NBC boss Ben Silverman tells TV Week that in 15 years, we won't really be using TV for anything except launching a show and to watch big "event" shows like American Idol and The Super Bowl.
I have to agree with one of the commenters at TV Week who says that if NBC wants us to go online to see the final scene of a TV show, then we're going to change the channel and watch something else. I don't want to have to work to get my entertainment. It's television; I want to sit in front of it with a cold drink and maybe some Doritos and watch something from start to finish. What's next, movies that end with a giant "GO TO IRONMANMOVIE.MARVEL.COM TO SEE THE EXCITING ENDING TO THIS FILM!"? Or maybe we can purchase a DVD of the ending as we head out the theater door?
I think that Silverman is right when he says that TV networks and shows will have to have some sort of online companion if they want to stick around. But that's nothing new, the networks and most TV shows already have all that. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Personally, I think that in 15 years we're still going to have our TV sets in our living rooms, though the computer/TV merge will be a lot better and in every home.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-02-2008 @ 5:19PM
Danielle said...
I could not agree more. It's why I think "subtle" advertising doesn't work half the time. Remember those bilboards for "The Nine" that never said the name of the show, the network, but simply led people to a website? My guess is that no one actually gazed up at the sign, saw the URL, wrote it down, and then ran home to figure out what the hell was going on. Which is why no one watched that show. We don't want to do the work; the producers and networks get paid big bucks to do the work. We're supposed to just be entertained. Interactive TV is only fun if we get part of the paycheck.
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5-02-2008 @ 7:25PM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
Why all the switch-over to HD and paying all the damn money for the fancy tv's if they are just gonna try to force us to watch shows on a stupid small monitor while having to sit upright at a desk? If they start doing that garbage then in 15 years I'll definitely be done with tv or computervision or whatever they want to call it. Besides, they won't have any shows that make it past the first season. They will all be cancelled because they don't count online viewing in our outdated ratings system. The only thing they should put online are bonus materials and shows after they have already aired on free REAL TV. I will never watch a show online unless I missed it on my real tv or maybe an old show that I don't have on dvd yet. They don't call us couch potatoes for nothing! I've never heard of a desk potatoe.
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5-02-2008 @ 11:12PM
sitruc said...
Not only will people be watching TV online(as many already do), television shows will be delivered via the internet(as they already are).
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5-03-2008 @ 1:45AM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
So I guess I better get rid of all my tv equipment and furniture while it still has some value and invest in a computer and desk huh? No thanks.
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5-03-2008 @ 3:14PM
Oreo said...
If all you people have top end HD TVs and stereos and such shouldn't you know there are devises that can transfer your computer to your TV? Wow! Problem solved!
Plus NBC is run by idiot, and this is just further proof. 40% of the country doesn't have cable TV, I'm going to guess that around that many don't have the internet. So how would they watch TV on the computer if they can't afford cable, or can't get the internet in their homes. My aunt lives too far away from things so when they had the internet it was slower than dirt and they canceled it.
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