This just in, via CNN: big long piece about why TV viewership is way down.
I’m not sure why this is news. And I can only think that it’s too hard for the networks to say “the programming isn’t all that good. OK, and we should at least have a new episode every week for each show that we put on…”
About the time I started muttering about the foolishness of plot lines on shows that I had previously looked forward to, and muttering more loudly about the ads that touted “all new episode this week!” – my attention was diverted by World of Warcraft. I made a clean break from watching TV (or in my case listening to it while doing other things) and found all my entertainment on my computer screen.
Let’s review:
- Self-directed activity that changes moment to moment and provides challenge along the way.
- Interaction with real people although with the game interface inbetween us.
- Hours and hours of entertainment that doesn’t rely on someone else to choose for me.
- If I’m bored – pretty much my own fault.
I think I was looking for entertainment in TV – sometimes mindless, sometimes funny (funny, not abusive) sometimes sad (sad and touching, not grim and relentlessly scary). Maybe some relationships that I could relate to (not the “gee, I’m so screwed up that I can’t decide between the equally screwed up hunk or the fellow who seems gee-whiz nice who really likes me a lot, guess I’ll sleep with both sort of thing)…. Oh and for weekly shows? How about a new show every week? duh.
If the high ups in the networks are worried maybe they should be. Not rocket science people.
