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How Would You DVR-Proof TV Shows?
from the quick-patent-the-idea... dept
Aaron deOliveira writes in to point us to the not-particularly-surprising news that Sunday Night Football is the least DVR'd show on television, with only 1% of viewers watching it on a DVR. It's not surprising, mainly because it's a live sporting event, and there's added value in knowing what happens as soon as it happens, and being a part of the broader experience of a live sporting event. However, Aaron also posits a second idea why certain television shows might be somewhat "DVR-proof," noting that certain shows that have a cultural following have a "watercooler effect" that makes people want to watch it as soon as it airs to make sure they can take part in the conversation the next day. Effectively, those shows, whether "live" or not, have extra value in being watched live (or close to live). Of course, making sure your show is watercooler conversation material isn't always so easy.
Then again... perhaps the answer is that you shouldn't want to DVR-proof your TV shows. A separate study is finding that DVRs can actually help increase viewership of television programming, since it allows people to have the show fit their own schedule. This shouldn't actually be a surprise -- but to network execs who fear time shifting, it's an important concept to repeat.
Then again... perhaps the answer is that you shouldn't want to DVR-proof your TV shows. A separate study is finding that DVRs can actually help increase viewership of television programming, since it allows people to have the show fit their own schedule. This shouldn't actually be a surprise -- but to network execs who fear time shifting, it's an important concept to repeat.
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How Would You DVR-Proof TV Shows?
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How Would You DVR-Proof TV Shows?
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Hmm
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You're far more likely to "accidentally" get a spoiler about sports than to run into someone in the middle of the street screaming "OMG Hurley's dead!!" on the way to work.
So... to DVR-proof your show, either make it with content that will go stale quickly or be highly-talked-about, fill it with already-stale content (last year's American Idol), or just plain have it suck so nobody wants to watch it anyway.
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if the entire planet was watching it whould be useless unless you can manipulate them into a directed action.
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Shift workers?
Why penalise people for not wanting to view a broadcast live? I regularly record things to watch when I choose because the broadcast schedule does not suite my timing. I value these and would be extremely annoyed if I was barred from watching them purely because the schedule does not suite my lifestyle.
With today's technology the broadcasters need to find a way to work with it, not against it - Think RIAA (a dying entity in its death throws due to its stubborn refusal to wake up to the real markets needs).
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Why bother?
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UK wins :P
In the UK Virgin media has recognised this and actually store a large number of programmes in its' "catch up" feature. This takes the last 7 days programmes and allows you to watch them at any time you like, and they even remove the ads :D
They advertise this service as their USP. If a UK cable company feels there is value to this, why not in the states?
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Lead me around
Anyway that's my two cents worth. Nobody will be leading me around by a TV schedule. I'm doing just fine even without a DVR.
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@neil
Right, but for a long-running series, the more people get into the show, the more likely it is that they'll see an advertisement.
"if the entire planet was watching it whould be useless unless you can manipulate them into a directed action."
Correct, but advertising is a game of exposure, i.e., it's all about broadcasting. Consider the original meaning of the word, to scatter seed. Advertising campaigns--another word for battle--are all about infiltration over a protracted time period.
I do agree that this isn't really a Techdirt-worthy topic.
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Why DVR proof....
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More product placement less commercials
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i would always....
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Re: Why bother?
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Overlay or Target
Not that I'd want to help advertisers, but if they really want to force us to watch commercials, overlay their stuff on the screen while the "real" show is playing. Something like "...brought to you by ____."
However, the better solution is to target their advertising. We have the technology now to enable us to opt-out of having to view commercials... or potentially opt-in by providing a simple survey and ask us what type of products we'd be interested in.
I may be interested in seeing a car commercial if I'm thinking about buying one, but if not - then why am I forced to watch it.
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Sports
So, is what I'm doing wrong? Would the NFL and the networks prefer that I just not watch the first half of the game, and probably, not the 2nd half either (nothing sucks worse than catching a 14 - 21 game at halftime and neither team scores in the 2nd half).
Joseph Durnal
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Yeah right
If I could not record my shows I would simply get the torrent (download) or find another source. At that point the cable company is just waste of my money.
The way the copyright laws are going and the industries attempts to control the content I am on the verge of giving up cable all together and just go with internet supplied TV programing - no money to cable company, no more watching ads, tough crackers for them being to frig'n greedy.
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You're still watching network tv?
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There's also the fact that football is about three hours long. With a DVR I can take a break go and play with my kids or mow the lawn without missing anything.
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Re:
The title isn't misleading. Mr. Masnick didn't call it "How to DVR-proof..", he posed the question, "How would you?" and then elaborated on a content-based approach and the resulting implications.
The relevance is the two-way cultural impact of DVR technology. The technology has changed how people view, and the article speculates on the impact of that change on how TV is produced.
Say you don't like it, fine. Don't say it was dishonest or you're guilty of the same kind of overkill you're complaining about.
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DVR sports - SURE!
That way, I can FF through boring commercials. Note I said "boring"... we often replay cute or interesting ads.
We "catch up to realtime" near the end of the game.
Of course, we don't answer the phone, or surf the net, during that first hour.
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Commercials are useless and thing of the past
Evolve or Die!!!! It's pretty simple!!! when those high paid executives realize that things will get better, they all want their high salaries to continue and the companies have to make money for that.
Well i could go on but i'm sure most of you by now have gotten my 2 cents worth.
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Re:
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Re: Commercials are useless and thing of the past
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Product Placement
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Time-shifting vs. adv viewing
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Treating symptoms instead of the root cause
If advertisers really want to get noticed they should sponsor shows like others have suggested above. Associating your brand with another popular brand (the TV show) is a good way to get people to choose your product when they are in the supermarket. It's the brand that always matters, so providing your logo is shown next to something people like then it will have an effect.
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less show, more tell
in a minute or two MORE commercials, with
subject matter like constipation, feminine products,
ED, that car I can not afford, that car I would not be caught dead in, or that movie I will never WANT to view.
Why does Time Warner Cable keep advertising to me for the service I already have? Why does the weather channel advertise for me to watch the weather channel. All I wanted (and paid for) was to see what the weather was.
It is raining in my tv, and all I get is garbage. I have no better outlook for the web.
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Product placement
A few months ago, an episode of Smallville was bought by Stride gum. Or more accurately, the producers whored themselves to fit chewing gum into the storyline.
At the end of the episode, Pete Ross (who hasn't been on the show for years) says "Stride gum, now Kryptonite free!". Yeah, that makes me want to buy it!
How about the Knight Rider re-make? GM bought the movie and practically every shot of the cars had a sweeping camera shot of the logo.
Or how about actually pausing the *show* with a commercial? People aren't fast-forwarding over the show, so they have to watch the commercial.
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