Listening to Tod Maffin’s latest Todbits (made my Podcast Picks as well) and pondering his bit about American Idol running 3 minutes after the hour to thwart PVR-watchers and encourage live-TV-watchers.
Honestly, I feel a little silly. All this time I was wondering why it felt like broadcast media outlets despised their customers. Switching up schedules, starting programs late, splicing them into a million pieces between commercial breaks. Follow the money. It stops long before it gets to the viewer or listener or reader.
I still don’t get why newspapers, radio, and television aren’t 100% ads. The honesty would be easier on everyone.
Maybe because without content that people will actually watch, there isn’t anyone to pitch to? Why are some shows “hits” and others not? Not because anyone woirks less hard or is less brilliant (ok, maybe) Why do some products fit so well and others fall down before they even get off the ground?
Because consumers will really only purchase what works. Consumers only consume what they have to or what they want to. That is what advertisers face – if your product is crap, consumers know it.