Jay Leno moving to the 10pm slot (story) is the second sign that TV in the traditional sense is done. (the first was the proliferation of the reality genre) (v1.5 was the rise of quality programming on ‘pay’ networks like HBO and SHO)
There really is very little new scripted entertainment coming to us via free television anymore and much of it is crap to begin with. Most of the good scripted entertainment comes online…often from people who also deliver it via TV or the big screen as well…or from pay sources.
Entertainment is going to completely new places…probably sooner than later…as the line between different entertainment outlets continue to blur. Watching TV will be like going to YouTube – tons of content provided by people on all levels (the entire spectrum from kids in bedrooms to what used to be network production) and watching what you want when you want.
Entertainment has become so fragmented and personalized that it’s almost crazy. The days of entertainment-based watercooler talk must certainly be numbered. The days of a music artist dominating the charts and being universally enjoyed are already gone. I think the idea of everybody being in on something is valuable in ways and will be sad to see that go. TV with it’s scheduled, scripted programming was one of the last places this took place – people watching the same thing at the same time in large numbers and all being on the same page. But even that’s slowly been eroding with things like On Demand and DVR’s and the internet.
We’re heading towards a place where everyone can be (and is) famous to some degree. We’re all celebrities in a world where people we don’t know follow what we do via blogs or YouTube vids or whatever. People are famous just for being personalities with no discernable skill. When the technologies merge, you’ll have your next big star doing a show from their basement. Warhol was right. Way more right than seemed possible even just a few years ago.
People seem to be content watching people – like some kind of weird electronic zoo.
I guess it makes sense if you think about it.
Not sure if I have a point or just wanted to write some loosely related shallow thoughts on the state of entertainment.
What’s funny is now NBC will run ‘talk shows’ from 10pm until 2am with Leno, O’Brien, Fallon and Daly and they need more famous bodies than ever to fill the seats – luckily, we’re all stars.
#1 by jeffyjones on December 9th, 2008
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I’m not sure I see your point either, so I’m not sure I agree. You seem to be arguing two points. The first is that traditional TV consumption as it has existed for decades is dead. I agree, it’s getting there. You also seem to be arguing that the content being produced is all crap, and I disagree about that. Fringe alone is TV-bonerific, and 24′s return next month even better.
#2 by Carrie on December 10th, 2008
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“You also seem to be arguing that the content being produced is all crap”
I don’t think that point was made at all above. The overall point was that TV as we have traditionally known it is almost over. 1) People are consuming television in different ways and 2) People’s general entertainment interests have changed, with the lines between things like reality television and internet “stalking” blurring.
I don’t think there’s any denying reality television and talk shows have taken over a large part of the television line-ups, morning into night.
Sure, there are still some good shows out there. The question is, how long will they last?