“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moment’s notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-17 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see and hear? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Programs from week of May 7, 2017
This Week’s Podcast:
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
Television Changes
It’s an interesting time in the world of television. For most of my life,
television has been the giant among the media. It has continued to
grow and dominate decade after decade. Now, just as TV was once the
exciting new medium, it finds itself challenged in many different
ways. Brand new competitors continue to flood the field, and once
reliable audiences are beginning to drain away.
television has been the giant among the media. It has continued to
grow and dominate decade after decade. Now, just as TV was once the
exciting new medium, it finds itself challenged in many different
ways. Brand new competitors continue to flood the field, and once
reliable audiences are beginning to drain away.
As with any great shift, this one hasn’t happened all at once. The
drift began slowly, a couple years ago. Viewership numbers were off,
just little things here and there. Then we began to see a more
serious move away from the cable and satellite providers. These were
the companies that had moved into a high profile position as a
primary method for the audience to watch TV beginning in the ‘80s.
As the Millenials began making their own media decisions, it became
apparent that watching television actually on the television wasn’t
going to be a priority.
just little things here and there. Then we began to see a more
serious move away from the cable and satellite providers. These were
the companies that had moved into a high profile position as a
primary method for the audience to watch TV beginning in the ‘80s.
As the Millenials began making their own media decisions, it became
apparent that watching television actually on the television wasn’t
going to be a priority.
We may have just seen the tipping point on that trend. In the first
quarter of this year, more pay TV users “cut the cord” than in
any other three-month period on record. Using the most optimistic
numbers, a half a million people said goodbye in the opening quarter
of the year. Last year, for comparison, the number was under one
hundred fifty thousand.
any other three-month period on record. Using the most optimistic
numbers, a half a million people said goodbye in the opening quarter
of the year. Last year, for comparison, the number was under one
hundred fifty thousand.
As if that kind of news wasn’t bad enough, more players are moving
into the arena, competing for audience eyeballs. That trend has been
growing as folks like Netflix and Hulu begin offering top quality
programming. YouTube is looking to ramp up its original offerings in
a very big way. In the next year, they expect to spend hundreds of
millions of dollars producing around forty new series and movies.
YouTube parent company Google is clearly looking to make a move.
growing as folks like Netflix and Hulu begin offering top quality
programming. YouTube is looking to ramp up its original offerings in
a very big way. In the next year, they expect to spend hundreds of
millions of dollars producing around forty new series and movies.
YouTube parent company Google is clearly looking to make a move.
And they’re not the only big name. Facebook has given the greenlight
to a couple dozen new programs. The social network is looking at
expanding their video entries on two levels, a free tier for less
expensive, ten minute and below length programs that will reset every
twenty-four hours, and long form, large dollar programs that would be
the top level tier. The challenge for them is that early reports say
they will aim at the teen audience, who watches much more of their
television type viewing online. But who don’t consider Facebook to
be a primary social media outlet.
expanding their video entries on two levels, a free tier for less
expensive, ten minute and below length programs that will reset every
twenty-four hours, and long form, large dollar programs that would be
the top level tier. The challenge for them is that early reports say
they will aim at the teen audience, who watches much more of their
television type viewing online. But who don’t consider Facebook to
be a primary social media outlet.
Old line television isn’t sitting still. They are also looking for new
approaches and using the new media outlets to their own advantage.
Time will tell how well it works.
Time will tell how well it works.
It’s an interesting time for television. My bet is that it’s a lot more
fun standing on the outside looking in, rather than the other way
around.
around.
Incorrect Perception
There is a danger for those of us who work inside the media. Whether it’s
talking head commentators like yours truly, or folks in advertising,
or any of the other supposed “experts” on all things media, it’s
easy to lose track of reality. Living inside our little bubbles,
with our attention laser focused on the media would seem to be the
best way to really understand what’s going on.
talking head commentators like yours truly, or folks in advertising,
or any of the other supposed “experts” on all things media, it’s
easy to lose track of reality. Living inside our little bubbles,
with our attention laser focused on the media would seem to be the
best way to really understand what’s going on.
And yet, so often, it’s exactly the opposite.
A fascinating study, titled “Do We Have Consensus”, done by
the Video Advertising Bureau shows just how far wrong we can be.
Right off the bat, the advertising professionals surveyed
felt that their viewing habits were very much in synch with the
larger audience. Let’s take a look.
Right off the bat, the advertising professionals surveyed
felt that their viewing habits were very much in synch with the
larger audience. Let’s take a look.
The top ten favorite shows for the average audience, based on a survey
done by the folks at Ranker, are as follows – NCIS, The Big Bang
Theory, This Is Us, Blue Bloods, Bull, NCIS New Orleans, Hawaii
Five-Oh, NCIS Los Angeles, Sixty Minutes and Grey’s Anatomy. For
the advertising types it was: Game of Thrones, Veep, The Big Bang
Theory, This Is Us, The Walking Dead, The Good Wife, Arrow, Mr.
Robot, The Flash, and The Americans. That’s agreement on a total
of two shows.
Theory, This Is Us, Blue Bloods, Bull, NCIS New Orleans, Hawaii
Five-Oh, NCIS Los Angeles, Sixty Minutes and Grey’s Anatomy. For
the advertising types it was: Game of Thrones, Veep, The Big Bang
Theory, This Is Us, The Walking Dead, The Good Wife, Arrow, Mr.
Robot, The Flash, and The Americans. That’s agreement on a total
of two shows.
The advertising pros say they watch about a third of their video on TV
and figure the general public watches about a quarter. A Nielsen
survey says the average viewer watches about eighty-two percent of
their video on television. That explains why every title in the top
twenty-five for the general audience was a broadcast TV title while
only about half of the advertising folks list was.
survey says the average viewer watches about eighty-two percent of
their video on television. That explains why every title in the top
twenty-five for the general audience was a broadcast TV title while
only about half of the advertising folks list was.
If you have ever had a favorite show canceled, one that the critics
seemed to like as well, this may explain some of that. In politics,
you’ll hear people talk about an “inside the beltway” mindset.
It comes from spending too much time focused too tightly. Not
hearing enough outside voices, and only talking with people as
focused as you are. It can happen at every level of the media, right
down to small market media.
you’ll hear people talk about an “inside the beltway” mindset.
It comes from spending too much time focused too tightly. Not
hearing enough outside voices, and only talking with people as
focused as you are. It can happen at every level of the media, right
down to small market media.
What all of us in this closed room of media insiders need to do is exactly
what our parents told us to do when we were kids. The real solution
for this is to simply “go outside and play”. Oh, and maybe a
dash of “why don’t you try and make some new friends” as well.
for this is to simply “go outside and play”. Oh, and maybe a
dash of “why don’t you try and make some new friends” as well.
To one degree or another, we shape what television looks like.
Particularly for folks focused on advertising, making sure we
actually, know what real people are watching.
actually, know what real people are watching.
For the record, my viewing list is much closer to the average viewer than
the advertising pros.
FCC Complaints
Depending on who you count among your friends in social media, you may be seeing a lot of memes and messages about the FCC. I certainly am,
and most of them are getting the details wrong. So I thought I’d
take a minute to walk through the issues.
and most of them are getting the details wrong. So I thought I’d
take a minute to walk through the issues.
This all began with Stephen Colbert’s monologue to open the broadcast of
the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 1. Colbert, who made his
name in the media doing political comedy, went after President Trump
in a manner unprecedented in broadcast television history. The rant
ended with an incredibly vulgar reference to the President and
Russian President Vladimir Putin. What followed was a firestorm from
several angles.
name in the media doing political comedy, went after President Trump
in a manner unprecedented in broadcast television history. The rant
ended with an incredibly vulgar reference to the President and
Russian President Vladimir Putin. What followed was a firestorm from
several angles.
As always I stick to the media angles in these stories. The memes that
I’m seeing flying around center on an apparent Federal
Communications Commission investigation into the broadcast. The
memes spin the story to make it appear that the Trump administration
is going for political revenge against the broadcaster. While that
falls within in the realm of possibility, there’s a much simpler
explanation. One without any tinge of conspiracy theory.
Communications Commission investigation into the broadcast. The
memes spin the story to make it appear that the Trump administration
is going for political revenge against the broadcaster. While that
falls within in the realm of possibility, there’s a much simpler
explanation. One without any tinge of conspiracy theory.
It goes like this – the FCC is doing what it always does after a
complaint is filed. It does it thousands of times a year. All it
takes is one person to file a complaint about the use of an obscenity
on the air. My bet is that a whole lot more than one person filed a
complaint with the Commission. A quick look at the statistics for
2013 and 2014 show fourteen hundred complaints about programming and
obscenity in the first year and thirteen hundred in the second. The
total number of complaints runs to more than fifty thousand. When
the FCC receives a complaint, it investigates them.
takes is one person to file a complaint about the use of an obscenity
on the air. My bet is that a whole lot more than one person filed a
complaint with the Commission. A quick look at the statistics for
2013 and 2014 show fourteen hundred complaints about programming and
obscenity in the first year and thirteen hundred in the second. The
total number of complaints runs to more than fifty thousand. When
the FCC receives a complaint, it investigates them.
Here’s what is likely to come out of this. The FCC will note that the Late
Show with Stephen Colbert airs outside what the courts have deemed
the “safe harbor”. The courts have said that the Commission
should not take action on indecent material that airs between 10 PM
and 6 AM. Colbert’s program airs at 11:30 PM.
the “safe harbor”. The courts have said that the Commission
should not take action on indecent material that airs between 10 PM
and 6 AM. Colbert’s program airs at 11:30 PM.
This isn’t a free speech issue, the FCC would be ruling on established
content rules for broadcast. It’s unlikely that CBS will fire
Colbert since he has moved into the number one slot recently in late
night television.
Colbert since he has moved into the number one slot recently in late
night television.
You don’t have to like what he said. In fact, the talk show host has
allowed since then that he may not have chosen the best words.
But let’s step away from the hysteria machine and let the FCC do what
it does every day all year long.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2017
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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