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| These tools won't fix television |
There are too many cable channels. I said it.
I know, for most of you out there, that's blasphemy. You all want as many channels as you can
get. If cost weren't a factor, probably
a lot more of you out there would agree.
It sounds good, but let's look at this critically.
Way back, I was so happy that we would have a channel
devoted to Science Fiction (I like it so much that I have to capitalize--if you
don't like it, write your own blog).
Then we got a channel devoted to cars and auto racing. If it weren't 24 hours of NASCAR I would
probably like it more. There was so much
promise, where did it all go wrong?
Basically, there are lots of great ideas for specialty
channels, as they have come to be called, but there have been a lot of bad
ideas too.
I used to look forward to some TV programs. Now, I think that if I miss it, I can see it
another time. Maybe the problem isn't
too many channels, but too many choices.
The problem is, that too many choices has led to too many channels.
A twenty-four hour reality TV channel means that not only is
there too many mediocre shows being broadcast, but that too many mediocre shows
are being made to fill the need. Can
anyone say vicious circle?
Now, I am not advocating a return to the 13 channel universe--I
remember those days all too vividly. I
am advocating a return to quality over quantity. When will it start? Cynically, I say never.
