The Future of Television

August 23, 2011 in Daily Bulletin

It appears that the old business model for quality TV shows is coming to an end. As the article notes, there was a time when network television dominated and had the highest quality programing. However, the times changed and the pay-TV model took over. This model, known as cable, gave rise to some of the most popular shows on television such as “The Sopranos” on HBO. However, this model is now appearing outdated with the advent of Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and the many places people go to on the internet to watch their favorite shows. So what may happen in the future? What will these companies have to do to continue making money to pay for quality TV shows? The answer to that question is unclear, but it may include individual channels marketing themselves rather than relying on cable distribution companies doing this for them. Viewers want more control and options over what they watch and how companies respond to this could be very interesting.

Source: The Economist