago
      "Well, that's a fine looking windswept bluff in Monta- oh what? That's Gary Johnson? Carry on..."
  - icantdrive55 10y ago
    Along with being reminded daily I will probally get cancer, and if I'm wealthy I can go to an American Cancer Center. Along with being reminded, by a questionable non-profit, over animal abuse. (I literally need to turn the station. I'm all for squelching any animal abuse, but I want to give to the right organization.) Along with another highly questionable non-profit begging for "cash for cars". It goes to the children? I heard they have one residential home for troubled kids in the Sierra foothills--that serves 16 kids. All those millions, and one home in the hills. Along with the Abilify commercial. My dubious hetero-cyclic depression drug is not doing the trick, so add this dubious drug. "Oh, but it works 67% over placebo! But the study was 300 people? Most people got better by placebo. The few that actually benefitted from the drug is a small percent once you take away placebo. (Yea--I know this is how they "study" these drugs, and no I don't have a cost effective way to change research methodology.) I don't watch t.v., but have it on as company. I live alone, and just need some noise in the backround. I guess to stifle my negative thoughts? I do know I'm very close to cutting the cord. I think I'll be ok with old movies on DVDs. I couldn't imagine having cancer, heart disease, or diabetes and having to sit through theses commercials--that seem designed to scare people. I really wish the FDA would outlaw all medical advertisements. I wish some regulated body would require advertising non-profits to disclose administrative costs in advertisements.
merpnderp 10y ago
To get the 'regular' cable package in my area is $86/month, which gives no discount on internet prices. So for just internet, which I need anyways, I can pay for Netflix, Amazon prime, and then purchase 2-3 shows a month, and still save money. And no commercials.
- Aelinsaar 10y ago
  That's it exactly, and it's essentially an argument the cable companies are making with their terrible pricing and miserable service. If it all cost what it should, then it would probably compete with a la carte services.
rayiner 10y ago
> advertising-as-interruption is on its last legs. It's stronger than ever in the Internet, which provides new ways for ads to interrupt you.
- Aelinsaar 10y ago
  My ad blocker says otherwise.
  - CaptSpify 10y ago
    News revenue says otherwise as well. It's not going so well for online advertising, which is fine by me. They had their chance to play nice, and chose not to. Now they are in a tailspin, and I couldn't be happier.

mrweasel 10y ago

The quality of the content on TV seems to have been in a steady decline for many years. Looking at the graph in the article, ad spending on TV is at an all time high, it has just plateaued. So maybe revenue isn't the issue, maybe quality is. It my guess that the TV networks somehow believed that if you made X amount of dollars on one channel, then adding a second channel would make you twice that amount. Networks that had one or two stations 15 years ago, now have 8 or 10. Rather than increasing profit, they are left with roughly the same amount of revenue, but they have to spend it on content for many more channels. Not wanting to close channels, networks started to produce cheaper programs, "reality" TV mostly. Meanwhile you can't buy a good, independent news channel, even if you're willing to pay. TV can blame streaming, Youtube, the internet in general, but that's not what's "killing" TV. I believe it's the quality of the content that's the issue for TV.

Aelinsaar 10y ago
I absolutely agree. My 62 year old mother isn't looking to cut the cord because she loves to go a la carte and stream, she just hates what's on and how much she has to pay for it.
dexterdog 10y ago
I think the quantity has gone way up because there are so many channels but TV is in a golden age with so many series that are better than most movies. If you are cherry-picking shows to watch from the catalog, now is an incredible time to be watching.
- vitd 10y ago
  It depends on what you mean. The OP was talking about prime time programming on the 3-4 major networks. That's very different from what's being produced on pay channels like HBO or Showtime, or on Netflix. I agree that the high quality stuff is better than 10-20 years ago, where everything was a Friends or Seinfeld ripoff. But I think most of the high quality stuff is on non-major networks these days. Though maybe that's just my perception. I find myself watching less and less stuff on those networks, and more and more on the other networks.
_Understated_ 10y ago
> The quality of the content on TV seems to have been in a steady decline for many years. You are too kind... it largely sucks. I have Sky+ here in the UK and there are a not-insignificant number of programmes that are on 3 channels at the same time. In addition, the same shit gets shown over and over again: A case in point is the ITV Bourne channel... which then switches to become the ITV Matrix channel and over and over again (It's actually ITV4 but they keep showing the same stuff repeatedly. Also, take the Discovery channels (I mean all the others too like History and so on). They used to have actual decent content but now it's all reality crap with the odd programme about nature. When you add in other shows about Kim Kardashian or <celeb of the week> and 24 hour news then there isn't much left. I don't watch much in the way of TV these days (over a week it probably averages out to 30 mins a day or something) but I do record some programmes to watch later: My favourites being Columbo and anything to do with dinosaurs or outer space :) That being said, I always forward through the ads... I fail to see how advertising on a channel that just shows repeats actually brings any significant value to the advertiser!
increment_i 10y ago
I agree in one sense. Classic American network TV is absolutely abominable. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would get this bad. Nobody I know is watching the big American networks anymore, it just does not work at all. On the other hand, the quality of serialized dramas being released these days is unparalleled. There are so, so many well written shows being made right now with razor sharp production. But people are mostly getting these shows by paying the production companies directly (Netflix, HBO, Amazon) or simply streaming them illegally.

crikli 10y ago

Same here. And it occurred to me last evening that I'll not be subjected to endless political ads during this most bizarre of election cycles. That's worth more than any financial savings.

Aelinsaar 10y ago
It's great, isn't it?! I'm forgetting the finer details of Trump's and Hillary's faces, and I couldn't be happier.
- merpnderp 10y ago
  And you'd only find the oh so sweet lines of Gary Johnson's face on the internet anyways.
  - Aelinsaar 10y ago
    "Well, that's a fine looking windswept bluff in Monta- oh what? That's Gary Johnson? Carry on..."
- icantdrive55 10y ago
  Along with being reminded daily I will probally get cancer, and if I'm wealthy I can go to an American Cancer Center. Along with being reminded, by a questionable non-profit, over animal abuse. (I literally need to turn the station. I'm all for squelching any animal abuse, but I want to give to the right organization.) Along with another highly questionable non-profit begging for "cash for cars". It goes to the children? I heard they have one residential home for troubled kids in the Sierra foothills--that serves 16 kids. All those millions, and one home in the hills. Along with the Abilify commercial. My dubious hetero-cyclic depression drug is not doing the trick, so add this dubious drug. "Oh, but it works 67% over placebo! But the study was 300 people? Most people got better by placebo. The few that actually benefitted from the drug is a small percent once you take away placebo. (Yea--I know this is how they "study" these drugs, and no I don't have a cost effective way to change research methodology.) I don't watch t.v., but have it on as company. I live alone, and just need some noise in the backround. I guess to stifle my negative thoughts? I do know I'm very close to cutting the cord. I think I'll be ok with old movies on DVDs. I couldn't imagine having cancer, heart disease, or diabetes and having to sit through theses commercials--that seem designed to scare people. I really wish the FDA would outlaw all medical advertisements. I wish some regulated body would require advertising non-profits to disclose administrative costs in advertisements.

merpnderp 10y ago

To get the 'regular' cable package in my area is $86/month, which gives no discount on internet prices. So for just internet, which I need anyways, I can pay for Netflix, Amazon prime, and then purchase 2-3 shows a month, and still save money. And no commercials.

Aelinsaar 10y ago
That's it exactly, and it's essentially an argument the cable companies are making with their terrible pricing and miserable service. If it all cost what it should, then it would probably compete with a la carte services.

rayiner 10y ago

> advertising-as-interruption is on its last legs. It's stronger than ever in the Internet, which provides new ways for ads to interrupt you.

Aelinsaar 10y ago
My ad blocker says otherwise.
- CaptSpify 10y ago
  News revenue says otherwise as well. It's not going so well for online advertising, which is fine by me. They had their chance to play nice, and chose not to. Now they are in a tailspin, and I couldn't be happier.