Media Future is Partnerships Between Network and Premium Channels

in #television6 years ago

When you think of premium channels like Showtime and HBO you probably think of just the latest possible movies interspersed with a weird mix of 80’s and 90’s cinema, uncensored. When you think of network television you probably think of original programming that has no chance of surviving unless it is a mega hit with advertisers and fans alike, minus most mature situations.

What if there was a partnership that gave the best of both worlds?

Dexter-Morgan-dexter-8263560-1024-768.jpg

This hit me back when I saw some of the first season of Dexter which was aired on network television and censored accordingly.

The thing is, the network version, clearly being censored, still garnered about three to five times the viewership of the most popular episodes that aired on Showtime. The fact that network television was showing an edited version of a premium channel show was interesting to me.

Dexter on Showtime garnered an average of about one million viewers per episode during the first season. When Dexter was edited and placed on network television at the 10 pm slot the show reached between six and eight million viewers. That is not something to sneeze at, that is some serious increase in viewership.

It was not something that happens every day.

Recently, we saw the cancellation of Ash vs Evil Dead by Starz. Anyone that has seen this show knows there is a lot that would have to be cut or reshot to show it on network television. I don’t think there was all that much though that “had to go” to make the cut for a late-night airing – or later in prime time like what was done with Dexter.

Ash-vs-Evil-USA.jpg

The same thing could be done for shows like Lucifer or even a comedy like Brooklyn 99. Airing on network television with one version of the show and then on a premium channel with extended scenes or deleted scenes put back in.

How?

Premium channels are not held to the clock nearly as much as network television channels are. It is not uncommon for premium channels to air a movie, uncensored, and it end at an odd time during the day. Most premium networks fill this void with commercials or short specials – sometimes a few scenes from a comedy special that channel commissioned.

Network television cannot do this so easily. They have hard cuts at the half hour and new hour marks.

Imagine the expanded storylines of network shows that could air on premium channel airings of shows. Maybe it is expanding on that one interesting character with his own several minute segment exposing what fans have thought? Maybe the show could go into detail about what a character was doing off camera during an interim.

Obviously, this would require better planning on the part of everyone involved. Network television getting shows from premium networks would have to edit the content down. Premium channels would obviously be interested in going where the network couldn’t.

There simply are not that many people buying premium channels, so it only makes sense to at least partner with network channels to air original content there as well.

For network television the allure may not be there when going the other way. Other than an additional stream of income for a show, there is not much to warrant the expenses of adding content to the show.

Unless it is already filmed and available, just not shown.

When you buy a season set of your favorite show, what is the first thing you do? Most of us will watch the deleted scenes, alternate scenes, bloopers, etc. We already know how the show goes and what happens, so we want to know what else happened.

This is where premium networks could work network television into their mix.

Considering most half hour shows are only 20 to 22 minutes long, that leaves a bit of room for other content if you are not fighting commercials for air time.

Premium networks could offer interviews with characters discussing that episode that just aired. Bloopers could be shown as well.

What fan would not want to be able to see that stuff right away after seeing their favorite episode?

Alternate scenes and deleted scenes could also be re-inserted into the airing of that episode or movie, making the premium channel version appealing to longtime fans.

While it may not be enough to lure away network television viewers, little additions like this could lure in more viewers.

Who knows, maybe this would help a show that is close to cancellation to hold on till they can find their audience and go on to bigger things.

 

 

Sort:  

Holding shows to the clock is totally caveman bro. I can't see how anyone watches network TV like that anymore. Are you gonna review the new Sasha Baron Cohen series?

I agree. I record network and wach later most of the time except for wrestling.

Haven't heard of that show. I will check it out.

@triverse you were flagged by a worthless gang of trolls, so, I gave you an upvote to counteract it! Enjoy!!

I was flagged? For what?

I think it may already be too late. It seems like we are heading more towards an on-demand world for most programming these days. I know I haven't sat down to watch a show that comes on at a certain time in a year or more other than the occasional football game.

I agree completely. The thing is, the numbers don't lie. I mean, I understand there is always a difference in number of people watching it on the "free" method for most of America versus the premium channels like HBO or Showtime but that is quite an increase in viewership.

While the numbers are growing for cord cutters, digital only, whatever they call people that watch via the Internet or streaming services, those numbers still pale in comparison to the traditional television viewer numbers.

Sure, YouTube has started their own premium offering in both traditional television and digital first with YouTube Red, it is unknown how long they will continue at least Red. Google doesn't have to make money in an offering to continue offering it but eventually they end most things for one reason or another. Other than Cobra Kai, are there any other original YouTube Red shows?

Netflix has plenty of exclusive offerings that they have built up over the years but early on, it was almost a completely different service. Same for Amazon Prime Video and Hulu - both are starting to create original content for their subscribers but I have to wonder if the numbers are there to sustain these shows or if they are more of a marketing tool at this point?

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.35
TRX 0.12
JST 0.040
BTC 70884.24
ETH 3570.27
USDT 1.00
SBD 4.76