Considering people now spend more time on the computer than in front of their TV, ‘binge watching’ has become the new normal for viewers and fans of series. As a result, TV companies are drifting from traditional ways to engage its viewers in the development of new shows in order to hook customers once again.
It is no surprise that TV watching ratings have a decline in previous years, given that now people prefer to catch up on multiple episodes their favorite series after their release. This phenomenon was made popular by the streaming service company Netflix as it offers full series at the click of a button.
A big component of the radical change TV companies must do in order to gain viewers attention is shifting towards serialized shows, according to Reuters. Serialized shows as ‘The Big Bang Theory’ differ from regular shows like ‘Lost’ regarding its sustainability during a season. While regular shows require viewers to have knowledge of the previous information in order to keep up with the chain of events developed along several episodes, the serialized shows offer the opposite.
Viewers preferred shows like The Big Bang Theory, as they are able to wrap up a story in each episode, giving the chance of enjoying an episode without needing background information to understand the plot. Networks used to cringe at serialized shows because they did not lend themselves well to syndication, yet the recent drop in TV ratings needs a radical change in order to get viewers’ interest.
Cable providers vs. Internet streaming
The changes could help compensate reduced audiences as an increasing number of American are switching from traditional cable or satellite television services to Internet streaming video. And it appears only logical because of the convenience of online streaming instead of paying monthly for a channel package that sometimes doesn’t fulfill the customer’s experience.
TV cable providers have been adapting to these changes recently, as Viacom Inc’s TV Land network is focused on airing more serialized programming soon. Time Warner Inc’s Turner Broadcasting System is also joining the revolution, by releasing an entire 10-episode season of its new comedy ‘Angie Tribeca’ in a full day marathon on TBS.
“Bingers are super fans,” said the president of creative affairs for 20th Century Fox TV Jonnie Davies. “These are the people who go to work the next day and want to talk about the show.”
The new changes in television services will also consider commercials. For viewers, commercials pose a distraction from the story as well as they can be annoying for its repetitiveness. New models are being studied on whether commercial should be serialized themselves in order to tell a story and cutting with repetitiveness, according to CBS Corporation.
Source: Reuters