my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film-Yak   » Deadwood Cancelled (Page 2)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Deadwood Cancelled Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 10-01-2006 11:05 AM                     quote: Dave Williams HBO and Showtime, being pay cable services, will renew shows based upon the number of new subscriptions they bring, instead of how many people actually watch them. I'm not doubting you, but I'm just curious as to what your source is for this statement? It seems like an odd business strategy to me, seeing as how most pay cable services offer a nice start-up package, then when you get into the regular monthly payments, that's where they would get their real money. I would have guessed they would simply monitor the number of viewers they have per show and cancel the ones that few are watching. Sopranos had a huge following, but I find it difficult to believe they were still attracting new viewers after the third season or so, considering there was a 16 month break between seasons one and two and another 15 months between 3 and 4. I thought when they had a new show, they usually signed on for a one or two year initial contract and then they negotiate for an extension for as many as 4 or 5 seasons at a time. Is this incorrect?  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 10-01-2006 11:10 AM                     I subscribed to HBO after the 4th season of the Sopranos. I saw a few episodes in a hotel or somewhere and I started watching it regularly afterwards.  |  IP: Logged Dave Williams Wet nipple scene Posts: 1836 From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA Registered: Jan 2000 posted 10-02-2006 04:03 AM                        quote: Chad Souder I'm not doubting you, but I'm just curious as to what your source is for this statement? When you have done as many jobs and done as many things as I have, you tend to come across lots of useless information. However in many instances you cannot reveal how you came across that same information, for reasons of confidentiality. Some times, you can't even reveal that you know the information at all. I have some of that too. Or should I have said that last part. Take it as information that I just gave, and nothing more. It's either right or it isn't. However, Pay services such as HBO and Showtime, do not sell commercial time, running their programs without interruption. As a pay service, they depend on repeat business. As more and more people watch good programming on broadcast or commerical based cable networks, they have to rely on recruiting new viewers with new shows and continuing shows. A great show that has plenty of sign up in the first year but not the second year can easily get the ax, unless a large number of their subscriber base is on board or not. Dead Like Me was killed primarily because it was really on the wrong network. Showtime is not the place for them. Sopranos has a majority of its viewer base as on board for the series, and will stay in between regardless of the wait. So they can actually have a drop in viewership, but still be profitable on the show as a cancelling of the show would lead many to cancel the provider over it. HBO is in trouble after Sopranos is done. They will be in the same boat as Showtime, and competing with networks such as FX, USA, Spike, and so on. The Wire is a very good show, and it is hoped that it can take the place of the Sopranos, I am however doubtful. Who knows what the future will bring. Basically it comes down to if a show will cause viewership to fall if cancelled, and the cost of those lost viewers vs. cost of production. If it can hold its own and increase the number of new viewers, and garner a large amount of current subscribers who will go holy war if they get cancelled, then there is a chance of it staying regardless of quality. A very good case in point is Stargate SG-1 getting the boot while Battlestar Gallactica on Sci-Fi is renewed. SG-1 has higher ratings, and costs less to produce. However SG-1 is produced by MGM, and BSG is produced in house, so all the money stays in house. Their sister networks are all moving towards in house programming in order to keep all of the money in house. Ciao  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.