How Do You Watch TV?

There are a lot of different ways to watch TV these days. A short list would include cable companies, satellite providers, online providers, and streaming media. And even within those categories there are options such as DVR and VOD (video on demand). All of these options offer viewers the ability to watch what they want, when they want. But what happens when viewers' favorite shows are cancelled because their chosen method for viewing TV doesn't count in the Network's total viewership count (unless, of course, they happen to choose live viewing)? Seems insane, doesn't it? 


The fact is that DVR ratings, VOD ratings, and online ratings (such as Hulu) are not taken into consideration by most networks when they evaluate the successfulness of a program. While those ratings are counted and kept track of, they do not count those viewers when they determine the figures for total viewership of their programs. 


This is one of the major issues affecting the recent cancellation of Caprica from NBC-owned Syfy's line-up. This issue is also putting other smart, dramatic science-fiction shows at risk as well. Both Stargate Universe (Syfy) and Fringe (FOX) are concerned that they may not get renewed for another season if live viewership doesn't increase for the remainder of their current season. 


It seems ludicrous that viewers are being expected to change their viewing habits and the way(s) that they prefer to watch TV just to make their viewership count in the grand total. That would be like only accepting votes in an election if the ballot was completed in a red pen. Stupid, right?


So why, you may ask, would networks purposefully ignore large numbers of viewers when determining what of their programming is successful and what is not? The answer, as is the case for most things in life, is money. Advertisers pay bigger bucks to advertise during live TV airings than online, streaming, or VOD airings. The reason? These options only air a very few, very short ads during the program you view. Live TV is riddled with longer, more frequent ads. 


And as for DVR, most people skip the ads that get recorded with their program while viewing it. So live TV gets the most money for ads. Consequently, networks are only interested in viewers who are going to tune in to watch while the show is being aired live. The rest of us don't count.


I think this system is deeply flawed, for obvious reasons. The idea that we, as viewers, should alter the way that we prefer to enjoy our entertainment just to prevent the loss of the shows we enjoy is crazy. The bottom line is that WE are the ones with the money to spend... on cable, satellite, online subscriptions, streaming subscriptions, and all those products that greedy advertisers are trying to shove at us. So doesn't it make sense that we should be able to dictate what we want to see and HOW we want to see it? I think so.


We need to be more vocal. We need to make sure that both TV networks and advertisers know that this is not going to stand. They need to understand that we will not alter our viewing habits just to ensure that they line their pockets. They need to understand that if they continue to ignore what is an inevitably growing number of "not-live" viewers, they are not going to have any viewers left at all. We will not watch dumbed-down, mind numbing TV just because they take all of our other choices away.


Technology has changed the way we enjoy entertainment and media. The media industry, along with it's advertisers, need to adapt or go the way of the dinosaur.


The End.