Why the Upcoming TV Season Will Be Unlike Any Other

First we39re living in an era of plentiful original programming both scripted and unscripted amp160For the first time ever more than 500 scripted series alone will be presented from one Labor Day weekend to the nextamp160 While some networks such as AampampE are eliminating scripted work others are increasing that load And in the coming months Apple Facebook and YouTube will join this throng motivated by a growing assortment of production sources andor new creative talent emerging from the now nationwide network of TV festivalsSecond people all over the medium are taking it upon themselves to kickstart series and services owned managed and overseen by women people of color and people out to be unstoppable in the face of physical challenges and disabling circumstances amp160More new talent of colorcultivating ventures are in business from We For She and The Alice Institute to Women in Film39s joint venture with The Black List Made in NY Writers39 Room and the Half Initiative formed by prolific programming creator Ryan Murphyamp160 Viola Davis Kerry Washington America Ferrera Gina Rodriguez Regina King and other actresses of color have become production company entrepreneurs getting new content commitments amp160Davis39 venture put together XQ Super School Live the entertainment special that will be simulcast on ABC CBS Fox and NBC this Friday nightOther notable people of color find themselves this fall with big program development deals that can further expand inclusion Tyler Perry39s multinetwork Viacom association starting in 2019 Ava DuVernay39s expanded relationship with Oprah Winfrey and her Harpo Films unit Will Packer39s joint venture with Discovery Communications and Shonda Rhimes39 decision last month to end her seriescreating relationship with ABC and go all in with Netflix amp160Meantime a number of people are developing series that follow DuVernay39s precedentshattering initiative with Queen Sugar her Oprah Winfrey Network drama amp160That is have every episode directed by women and most by women of color amp160The CW in fact is developing a weekly anthology of horror tales for next season applying that principleThird we39re living in an era of smart TV sets and TVconnected devices that expand how people watch and use TVamp160 More than 60 percent of all US households now have a smart set device RokuApple TVChromecastAmazon Fire TVShield from Nvidia etc or both amp160People with them are spending two or three hours a day 20 days a month watching or using them according to the latest estimates from Nielsen and various research sources amp160These sets and devices pushed Netflix Hulu YouTube Amazon Studios Crackle and other programming ventures originating over the Internet into mass marketplace acceptance and triggered the phenomenon of binge viewing amp160Do you believe Apple Facebook and YouTube would be in the contentproducing business without them amp160No wayWhat39s more a growing number of these sets and devices have artificial intelligencepowered voice features like Siri and Alexa built in amp160With those features available 247 viewers can call out what they want to see or order and get results in seconds amp160Right now Amazon Prime customers with Apple TV or Amazon Fire TVembedded sets or devices can order any Amazon merchandise they want in this manner amp160Imagine if Amazon followed up its recent takeover of Whole Foods with the ability to order Whole Foods merchandise through the TV complete with home delivery amp160Don39t believe for a nanosecond that didn39t cross Jeff Bezos39 mind when exploring that dealFurther these smart TV sets and devices are getting more affordable by the month and largely run on software that can be upgraded at any time amp160The recent introduction of Siri Alexa and other AI voice options is one example amp160Others that can impact in the nearterm are virtual realityaugmented reality360degree content and services connectivity with lights appliances and home security services and interactive programming with a choice of plot direction at natural moments inside the program Passage of ATSC 30 the new technical standard under review at the Federal Communications Commission also could have important consequences here especially for broadcast station owners who don39t want to be shut out of new revenue streams this era may generateIt39s clear that all three eras will not flame out in the next year or so amp160There39s too much momentum behind them amp160What there is right now is too little public discussion about them and where they can take this medium at TV and consumer electronics industry events and in journalism at all levels from local radio and TV stations to such Web destinations as TechCrunch Newscom and Recode amp160It39s time for this wave of inattention to end amp160It39s also time for smart TV set and device makers to provoke more coverage by participating in industry events and exhibiting their latest features beyond Silicon ValleyOne more thing amp160Tomorrow Will Be Televised the Internetdistributed radio program covering the TV scene that I produce and host began its second decade on the air last month amp160When I started this show at 3 pm ET on the first Monday of August 2007 I hadnamp8217t a clue who would listen who would participate as guests beyond day one or how long we would last amp160I trusted an audience would be out there excited to hear about the medium39s current state and future possibilitiesWell I39m still on this journey ten years later and even more excited about what39s ahead amp160To the public that tunes in and all the guests who have joined me to this point thank you for your trust your feedback and as I say near the end of every episode your listening amp160Thank you for the opportunity to be at your serviceAnd to everyone else it39s the perfect time to join the journeyUntil the next time stay well and stay tunedClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Why the Upcoming TV Season Will Be Unlike Any Other

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Simon Applebaum

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

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Why the Upcoming TV Season Will Be Unlike Any Other

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