http://www.thirdwayblog.com/post-types/commentary/commentary-why-network-television-needs-a-minor-league.html Straight Talk on Advertising from the Client Side Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:11:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 http://www.thirdwayblog.com/post-types/commentary/commentary-why-network-television-needs-a-minor-league.html#comment-92530 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:04:29 +0000 http://www.thirdwayblog.com/post-types/commentary/commentary-why-network-television-needs-a-minor-league.html#comment-92530 The internet is already functioning as a sort of informal minor league for tv people. Web show successes like <a href="http://www.zefrank.com/" rel="nofollow">Ze Frank</a>, rocketboom, and <a href="http://desedo.com/blog/2007/09/13/checking-in-with-bill/" rel="nofollow">these guys</a> proved that at least the talent agencies are interested in the folks who are doing the web tv thing the right way. The problem for the networks, I think, is if they build a site to use as a minor league venue and nobody goes there to watch the shows, then it goes down as a miss. I'm guessing, also, that they're a little too precious to let youtube or some like place be the venue for testing what they hope to be high-quality material. We'll see how the Joost thing goes. NBC/Fox's hulu.com functions as a hybrid of some of these ideas as well. The internet is already functioning as a sort of informal minor league for tv people. Web show successes like Ze Frank, rocketboom, and these guys proved that at least the talent agencies are interested in the folks who are doing the web tv thing the right way. The problem for the networks, I think, is if they build a site to use as a minor league venue and nobody goes there to watch the shows, then it goes down as a miss. I’m guessing, also, that they’re a little too precious to let youtube or some like place be the venue for testing what they hope to be high-quality material. We’ll see how the Joost thing goes. NBC/Fox’s hulu.com functions as a hybrid of some of these ideas as well.

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