Friday, October 26, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Weekend Poll: What Are Your Strike Plans?
Let me leave you with a cheerful discussion topic to spend the weekend with. Let's assume that when the WGA contract runs out Halloween night, there will in fact be a writers' strike.
There's been a lot of talk about what the writers would do. There's been a lot of talk about what the networks would do: run game shows, import programs, air reality shows, etc. Interesting enough questions, but they're not the big question.
The big question is: What would you do?
When industries are in flux, strikes have the potential to change the customers' behavior. And few industries are fluxier than TV today. An ugly pro sports strike, for instance, runs the risk of losing some fans for good. TV, you'd think, wouldn't be like that, because, well, it's TV. But the last big writers' strike, two decades ago, led to changes in primetime--particularly, the burgeoning of the newsmagazine genre--and that was a time when there were fewer other entertainment options. Who knows where TV viewers might go during a protracted strike today?
Of course, shows wouldn't vanish overnight. Some scripted shows will have episodes banked, while others, like late-night shows, could cut back or go off the air quickly. But if a strike lasts long enough, the TV you're used to will eventually dry up like a grassland in a drought. What replaces it could change the TV that comes after. And this time more and more of what replaces it will be things that are not TV.
The longer the strike goes on, the more attractive it'll become to spend a night with DVDs. Or YouTube. Or Halo 3. Or Second Life. Or a book--well, let's not get crazy, but you get the point.
I don't want to overstate this. Clearly the great majority of TV viewers will fall back into the primetime habit whenever a strike ends. My mom, for instance, is not going to suddenly spend her time watching Rocketboom. But breaks in routines do break habits. If only a small percentage of viewers break their primetime habits--probably those viewers whose habits were shakiest to begin with--well, that's a few percentage points the networks can't afford to lose.
Are you one of those points? Will too many game shows and Mike Darnell reality series send you into the arms of the Internet? Will they have to pry your remote from your cold, dead fingers? Or is your plan to huddle on your living room floor, moaning softly and rocking yourself in the fetal position?
Actually, I call dibs on that one.
23 Comments to “Weekend Poll: What Are Your Strike Plans?”
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About Tuned In
James Poniewozik writes TIME magazine's Tuned In column, about pop culture and society. Tuned In, the blog version, is about the stuff we used to call "TV," whether it's in your living room, on your computer or -- once the networks figure out the technology and line up the advertisers -- in your dreams themselves. Read more
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Friday, October 26, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Am I the only person who has really grown to love Hot Shots? I'm a fifty-ish married female, so maybe not the demographic they're looking for, but I really like this show. The dialogue is snappy and has bursts of subtle humor, the characters are engaging, and it doesn't take itself too seriously. I hope this one lasts, given the low quality and quantity of a non-reality tv show.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 4:14 pm
This is where NetFlix comes up big. Got shows you always meant to watch? Here's the chance. I'll try to catch up on all those seasons of The Wire i've never seen but that everyone raves about. After I work my way thru the all to brief Undeclared.
Also as we get into Fall there's football on Sun, Mon, Thur, and Sat!
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I've started downloading fansubs of Japanese anime. I'll be following along a day behind on some shows =). Netflix will be great as well, I've got the Wire, Freaks and Geeks, BSG, and a ton of other shows upcoming so I'll be all right. This is also a great season for Video Games.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Will they have to pry your remote from your cold, dead fingers? Or is your plan to huddle on your living room floor, moaning softly and rocking yourself in the fetal position?
Actually, I call dibs on that one.
LOL. I'll probably watch a lot of tv on dvd and movies on dvd. TCM already has a lot of my time so the 8:00 movie'll be my regular choice. The OJ trial killed a lot of soap viewership and it's been on the decline ever since, I can't imagine that happening to tv.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 4:43 pm
If a strike lasts for an extended period of time I will probably catch up on some TV cult shows like Buffy, Angel, and Supernatural. I was going to wait until next summer to watch those shows but I am not going to punish myself by tuning into bad reality television.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I'll probably keep watching movie channels and DVDs off my Blockbuster list.
@James - is NBC's upcoming airing of Bourne Supremacy a tip as to their strike plans? Air "broadcast television premieres" of movies? It seems the big networks rarely do that anymore...what with TNT/TBS and all the other movie channels out there, both on basic and pay cable.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 5:15 pm
@chaddogg: I don't think it's a tip in any strategic sense. What theatrical movie premieres the networks have done in recent years haven't done big numbers generally, so it's not like this is going to strike fear into the hearts of the WGA. But sure, it's one of many options on the table.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 5:29 pm
On the one hand I will like it because I will have less distractions (I am a college Student).
But I will definitely be missing my shows and will probably watch a lot of TV on DVD.
@ James- There may be an obvious answer but, will South Park go right off the air if there is a strike and have you heard anything about if there is a strike how long would it last?
Thanks
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I have so much backlog on my DVR, I think I could use a few weeks of a strike to catch up...
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Jamie,
I'm exactly the kind of person you were writing about. When I was younger I watched quite a bit of TV, and during the last big writers strike when nothing good was on ... I just got out of the habit. I filled my time with other things - going out w/ friends, online games, etc etc. I've only recently (in the last 12 months) started watching anything other than the occasional HBO series - that's literally all I've watched on TV for years & years. I'm just starting to get back into having regular shows I watch again. If every evening's fare turns to crap again, I don't imagine my newly-formed & shaky TV watching habits will be all that hard to break again. Whether that's an inherently bad thing I don't know.
Your post definitely struck a chord w/ this viewer/reader.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Time for the CBC to shine, baby !
Get ready for 9 'Trailer Park Boys' rip-offs as we struggle to take back Canadian viewers!
Woo-Hoo!
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 7:33 pm
well, if there is a strike, the first thing I'll do is move Tuned-In to the bottom of my Favorites list
other than that, I don't see any big changes unless the strike lasts a very long time. I wiil definitely miss Daily Show and Colbert if they get taken off (and whats up with a week of Vacay right before a strike?) but other than that, I'll survive.
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 12:05 am
I'd probably stay more up-to-date on all the blogs I like, cook more, get more personal projects done, start exploring popular music again, read the stack of books I've been putting off, and maybe--just maybe--go outside for a walk. Those all sound positive. Hmm...
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 12:43 pm
I'm a "pry my remote from my cold, dead fingers" person.
There are so many shows that I'd like to catch up on that I don't think I'll mind not having current new shows if there's a strike. And I'm actually kind of excited for the "air shows from abroad" option for filling up airtime.
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 2:00 pm
How about turn off the mind numbing TV and give a good book a chance. Or listen to some music, letting your imagination play? A little more physical exercise in this cool weather would be fun and very mood up-lifting. Get out of that chair and DO something.
Dee October 27, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Always nice to have a little break, at first it's a relief, like summer, catch up on netflix, go to the movies, generally leave my apartment... depending on the length of the draught it might get painful.
But fortunately being cable challenged for years i do have some quality shows to catch up on nip/tuck, dexter, big love, weeds, the wire...
What i actually miss are the fluffier shows, have to do a little more research on some i might have missed
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I will go to my library of series I didn't have time for the first time around: Burn Notice, Mad Men and Friday Night Lights.
I can also rewatch some favorites: Robbery Homicide Division:LA, Life on Mars (Season 1)
and some choice episodes of Wiseguys (I plan to savor the Knox Pooley story arc from a new perspective)
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Actually, I thought right about now was a perfect time for the networks to deal with a strike. They've probably got enough episodes to run through November. Then, it's time for massive onslaught of Thanksgiving, and more prevalently, Christmas specials. Reindeer cartoons, Snowmen, Heat Miser versus Cold Miser. I could even watch Jim Carrey's Grinch a couple times. Not mention all the sports programming. Regular tv shows are usually on hiatus for much of the Thanksgiving into Christmas into NewYears block anyway.
Will writers strike beyond a couple months? Maybe. But look at the two most recent strikes in the news. One strike against GM made it a couple days. The other strike against Chrysler made it what? Half a day? If that. Maybe the writers have saved up more money for the long haul or whatever, but I don't see a protracted strike.
If the strike goes longer, I see re-runs of cable shows. I remember when NBC used to run Battlestar Galactica sometimes on random occasions. They had a weekend movie slot to fill, so they just shoved three episodes of BSG in there. That was interesting. I remember reading somewhere that NBC would pull shows from the cable networks it owns. Whatever network owns the Closer could probably put that in. Monk, Psych, maybe even Eureka. (although eureka is a bit quirky). For all the people in the country that don't have cable, watching these shows re-run on major networks would be like watching them for the first time.
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 12:43 am
Hmm let's see, I'm probably be spending ALL of my time (as opposed to some of my time) playing Orange Box, Call of Duty 4 & Ratchet & Clank
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 9:20 am
Philo T. Farnsworth must be rolling over in his grave. Is this why he invented TV? If you have kids, maybe you should, um, you know, try talking to them without the TV on in the background. Same goes for your spouse. What will you do at the dinner table (assuming you all sit down together) if the TV isn't on in the background? OMG! You might have to spend the evening doing something so early 20th Century, like, being with people, instead of just sitting next to them slack jawed on the couch. Work on getting a life for pete's sake! If that doesn't work, go to movies.
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 10:09 am
I'll watch exactly the same stuff I always watch. Specifically, Food Network, History Channel, Discovery Channel, reruns of MASH, and BBC America. I'll also spend part of nearly every evening playing World of Warcraft with my boyfriend, which blows most tv out of the water anyway.
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 5:26 pm
If you have kids, maybe you should, um, you know, try talking to them without the TV on in the background. Same goes for your spouse.
Good idea! However, I will now have to acquire some kids and a spouse.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Let the strike commence. I've got a giant queue in my Netflix account that needs tending to. Including a bunch of TV series I never got around to watching when they first aired. And there's never a good reason not to add one more night out on the town to your life.