This story is the perfect example of why the major television networks and movie studios are failing: ABC Defends Cancellation of Emily's Reasons Why Not.
One minute, Heather Graham was the face of ABC. The next minute, she was gone. Her comedy series Emily's Reasons Why Not was promoted relentlessly by the network as the linchpin of its post-football Monday night schedule, but was only given one airing before being yanked earlier this month. ABC committed to the big promotional campaign before even seeing a script for the show, said ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson on Saturday. The series turned out to be a dog creatively, he indicated.
They signed up for an ad campaign before they even saw show? Nice priorities. Apparently content quality isn't even a concern anymore. This is when you know it's time to jump ship — when a company doesn't even bother to look at their product. When they've become so self-assured that they think success is a guarantee, or at least a likely possibility. What if GM started advertising for their new SUV before it was finished? Before it'd passed its safety tests? How angry would you be that a company can't respect you enough to subject themselves to their own product before they tossed it your way? The entertainment industry shouldn't be any different, and it's starting to show.
People are sick and tired of crap being shoved down their throats. You begin to resent an industry that is so cocky that they pitch you shows like Bones or Emily Reasons Why Not. It's fairly obvious that it has become common practice to advertise incessantly for shows the networks know suck. The majority of new shows fail, how can an industry not take that as a hint? Try pitching something new and you might get different results. Law and Order is a great show, but anything north of 3 spin-offs is a bit extreme. With all the capital available, why is innovation not the name of the game? Because no one in charge gives a damn ... about the product or making money apparently.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
Nice write up. I have this snarky feeling that very soon big corporations are going to find a way to suck the life out of the internet as well. Everything great gets bastardized sooner or later.
Until then I'm enjoying the ride.
2 - ryan
Very true, but I'm not sure how big their impact can possibly be. The nice thing on the net is you don't have to settle--and settling is how the majors make their money.
3 - driverseven
Don't put any stock in Alexa ratings -- it only tallies use by people who installed the Alexa software. It's nowhere near an accurate picture of web usage.
4 - Connie Phillips
Very interesting, and I've been thinking a lot about this myself the last few days reading the same stories about Emily's Reason's. I watched the first episode and said that night it would be gone within 4 episodes, I never dreamed they would cut it after 1. But I can believe seeing the end product that ABC never saw a script before getting behind it.
You're right on about choice and diversity being key, and it just doesn't exist on TV anymore.
5 - Matt Largo
Great article! I agree with Matt Brewster. Major corporations will try to find a way to choke the life and choice out of the Internet. Then we'll all have to make a mass exodus to Internet2 if (when) such a thing comes into existence.
6 - Aaman
Media Convergence will make the Web history
7 - T
Dugg It. And, a little off topic, I also go to Tucker Max for hilarity. But, honestly, if anyone wants good insight onto how the hollywood machine works, check out Tucker's trip through the TV meat grinder. You'll see how retarded the system really is.
8 - ryan
alexa ratings are based on things other than the toolbar, though it is a big part of it.
T, if you like tucker, check out my articles on him
9 - ryan
Aaman? Media convegence? Explain.
10 - doodoocakes
great read,so true and i love the unregulated net, hopefully it doesnt get into the hands of riaa or mpaa....look what happened to internet2 :(
11 - ryan
riaa. I think most companies will learn from their mistakes.
12 - ryan
I take back everything I said about the internet revolution. Every last word.
13 - Squire
We might experience a convergence of traditional media like TV , radio and the internet in the years to come and people would might express themselves differently than what they do today..although they have already started taking advantage of the internet as a medium to express themselves and creat e content to reach out other people which was not possible in the 80's .
14 - ryan
Oh ok.