Joey's point about missing HBO reminded me of a simple fact about television revenues. Broadcast television derives all its profits from product placing and advertising. Cable stations profit from advertising and per subscriber rates charged to cable providers. Finally, premium cable stations (HBO, Showtime etc.) get almost the entirety of its profits from per subscriber rates (there is some but I believe negligible product placement).
I think this relevant to understanding tv shows goals in their creation of content. It ranges from entertaining in order to get maximum viewers, premium cable stations, to getting the most advertisers possible, which broadcast stations do by getting maximum viewers and creating an attitude in viewers to be susceptible to marketing.
-- JulianBaez - 22 Jan 2008 |