I have always been doubtful of the frase: "Give the people what they want". First of all: the people don't really know what they want. Not more of the same, but something familiar yet totally new. Great TV shows are great because they don't conform to expectations. Personally, I don't want to be cushioned, entertained or affirmed in my opinions but unhinged, shocked and enlightened, like all good art forms should do.
So he's absolutely right and he's absolutely wrong. The first problem is that nobody has the ability to deliver content in a nonlinear fashion without building the digital infrastructure. Right now there are a million clearinghouses but only three that really matter - Netflix, Hulu, Amazon. Apple tries to live in their walled garden and so does Sony (Crackle) but really, people don't want to deal with that many services. They aren't changing channels any more and they'll sit on their Netflix, Hulu or Amazon. Give them an interface that hits all those and they're happy - which means the players are Apple, Roku, XBox, Amazon and Hulu. Not Bravo. Not Lifetime. Not AMC. The second problem is Netflix is not increasing their revenue in a directly-measurable fashion by running House of Cards. There are no ad buys associated with it. Nielsen ratings do not increase their rates. They get no extra money for running it at 8pm instead of 1am. In other words, the profit structure isn't there. Here's the thing nobody is addressing: The fans are going to win this. They'll get what they want. The content creators are going to win this (SORT OF). They'll get to make things for the fans. But right now, the guys controlling distribution, the guys standing in the middle, are fucking ENDANGERED. They're all gonna die. I had a producer tell me "look - do I think all this shit is going to be free soon? Yes, I do. Do I think we're all doomed? yes, I do. So between now and then we're going to make as much fucking money as we can while there's still money to be made. Talk to me in ten years and we'll see where we're at." Those endangered beasts are the ones making most of the decisions for most of the content you consume. j NOT Kevin Spacey.
Totally unrelated to this thread, but I couldn't find a conversation you and I had a long time ago, so I'm just replying to your most recent comment. Just wanted to say that I finally came across a bottle of Kelt cognac--which to recommended to me probably a year ago--and I gotta give you big ups. That shit is amazing. The vsop kills and other vsop I've ever had (not an expert by any means, but still...). Thanks!
Having a hubski confab at my house today. Fwiw, thenewgreen approves, too.
Enjoyed it quite a bit. Am I crazy or is there some really great citrus tones going on there? Smooth stuff kleinbl00, nice recommendation and thanks for the hospitality b_b
Netflix was released here in the Netherlands last Wednesday, I love it. I've been a fan of Steam and Spotify for a long time now. They use the same core principle of giving the user control over their content as much as possible. It is only a matter of time before the big, old media giants are seen as mere middle men who need to be cut from the creative process of television.