11 November 2007

TV is dead and Movies are on life support

A possibility due to the writer's strike:

The writers win the advances they are seeking. (Considering there are reports indicating that the union is the most united they've ever been, it's quite possible that they'll get what they want.) However, the delay in the television season due to the length of the strike negatively impacts ratings. Popular shows return with weak ratings. New shows that networks had reasons to hope would become franchises wither and die upon their return. The younger demographics are the hardest hit as 'the kids' have found other things to do. Network television as we've know it dies quickly rather than slowly (as expected) as the former powerhouses become havens of 'reality' programming, repeats and rebroadcasting programmes originally found on the internet.

Movie producers, now having less money to gamble with, gravitate further towards remakes of older movies and televisions shows, pumping out less creative product by the moment. The bubbling independent movie scene (aka non-union workers) becomes more visible again. The more commercially creative of these are soon courted by the surviving studios to become union and join them. Some do but many chose to remain independent, releasing their new works on-line for donations from their viewers.

It's not impossible. It's largely what I believe is coming with or without the strike. The strike may just speed up the process. Not unlike Radiohead's influence on the breakdown of the influence of the music labels.

It may not be that bad a thing.