Every once in a while I have to remind people who watch TV near me of two things: TV is not about entertainment, it is about advertising. Yes...they could do the whole Dancing with the Stars reveal night in 10 minutes...but they would not have enough ad revenue. And #2 - there are a lot of shows out there that you are not the target demographic for.
And thank heavens I am NOT the target demographic for some of this stuff.
Although I have caught an episode of Blue's Clues - I am glad that I don't have to watch Dora or Barney. I am not supposed to be enjoying those shows! Whew!
And I'm really glad that nobody expects me to watch Jersey Shore, Toddlers and Tiaras or Bridezillas. Because I only know about those from The Soup - which makes fun of them.
And on the brighter side of
that equation - I am glad that I am the target demographic for things like Antiques Roadshow, The Daily Show and public radio. I also enjoy most everything on Discovery that doesn't involve snakes. And shows like Auction Hunters, Storage Wars and American Pickers pique my interest - I think that is because I find myself looking around at MY stuff and wondering if it could be worth some $$.
I don't like Pawn Stars much because I think the guys are pretty rude. I know you gotta make a buck, but try to keep the mocking laughter down to a minimum, eh?
Yep, I don't know what my point is...except an observation. Something I realized a few years ago when I saw a copy of magazine - something like "Putt Putters Digest". You know something? Not only are there people who have a subscription...somebody writes for it. Probably a lot of somebodies. I wonder if some day I might run into someone at a cocktail party...and during that "what do you do for a living" small talk...someone could say "I'm a writer. I write for Putt Putters Digest." I wonder what my reaction will be.
No matter what form of entertainment there is out there - somebody enjoys it. Diversity is mind-boggling sometimes. For every person that likes Masterpiece Theater, there is someone who would rather be set on fire than to watch it.
But if I meet someone at a cocktail party who tells me that they produce "Toddlers and Tiaras" - I'm sure my first reaction is going to be "are you serious?"
And if I am mid-sip of bourbon, somebody better get that poor soul a towel - because I am likely to spit.
Hamster beaten.
Mind if I have a shot at the child abusers & the enablers? Just because there is a market does not mean it has positive or equal value. Quality shows on public & small circulation cable will never compete with the big boys, but have better targeted needs met.
ReplyDeleteBeat that Hamster sister!