The sunset of broadcast TV (8 Apr, 2021)

[aardvark_admin]

This column is archived at: https://aardvark.co.nz/daily/2021/0408.shtml

Hands up everyone who remembers when free-to-air broadcast TV was a thing... Oh, that's right, if you *can* remember that then you're probably too old and tired to raise your hand anyway

The reality is that FTA broadcast TV is in its twilight and may not be arround in its present (commercialised) form much longer.

Reports suggest that huge amounts of the world's ad-spend has shifted from broadcast to online services -- as it follows viewers' eyeballs.

Do you still regularly watch FTA broadcast TV?

Do you think there will be as much commercial FTA broadcast TV in 10 years' time as there is today?

And what about the potential dangers of the rabbit-hole that is VOD?

Your thoughts...

[goosemoose]

I only watch FTA. It does me fine and if there's nothing on I'll read something or surf the net.

I can't be arsed with 99.9999% of YT videos etc where some joker spends 15 minutes or more waffling nonsense before getting to the crux of it when it could be summed up in a paragraph. It seems like a disease these days, videos rather than a concise description written down.

I certainly won't watch a video telling me how to do something or describing something, I just want the description or the facts quickly, not after 10 minutes of irrelevant jibber jabber on a video.

My favourites are the 5 minute instructional videos describing some feature of software that could be best done as a list of step 1, step 2 etc. Why would I waste 5 minutes when a 30 second glance at a list is exactly what I need.

I think we'll need some sort of terrestrial broadcasting for a while yet. "In case of a massive disaster that has wiped out local internet connectivity please see our Facebook page for updates"!

[Hiro Protagonist]

Do you still regularly watch FTA broadcast TV?

No, I have TVHeadend to watch it for me

I still record quite a bit, mostly news from different sources, but sometimes documentaries and other odd things that I can't get elsewhere. Thanks to IPTV [yes the legal kind], I have access to a number of channels around the world that produce worthwhile stuff from time to time.

I normally record half a dozen or so news programs every day. Normally I'll only watch one, and even then I'm zipping past the dross and only watching the interesting stuff. However when something big happens, I can watch news from Aus, U.K, Europe, U.S. or wherever is more relevant to see more detail.

Youtube is 99.9% shite, and I try to avoid the google-verse anyway.

[paulw]

Don't watch much OTA TV these days and what I do watch I record and FF thru the ads. Mostly Netflix, Disney and US Amazon. Still have Sky but that will go when the mother in law departs the scene.

[Malcolm]

I only watch FTA. It does me fine and if there's nothing on I'll read something or surf the net.

I can't be arsed with 99.9999% of YT videos etc where some joker spends 15 minutes or more waffling nonsense before getting to the crux of it when it could be summed up in a paragraph. It seems like a disease these days, videos rather than a concise description written down.

I certainly won't watch a video telling me how to do something or describing something, I just want the description or the facts quickly, not after 10 minutes of irrelevant jibber jabber on a video.

My favourites are the 5 minute instructional videos describing some feature of software that could be best done as a list of step 1, step 2 etc. Why would I waste 5 minutes when a 30 second glance at a list is exactly what I need.

I think we'll need some sort of terrestrial broadcasting for a while yet. "In case of a massive disaster that has wiped out local internet connectivity please see our Facebook page for updates"!

Blame advertising and the algorithm for that. A short 5-10 minute instructional video generates more revenue for the creator than having a page with a few ads. If they get the jibber-jabber to the right length then they can show more ads (Pre-roll ads, post-roll ads and if long enough insert one in the middle)

[shadesnz]

In 98 I predicted among friends that TVNZ would either become an ISP or dissapear.
The Powers That Be will still need some way to air their propaganda. YouTube will do this.
TVNZ may end up being closed down or, legalislated so that the people must still tune in for the News. See how Canberra has forced net companies to pay for News content?
How would it be if Wellington made it compulsory to watch TVNZ? It could happen!

[paulw]

In 98 I predicted among friends that TVNZ would either become an ISP or dissapear.
The Powers That Be will still need some way to air their propaganda. YouTube will do this.
TVNZ may end up being closed down or, legalislated so that the people must still tune in for the News. See how Canberra has forced net companies to pay for News content?
How would it be if Wellington made it compulsory to watch TVNZ? It could happen!

Hmm. TVNZ with a North Korean type lady doing the latest Government propaganda show. Could very well happen with this government.

[hagfish]

I think broadcast TV is a victim of a vicious cycle – a 'Dead Sea Effect'. 20 years ago, people of all socio-economic backgrounds watched broadcast TV. Advertisers could reach smart affluent customers, broadcasters could charge lots for ads, and that revenue supported the creation/purchase of good content.

Then Netflix came along, and anyone with $8 to spare decamped. The product that TV broadcasters can now offer advertisers (ie their remaining viewers) is a shadow of what it used to be. Flogging endless ads for miracle household cleaners only brings in sufficient revenue to fund endless reality-TV and gameshows. And so the cycle continues.

YouTube must be finding the same thing. They offered a subscription tier, and everyone who could jump on, has jumped on. The resulting viewership (ie 'the rest of us') is relatively worthless to advertisers.

Sky is able to double-dip because if you want your sport, you want your sport. Until you don't.

In 10 years' time, Netflix will be wall-to-wall ads and ¥500/month. The future sucks.

[decibel]

Do you still regularly watch FTA broadcast TV?

Youtube is 99.9% shite, and I try to avoid the google-verse anyway.

Yes but that 0.1% contains some really good stuff. Just a matter of finding it.

[Perry]

The product that TV broadcasters can now offer advertisers (ie their remaining viewers) is a shadow of what it used to be.

Right. Journalism? Whazzat?

Investigative journalism? You what?

When you add in the fact that the current crop of hacks are on taxpayer-funded life-support courtesy of comrade commissar Cindy, to ensure the 'correct' views prevail, no wonder no one bothers, any more.