FlipBoard
Quick survey: How many of you out there watch your favorite shows online? For those who watch shows on TV, who actually watches the commercials?
Although the rise of digital media ventures such as Hulu and HBO Go may seem to be the saving grace of TV, actual ad package purchases continue to be their lifeblood, something that could pose big problems for the future according to FX Networks Chief John Landgraf in a recent sitdown with the TV Critics Association.
Take a show like Sons of Anarchy, one of their biggest hits:
Sons Of Anarchy, he noted, averaged more than 5 million demo viewers in Live +7, but only 2 million who watched live and only 3 million who watched the ads. “We need to find new opportunities to mitigate those losses,” he warned.
Considering most traditional advertisers want big numbers, only having 60% of a show’s viewership eventually watching a spot for your product almost makes TV advertising not even worth it.
For Landgraf, the solution is a blended one – finally giving people a true TV experience online, but probably with forced ads that cannot be skipped. As well, he believes in letting the smartest show-creators, like Louis C.K. do their thing:
“I don’t think Louie needs my input. He’s (Louis C.K.) fine without it. Some of you love Louie – some might not. But clearly those shows are somebody’s cup of tea.”
Considering Louis has been given the greenlight to create more shows, apparently so.
An even bigger success for FX is American Horror Story, whose creator Ryan Murphy can basically do what he wants at this point, as evidenced by the last episode which featured Stevie Nicks, for some reason:
“Ultimately I’m waiting for Ryan [Murphy] to tell me” what’s going to happen. Other than that, he’s not sure what the next season of one of his most important franchises has in store.
“Ryan has virtual carte blanche at this point to do whatever he wants to do. That really is his baby and while I and others at the company still read scripts and look at rough cuts and give the occasional notes, we don’t have very much input. We don’t really see any reason.” Landgraf noted that every season the show’s ratings have improved – Coven’s ratings grew 60% compared to Asylum and it’s one of the top-rated programs in the network’s history. But “he’s eventually going to make something that’s weaker than the previous season and I don’t think that matters. The exciting thing about the form is every season is new.”
Compared to controlled networks like NBC, whose ratings continue to tank, the success of networks like FX, according to Landgraf lies in:
“mak[ing] it really good for somebody, not pretty good for everybody.”
via Yahoo, Image via Getty Images
Even with a paid subscription, I’m pretty sure you HAVE to watch commercials on Hulu Plus..
Yep. That, and the shows that they can’t show on the console and mobile apps, remain my biggest complaints as a subscriber.
For those that watch Hulu on the computer, does Adblock prevent the forced ads? I only watch Hulu on my phone…
@ Tad – I’m almost sure that it does.
I’m most interested in the FX on demand app/service that’s coming. Basically their version of HBO Go.
It’s already up.
Oh really? All the write ups on his panel that i’ve read in the past day or two made it sound like very much a work in progress.
…and it’s not compatible with the PS3. shit.
Can we clone this guy and install him at the head of every major network please?
Is there any better words to viewers and producers than “Hands-off”? Long live the king.
“mak[ing] it really good for somebody, not pretty good for everybody.”
Good lord is this spot on. I like this guy.
New favorite TV-related quote ever. Not that I had one before, but this is definitely #1.
he still canceled Terriers.
“mak[ing] it really good for somebody, not pretty good for everybody while still managing to kill Paul from the Gump’s dreams.”
Fixed it for you.
I wonder if this guy will plan my wedding reception.
And yet no mention of Archer :(
Im more interested as to why the fuck I dont get FXX so I couldnt watch The League or Always Sunny.
it took over fox soccer station, I know with cox cable i would have had to buy the “sports package” to get FXX and FXM.
“Making it really good for somebody, not pretty good for everybody”
This X an infinite number of angels dancing on the head of a pin. I know it’s not the way to mass advertising dollars but I much prefer shows that some people feel passionately about then the bland crap CBS forces on its audience.
I find bitching about SAMCRO’s DVR viewership disingenuous. Sure they’d get better ratings ten years ago, but what about merch, DVD, digital dowloands, and streaming revenues? Someone ask him about that. Sure fewer people watch it live (2M live demo viewers is still very very good) but there’s other ways to capitalize on its success, including the 10 disk “oh you bought the individual season DVDs? Fuck you” Collectors set that will inevitably be released next year.
But “he’s eventually going to make something that’s weaker than the previous season and I don’t think that matters. The exciting thing about the form is every season is new.”
He did, it was called American Horror Story Asylum, and it was terrible. Coven has made me completely forget about the awful second season.
Fuck, I havent watched Coven because how awful Asylum was. Is it REALLY worth it?
W1ldcard – It is light years better than Asylum. Give it a chance, you can’t go wrong with Kathy Bates, Angela Basset, and Jessica Lange.
Landgraf gets it: let the creative people do their creative thing and stay the hell out of the way. What do you know? That breeds success, which is something the traditional network executives still can’t grasp.