Reality checked? - Media Bulletin - Media news by Email - Brand Republic
An article from Brand Republic critiquing recent reality TV shows includes a rather telling comment from Wayne Garvey, head of entertainment at the BBC:
...reality, in its broadest definition, will survive and prosper. 'Reality TV is relatively low cost, and is a TV event in each season's schedule,' he says. 'It brings in viewers who wouldn't watch regularly, and is crucial to the commercial broadcasters in bringing in advertising.'
I am ambiguous about reality TV. Some of the docusoaps can be quite compelling viewing and I have been watching the 'House of Tiny Tearaways' primarily for my own education in how to look after my children. It should be said though that nothing I watch of this ilk is on commercial or pay tv channels.
This gives more weight to the idea that the continuing segmentation of TV channels and new technology such as PVR (TIVOs) will lead to mass customisation of schedules and a death of advertising as an industry.
What interests me is the way in which advertising industry will respond. Product placement has been suggested as a replacement model but discounted by numerous commentators.
In Communities Dominate Brands - the suggestion is mobile phone / SMS message replaces ads as the paymaster for TV channels and shows. So could that be the answer for Ads? Or does advertising need to change completely?
I'm thinking the latter and soon, particularly as the technolgy increases and its mainstream penetration.
One particular hope is that TV programme makers are actually allowed to produce innovative shows and keep the funding to go on producing them.
Posted by Paul Goodison at May 19, 2005 02:54 PM | TrackBack