The line between Web TV and Television (you know, that old box in the living room) is becoming more and more blurred. Content is content – and it’s been consumed all over the place. So what can we make of this and where does this leave us as web and television producers?
Unlike television the web is yet to see a uniform, consistent format (ie. sitcoms – 23 minutes, dramas – 40 minutes, cable – 60 minutes). In fact we may never see such uniformity as the web is dynamic and caters to countless niches and audiences. Web TV has been slow to catch on – initially it was catered for a small audience. Most web series thus far consistent of “bite-size” episodes – 2 to 5 minutes each. However, it’s been a few years since Web TV started and things are changing more and more rapidly. Mainstream television programs are being delivered over the web at higher CPMs and generating large profits for the network – consider Gossip Girl, the CW’s show which consistently underperforms in the ratings. Season 3 has recently been greenlit. Why? Its iTunes sales are a major factor in its renewal. Digital sales are becoming a viable way to generate income, but more importantly the web is becoming a legitimate place to consume long form content.
For a long time now, people have been willing to watch television episodes on their computer. In fact the impact of a lot of television shows comes from online downloads – consider Heroes, the show was downloaded 10 million times last year in one day. The eyeballs are there. The attention spans are there. It’s time to step up and produce quality content. Content that is not discernibly low-grade in comparison to shows like Heroes. I know what you’re saying – the money isn’t available on the web. But if we want Web TV to be taken seriously we need to be prepared to produce serious content. The consumers won’t care if it originally aired on TV not. Content is content. Good shows are good shows.
Long form content provides a breadth and depth to storytelling that is not always available with short form content. As a passive audience member, I often find it more engaging than short form content (ie. the 5 minute episodes that are in vogue at the moment). I believe consumers are yearning to be engaged for a longer period of time. Most people are willing to sit for hours on end staring at their Facebook. If it’s engaging – why not!
Monetization is of course an important factor. Web series creators and producers need to legitimize the industry by charging for their content. Long form content. You’d have to have some real balls to charge for 5 minute episodes. There are many ways to go about distribution. There are of course existing digital vendors such as Amazon, iTunes and Zune. These are great mainstream outlets to sell content. Why not release the first episode for free on every platform/site and release subseqeunt episodes as paid content? Or why not release the first 5 minutes of each episode for free?
There are many ways to go about monetizing long form content if we be creative. Consumers WILL pay for good quality content from a proven show or brand. It’s just that the opportunity has not yet presented itself from web TV. Now is the time to change that. We must look to create a sustainable business model for web TV NOW before it’s too late and consumer expectations change. Vendors such as iTunes have legitimized subscription based distribution.
We, as web TV producers, are in a position to create shows that can rival TV shows in terms of popularity and quality but the longer we create low-grade, 5 minute episodes the longer web TV will be resisted by mainstream consumers. Let’s show ‘em what we’ve got and don’t be afraid to ask ‘em to pay.
