Changing Media - Kent Ninomiya
Kent Ninomiya - The two month old Writers Guild of America strike threatens to change every aspect of our media. That includes TV, movies, Internet, and much more. All indications are that both sides are digging in for a long fight. The union would not give exemptions for awards shows like Peoples Choice and Golden Globes. They promise to take a hard line on the Academy Awards next month as well. The studios aren't blinking. They have canceled dozens of writers' contracts suggesting they are willing to concede the fall line up. Ordinarily networks are ordering new shows this month but nothing is happening now. The Directors Guild of America just agreed to a tentative three year contract. The studios hope to hold that over the writers and force them to make concessions on the issue of revenue on digital entertainment. For now neither side is budging and it is laying waste to the industry.
As stockpiled TV shows are drying up, favorite programs are going into annoying reruns or disappearing altogether. Reality shows are becoming more popular and successful. This is tragic for lovers of sitcoms and well written dramas. Nightline is enjoying a ratings resurgence at the expense of late night talk shows that disappeared for a while. Many viewers are turning off the TV for other forms of entertainment. Video game and DVD sales are up. The Internet is seeing a remarkable increase in activity. If this continues for months what will be left of television? That isn't clear, but whatever it is, it will be drastically different than it was before.
When baseball went on strike in 1994 they lost a significant chunk of their fan base. It took MLB a decade to regain fan trust and flourish again. Likewise TV may see changes that take years to undo. It may also lose forever many of the programs and genres that were once adored. The way we entertain ourselves may never be the same again. Kent Ninomiya
