A glittery awards show will be reduced to a press release, the Academy Awards broadcast is in jeopardy, and primetime is about to be rebuilt around an aging talent show.
The TV season is crumbling.
The networks are spawning more reality fare to disguise the fact that the supply of scripted shows is drying up, while the entire industry waits to see how it may be decimated by the ongoing writers strike.
Fox’s “American Idol” returns Tuesday (7-9 p.m. on KDVR-Channel 31) to single-handedly resuscitate primetime. Meanwhile, it is apparent that the strike could have far-reaching effects for the business and for those of us on the couch.
The game may never be the same.
At a time when viewers are looking to alternatives to old-fashioned television, the strike could be just the incentive they need to break old habits and sample new entertainment choices.
Tonight’s planned Golden Globes Awards show is in ruins; NBC will read off a list of winners and offer “news” coverage instead (7 p.m., KUSA-Channel 9). Variety reports the cancellation of the show and attendant parties could cost the Los Angeles economy $80 million. CBS punted on the People’s Choice Awards last week, switching to a taped format to get around the strike. Loss of the Feb. 24 Oscar telecast — in jeopardy if the strike isn’t settled soon — would cost L.A.’s economy $130 million.
Much more is at stake. Taking the long view, broadcast TV ratings are in decline. The strike can only accelerate that trend, according to industry experts.
Consumers are increasingly rejecting traditional forms of advertising and are learning ways to elude commercials. Disillusioned viewers know their way around DVRs and have plenty of alternative choices: scanning YouTube, turning to Xbox or Wii, catching up on what’s in the Netflix queue and generally taking a break from commercial network filler.
Soon, primetime is going to boil down to an unsavory reduction of CBS’s “Power of 10,” NBC’s “Deal or No Deal,” ABC’s “Wife Swap,” Fox’s “American Idol” and CW’s “Crowned.”
How bad is it? The CBS summer fallback series “Big Brother” is getting three hours’ worth of the network’s primetime schedule this spring.
For the industry, the strike is about to wreck this year’s pilot season. It’s almost too late to order new dramas for next fall. But who needs dramas?
Broadcast executives are watching the decent ratings turned in by many of the reality shows flooding the air now and realizing they’re doing reasonably well for about a third of the cost. Why not pile up more cheesy reality games for fall instead of risking weak numbers on expensive dramas?
“Journeyman,” “Moonlight,” “K-Ville,” “Life,” “New Amsterdam,” “Chuck,” “Canterbury’s Law” — you’ve probably never sampled most of them and don’t know their elaborate storylines. But you do know about “American Gladiators,” “The Biggest Loser” and “Idol,” shows that don’t require following a plot.
Things may never get back to “normal,” if normal means continuing to invest heavily in money-losing scripted fare instead of cheaper unscripted fare.
For the networks, it’s all about weighing the costs and rethinking how business is done.
For viewers, a prolonged strike can only serve to break couch-potato habits and to reinforce the idea that modern entertainment comes in many forms — often without advertising clutter.
The writers guild plans picket lines around tonight’s Globes event. But, having forced cancellation of the usual Globes show, they could end up hurting themselves.
For the moment, at least, the strike is working in favor of Fox. With the Feb. 3 Super Bowl and “American Idol” on the Fox slate, the network is able to charge a premium for advertising within those events.
The network’s reality juggernaut “American Idol” should be especially welcome to viewers desperate for fresh material.
Will Fox resist the temptation to add extra nights and filler installments of “Idol” or will it risk killing the golden goose to make a few extra bucks?
We watch, we wait, we make lists of which favorite scripted series we want to own in DVD boxed sets. And the most bizarre television season in recent history continues.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
