Do the cable upfront pitches possibly contain the secrets to saving the TV industry?
That’s the provocative hypothesis put forth by Variety TV Editor Brian Steinberg on Thursday, in a new analysis that highlights three themes from this year’s upfronts that he thinks are worth keeping an eye on.
First and foremost among them: live events and stunts. But for every Nik Wallenda on a tightrope, there could also be an Everest avalanche, as Discovery recently learned the hard way.
Documentaries are also making a comeback in a big way, with everyone from CMT to Pivot placing a bet on the format (not to mention traditional factual networks such as CNN and Al Jazeera America). Steinberg points out that docs offer the savings of unscripted, while “tamping down the titillation factor.”
And a third potential boost from the industry: becoming the next Twitter. Case in point? MTV’s newly unveiled rapid-response staff tasked with cranking out quick-hit videos and other media to respond to trending topics on social media.
Read More: Variety
Brief Take: Cable networks, with their more free-form schedules, could point the way towards new developments that could keep viewers glued to their TVs in an age of cord cutting.
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