Consumer Guide for Today's Media

We were all up in arms when the writers went on strike, but why aren’t we complaining now? Television programming hasn’t gotten better now that they are back. Why haven’t the viewers picked up the signs and started picketing?

The strike lasted 100 days. During those days the writers hoped that TV viewers, actors and media production companies would feel their absence and step up and say, “Give them what they want already so we can get back to our jobs and our daily doses of anything but reality TV.”

Well, the writers are back and people in the television industry are a little happier. What about the viewers though, the ones watching re-runs or really poorly written material on TV? Haven’t they suffered enough? Because the strike is over many shows, which are favorites of die-hard television junkies everywhere, will return. But, they will not return in the way that people had hoped.

Viewers thought that once the strike was over everything would go back to normal. Their favorite housewives would still be desperate, the survivors of the Oceanic flight would still be lost, one very mean doctor would still make house calls, and viewers everywhere would finally get to see new shows and keep up with the plots they had been following before the strike.

This may not be the case. The strike has left networks scrambling to create new episodes and with the writers back they can do this but it will take time. Time means money for them and a whole lot of nothing on TV for us. Either the shows will be cut down in the number of episodes released, new episodes wont air until May or April at the earliest, and some shows may not make it back on your television screen at all.

So, people were mad before the strike, they were annoyed during the strike and I think it is only going to get worse. Think back to the days when TV viewers thought they were going to loose the show Jericho. The entire state of Kansas seemed to be panicked when that show was taken off the air and they fought to bring it back. Imagine those ultra-devoted Grey’s Anatomy buffs, they should be up in arms about the fact that they might not get a full seasons worth of episodes and will have to wait to find out what is going on with “McSteamy” and the rest of the crew.

Viewers are the ones that ultimately suffer because of this drawn out ordeal. Sure, the strike focused on the big companies and the writers, but the viewers were hurt too. They can’t tune in and tune out if their shows aren’t there. They are stuck waiting for the decision to be made whether or not their favorite shows will be back and waiting to see if the writers really can make or break the industry even if they are back at work.

What is next? We have had shows like “Maury” on day time TV where people are constantly questioning whose the “baby daddy” for years now. But, now we are getting shows on prime time nightly television where people are literally being asked to answer questions that could seemingly ruin their lives. People are signing up left and right to sit in the hot seat and viewers are eating it up.

Reality TV has hit an all time low. The slippery slope to a complete disappearance of morals and quality programming began with shows like “Kid Nation,” “Flavor of Love,” “Celebrity Rehab” and who could forget “A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila.”

Now, Fox has a new show on its network called “The Moment of Truth” which has its contestants take a lie detector test before the show is aired, then on national TV the contestant has to repeat their answers in front of a live audience, including their family and friends. These questions are not simple, funny or entertaining in any way. The questions are ones that Americans everywhere do not need to know about these people.

The questions have included things like: Do you think your mother is overweight? (Mind you, mom is sitting right there looking at her precious baby boy.) Have you ever cheated on your husband? (She answered yes by the way and, you guessed it, her hubby heard it all on national TV.) My personal favorite, Do you think you are prettier than your sister? (She said yes, surprise, surprise.)

Why do we as viewers need to know these things? “Big Brother” is bad enough, we watch everything these people do in a house for weeks at a time, but on “The Moment of Truth” America isn’t seeing the contestant in a game show situation or in a house with strangers, they are seeing deep into their personal lives and shortcomings.

What will networks do next for ratings? Where do we draw the line and say that enough is enough? It is obvious that reality TV makes tons of money for the networks and after the writers’ strike it is an obvious choice to fill programming space with cheap and easy to make ratings boosters like reality TV shows. But as Americans shouldn’t we ask why we want to know these things about strangers? Why do we want to watch Flavor Flav try to find love by handing out giant clocks to women that spit on each other? Why is it fascinating to send little kids into the desert and see if they can survive on their own when they probably aren’t emotionally ready to go to summer camp let alone build a town on national TV?

Think back to the “Jenny Jones” talk show uproar years ago. A man came on the “Jenny Jones” show and confessed his secret love for his friend, who happened to be a man. The man who was the recipient of the affection had no idea about the crush and was so embarrassed by being perused by a gay man on national TV, he killed him.

So, we obviously know that revealing harsh secrets on national television has led to bad consequences. Why then as Americans are we so tickled with the idea of someone winning $500,000 at the expense of a family, a friendship, a career or even a life?

TLC- The Learning Channel, when you think of this network you tend to think educational. But, with their own form of reality TV growing faster than ever, is it educational or just a new way to insult people?

With shows like What Not to Wear and Ten Years Younger you have to wonder are these shows just making people feel better out of the goodness of people’s hearts or is it another way to make fun of people disguised as a pat on the back and a hand up, that way the people watching it feel like they are watching a good deed being done, but still get backhanded jabs thrown in.

I mean, I admit it, I watch these shows on a regular basis and in general I like them, but I can’t get over the fact that there is this callousness hidden inside a good deed.

In the case of What Not to Wear the two hosts constantly poke fun of a person that they say is a fashion nightmare. They film random people in unflattering moments, call them sloppy, force them to look at themselves in a horrendous three-way mirror that could quite possibly make a Victoria’s Secret model look awkward, throw all of their old clothes into, get this, a trash can and then they tell them how a proper person in society should dress.

Sure the fashion victim gets a shopping spree in New York and ends up looking like a movie star for at least the TV appearance, but what about all of those harsh comments that are made about them on national TV? I mean almost every guest cries in their hotel room after they are told how bad they look. Is that part necessary? Why does TLC feel the need to stoop to the level of other networks reality shows by adding in snide comments and public humiliation? I mean honestly, I would rather be put in the stocks than have to step into a three-way mirror on national TV in an outfit that I would wear in the morning to go get my coffee. Why can’t the so called fashion reject be treated as more than an illiterate individual when it comes to reading designer labels and treated as a person that works hard and simply deserves a trip to NYC, shopping and a little advice from two friendly people? That sounds like quality programming to me, no drama no rudeness.

In the case of Ten Years Younger, the public humiliation is even worse. They put a person in a sound-proof clear box and have people in the middle of a busy street guess the age of the person in the box of shame. Really? I would never subject myself to this all for a makeover. Sure the person gets great prizes like dental work and clothing and hair and make-up overhauling but is it worth the public humiliation? Why can’t TLC just say lets give these people makeovers minus all of the drama and unnecessary harsh edges?

TLC is trying to keep up with the big guys. They want people to watch their shows and feel good about themselves, but the guys in suits in the corporate headquarters know that reality TV has to have a little bite to it or people won’t watch it.

I say, look at Extreme Makeover Home Edition that show leaves out the rude judgments and cuts to the point of helping people. I get it TLC, you think your on to something people love to watch other people have something good happen to them, but in some weird way also like to see others put down to make themselves feel better so you wrap it all together in to one neat and tidy package. But, is it classy and kind or is their just a little bit of that reality TV harshness wrapped up with a big pretty bow to disguise it?

So it is up and running and it seems to be a golden idea. HULU, the new site where anyone can watch their favorite moves or TV shows for free. HULU is a joint venture with NBC Universal and News Corporation.

But, the question on everyone’s mind is, “Who is it going to hurt?” At first people were saying that it would blow YouTube out of the water but now the focus is turning away from hurting the online phenomena and zoning in on how will it hurt cable? With YouTube you can add your own videos, on HULU you can only view films and TV shows, not add any of your own Oscar hopeful footage. This new idea takes aim directly at the heart of the cable market and possibly the video rental business as well.

If people can logon, sit back and watch a movie or a favorite NBC TV show why would they bother renting a movie, or heck even paying for cable if this whole free HULU connection continues?

Only time will tell what will come of HULU, after all it only just graced our lives with its presence.

So, is it just me or have you noticed an increase in the number of people that suddenly ask God to help them win money on reality TV shows?

I have noticed it most on Big Brother. The players suddenly claim to be devout followers of God at random times in the game. I think that this is great, if it is true but sad and revolting if it is false and just a ploy to gain support of Americans watching the show. Religion is personal and deeply important to people in America and throughout the world. Wars are fought in the name of people’s ideas about what they believe in. I think it is wrong to try to get votes or boost ratings by bringing religion into the mix for disgusting and self-centered purposes.

Lately on Big Brother, some of the guys have a miniature Bible study session. To me, this is great. They are educating themselves and learning about something that may become very important, or is already important, in their lives. It is in no way offensive to anyone in my opinion. This does not offend me nor make me want to change the channel and I don’t think that advertisers should even question buying ad time because of this.

What does offend me however, is when all of a sudden people in the game start to say that they are winning or being tested because of God, making it sound like they are more deserving than anyone else.

Last season’s Big Brother was the worst offender of this I have ever seen! Amber, one of the contestants claimed to be a recovering drug addict that also believed she might be a sex addict. Then she turned around and claimed that God wanted her to win the game because she deserved it more than anyone else in the house. Don’t get me wrong again, if she believes that good, great more power to her. But, to me it just seems ironic and as if faith is being used as a tool to win the game not as a tool to keep a person motivated and strong while playing and that to me goes to far on TV.

A&E aired a show awhile back called God or the Girl… Really? I thought this was joke when I read it. No, no joke this show really followed four men that were thinking about joining the clergy as priests. The show followed them as they made the decisions about leaving their girlfriends, becoming celibate and leaving the wild world behind them to serve God. Hasn’t this gone too far? Should God be used in this format to get ratings on TV or should we sit back and say no, no, no?

But then I guess there is always two sides to every story, right?

TLC has shows like Shalom in the Home. Now there is a show that uses religion and faith to help guide families through hard times in life. I guess that uses God, or faith or religion or whatever category you want to put it all in to sell commercials, get viewers and make money. Is that ok, or should that still make people upset? Should God, or any form of religion be used like Peyton Manning to sell ads even if the voice being used is positive and helpful?

Religious leaders are adamant, and have been since the beginning that most reality TV is racy and can offend many of their beliefs but I wonder how they feel about using God to make people vote for you? How do people feel about using religion and faith to get companies like Viagra to buy a 30 second spot following a show that focuses on men wanting to be priests while being tested by seductive women?

Seems a little disrespectful to me and makes me wonder, how far will networks go to encapsulate everyone, I mean every single viewer, and have a reality show that is cheap and easy to make that is tailor-made to different faiths, opinions and beliefs? This could be a good thing if it is done respectfully, but obviously people differ on what is tasteful and non-offensive. Will advertisers continue to be OK with the way in which religion is used on reality TV?

I think that viewers’ opinions and the reactions of advertisers and networks to those opinions will tell how religion and reality TV will either come together more or split very, very far apart.

You turn on your television set and you are bound to hear something about the election. Breaking news updates flash on the screen and you hear about Hilary and Obama battling it out, maybe a body slam here and there, and McCain gets a word in every once in a while.

But how are they using television programming and the ratings that shows are getting to get attention for themselves? Well wrestling of course.

Wrestling is an American past-time, or so it seems for some. All three of the presidential candidates are utilizing the success of WWE wrestling and its ratings.

All three candidates made and aired wrestling related commercials on the WWE show, "Monday Night Raw".

This seems to point to the recent success that wrestling has had with Americans. Since the writers' strike, little if any effect at all, was made regarding wrestling on television. WWE is still bringing in about five million viewers according to recent ratings polls.

So, TV programming and the writers' strike have effected more than just viewers watching their favorite series on television. It is also effecting where the presidential candidates spend their campaign funds. And, maybe it has effected the way the candidates show off their talents, since all three chose to run ads that were wrestling related in content.

With new reality shows on MTV like "The Paper" and old ones still getting attention like the "Hills." You have to wonder, where are the parents in these situations? Are people getting fed up with what their kids are watching on TV?

I turned on the TV yesterday and was drawn to a show that has a lot to do with my major, journalism. The show is on MTV. It is called "The Paper," and it is about a high school newspaper and all of the drama that goes along with teens working together in a high stress, high school environment. Ok, so it sounds lame right? Well, yes it kind of was for a twenty-something college kid. But, you have to wonder, to kids that are in high school watching this, do they think that this is real life? And my question for parents of high school kids: Is it?

These kids are constantly belittling, ostracizing and make fun of one of the cast members and no one says anything. The teacher rarely, from what I have seen, pipes up and demands order, and the teens run the show. Is this the message that teen TV should be sending out to this next generation?

My generation of twenty-somethings grew up on the "Real World," which is now a show documenting raunchy nakedness and bar fights, and we are now called the lost generation, or the dumbest generation. What will this next group of kids be called? The bullies, the babies and the brats?

They are being fed meanness that is wrapped up as honesty and the mentality that this is the way the world is, deal with it.

"The Hills," another popular show deals with "real-life" issues: sex tape scandals, bar hopping and constant cat fights mixed in.
And shows like "MADE" and my personal favorite, just kidding, "My Supper Sweet 16” all document teens and make them come off as spoiled little rich brats. Now, if in reality these youths are really like that, who knows? But, that is the way reality TV makes them appear and in my own experience teens are impressionable. If you tell them it is real, they think it is. And, they will behave like they see others behaving.

My mom always says, "You learn from those you spend time with." She also put in there, "You are guilty by association." So, MTV and this reality teen TV craze... Think about that when you air a spoiled girl complaining about her red BMW when she wanted a pink one, a girl being bullied because she works hard and is smart, or when you try to turn a so called "geek," into what is deemed, "cool." Teens learn from you, right or wrong and that makes you at least partially accountable. Right?
Or do we hand it off to the parents?
Should parents start doing what lots of paretns did in my generation's youth? "No MTV till your old enough to handle it." Well, when is old enough to handle it with all of the adult content added to the programs?

Kids are still watching, because MTV has aged well over the years and continues to drop the music and opt in on the success of the reality TV craze. With new shows and old faithfuls still running strong, they are getting the ratings they need to make normal high school kids Hollywood stars and starlets.

Sports may still reign supreme when it comes to television programming.

For the first time in 17 weeks TNT topped USA today in the Neilson Ratings revue and won out in all of the three major demographics for viewers. TNT can credit this come-back to the fact that it is covering the NBA playoffs.

According to an article on MediaWeek, the professional basketball game spread on TV was getting a ton of attention. The games were included in four of the week’s top 20 most watched programs.

Not only was TNT successful this week with the coverage of the playoffs, but the regular season coverage made TNT just as successful, making them feel as good as KU did when that last three-point bucket was drained against the Tigers. According to an article called “’NBA on TNT’ Sees Double Digit Ratings Growth, Key Demo Wins,” it said, “For the 52 games the network yielded a 1.1 US rating, a 13% increase over the prior season, as well as a 14% increase in households (1,211,000 vs. 1,061,000). Additionally, TNT experienced major growth across all key demos, yielding increases of 25% or higher across audiences including A18-34, A18-49, A25-54, M18-34, M18-49 and M25-54.”

TNT is not the only network to see ratings helped by sporting events. Fox saw there ratings increase when they aired football playoff games. They trumped all other networks programming and won out in the demographic of 18-49 year olds, which is arguably the best demographic that major networks fight for. Not to mention a little thing called… hmm the Super Bowl… That brings in a few viewers I would say.

Versus is also seeing a ratings increase with its hockey match-ups. It isn’t getting ratings like a Patriots v. Colts game (where of course the Colts win), but ratings are up about 30 percent and doing better than it was on ESPN, according to TV News.

It has been said that all sports are driving ratings up for networks and there are lots of factors involved in this programming miracle. In one article posted by TV Week, bad weather, fan-favorite match-ups, better quality games being broadcast in HD, and the fact that other programming has gone down the tubes since the writers’ strike are all factors in the increase in sports success on TV.

So, then, I think it is fair to say that networks can rest easy when it comes to ratings when they are airing sports on their channel. The proof is in the pudding or should I say the proof is in the puck, basketball, baseball or whatever kind of ball being tossed around a field for viewers enjoyment. If you air it, they will come and Neilson can record it.

American Idol….

Ok, enough said right? I don’t even need to go any further. Article=Done.

This show, you love it or you hate it. Apparently even if you say you hate it, you probably love it and are secretly watching it in your basement on your iPod. Yes, that is right, Idol on the iPod download it now-get the tunes and jam out even when Paula is being ditzy somewhere else and Randy is saying “dog” to someone but you.

The ratings for American Idol are ridiculous. Fox is in love with this show because, quite honestly, Fox loves money like all networks. And if we are talking money it is obvious this show is rolling in it. But, in all fairness, the show does have “Idol Gives Back” and they are doing some good things. So, now they are the best show on TV if you look at the ratings and they are helping people all over the world. They are like the cuddliest care bear of all TV shows now, right?

Just look at the Web and you will find that Idol blows all other programming, aired at the same time, out of the water on almost every occasion.

Even watch-dog groups like the show, saying it is wholesome family entertainment, even with mean Mr. Simon in his too tight black T.

Not only is Idol successful on Fox, other networks have talk-shows or late-night shows that talk about Idol on almost every episode. It is like constant advertisement for the show.

I mean really? My 49-year-old father loves it. He DVR’s the episodes so he can watch them with my mom when he gets home from work. What is it about this show that makes it so successful? Well, whatever it is Fox has found the fountain of ratings youth. Beacuse even when Idol sees a drop in its ratings, they still are toping the charts compared to other network's shows in the same time slots. So, it seems Idol will not be disappearing like Ruben Studdard did.

So, when Hulu first hit the net, people were wondering what to call it? Is it like YouTube? Is it going to try to compete with YouTube?

Well, now Hulu is here and so far, so good for them. Hulu’s Jason Kilar, the chief executive of Hulu, says that he is confident that his company is going to continue to be successful. He said that he wants Hulu to be the place where if you can’t find a show you want to watch it will link you to a place where you can, and legally. (Maybe a slam at YouTube???? No, never. Hulu wouldn’t do that. Right?)

The site does have advertisements, so they are getting ad revenue and with the success the site has been getting, ad companies are said to find the idea enticing with more and more people turning to the Web for their any-time viewing.

But, Hulu has ad ideas of its own. Apparently they got a little creative and made their own site on their so called, media dubbed, arch enemy, YouTube. The site directs people away from YouTube and to the Hulu site to watch legal, better quality episodes of shows like Family Guy.
Watch out YouTube, Hulu is flexing its muscle. And that muscle is bigger than the Governator's, well the 70’s version. Hulu can be seen as a developing powerhouse because not only does it have NBC and Fox shows, it also has network shows from Bravo, E! and USA Network to name a few. So, if you ask me I would much rather watch a good episode of Project Runway on Hulu instead of watching Chocolate Rain on YouTube for the millionth time. Once was plenty.