Travis Robinson’s Post

TVNZ makes a big deal about its digital transition - it invests smartly in its TVNZ+ app, it manages a nationally important content library, and it bids for live (and streamable) events. But what always an unspoken bargain in that digital transition was a diminuition in the value of news and current affairs. Today, that bargain is finally on the table, courtesy of the incoming CE who’s proposing to “disestablish” Sunday and Fair Go. This is only a week after NewsHub’s proposed demise. My thoughts, and solidarity, are with everyone at TVNZ and NewsHub. The traditional argument for scaling back - or simply eliminating - television news and current affairs is the structural transformation in the advertising market. Online advertising is usually cheap and hyper targeted whereas broadcast and print advertising is expensive and generalised. Where broadcast and print companies could command the attention of millions, most of those millions now spend most of their time online as social media users and VOD and streaming consumers. Stuff.co.nz records tidy numbers, but it’s hardly Tik Tok or Youtube. I suspect the unspoken assumption in TVNZ’s digital strategy was always that the company would become something closer to a local Netflix than a state broadcaster. In this strategy - where TVNZ is little more than an entertainment content library - there’s little room for a permanent (rather than seasonable or “snackable”) news and current affairs operation broadcasting - or rather streaming - every day. From this perspective, where news and current affairs is understood as the past rather than the future, it’s easier to justify scaling back news and current affairs and axing Sunday and Fair Go. But that’s a shortsighted perspective. News and current affairs is what creates TVNZ’s “local” identity. If TVNZ’s strategists what to become Netflix then good luck to them. They’ll lose spectacularly against the US streamers. The only way the state broadcaster can become a viable streaming provider is if it differentiates itself with local content. The leading local content is news and current affairs - that is what sustains our democracy, creates a sense of shared experience and shared belonging, and contributes to the company’s own sense of itself and its purpose. Cutting news and current affairs is exactly what you do when you don’t know what you’re doing. https://lnkd.in/g6bYZ6fX

EXICITING NEWS 🚨 We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest course, Unlocking PBS: The Ultimate Guide 🎉 100+ filmmakers have secured PBS broadcasts and millions of dollars in underwriting sponsorships with our proven approach. Navigating the Public Television system can feel overwhelming. Many filmmakers underestimate the potential of leveraging PBS for distribution, and miss out on significant revenue and audience reach. Our comprehensive and actionable Guide is designed to address this gap. Through expert guidance and practical insights, you will learn how to: - Secure a national PBS broadcast for your film - Find sponsors to support your broadcast - Deliver your film to the PBS system - Create essential outreach tools to maximize your success - And more Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker or new to the industry, this course offers invaluable insights for navigating the public television landscape. This course was specifically crafted for filmmakers who need help but are not currently members of Show&Tell. Unlocking PBS: The Ultimate Guide contains some of our most valuable content but doesn't require a subscription. It's a one-time fee and you have lifetime access to the course when you sign up. Please note: you will not gain access to our member-only webinars or full library of Guides. Click here to learn more and enroll: https://lnkd.in/g7j8HyVM

📣 Exciting Insights from a Leading TV Festival! 🎉 We had a fascinating discussion with a key figure from a prominent TV festival. Here's a snapshot of the conversation: 🔹 The Festival’s Journey: Over the past 13 years, this festival has grown significantly, now drawing 3,000-4,000 attendees. It hosts panels, screenings, and events, creating a unique space for TV enthusiasts and industry professionals to celebrate television. 🔹 Challenges and Growth: Despite market challenges, including industry strikes and mergers, the festival continues to thrive. 🔹 Audience Engagement: The festival targets a broad demographic, from young viewers to long-time TV fans, audience quality is key, the goal is to have impactful experiences for attendees. 🔹 Industry Trends: The festival reflects broader TV trends, facing both the boom of new content and the contraction due to industry changes. Despite these fluctuations, there is optimism about the future. 🔹 Collaborative Spirit: Emphasizing collaboration over competition, the festival sees other events as colleagues, sharing a common goal of celebrating television. 🔹 Future Goals: The main focus is on audience growth and sustaining sponsorships, ensuring the festival’s longevity and impact. Our conversation was incredibly valuable in drawing insights into the evolving landscape of television festivals and the unique challenges and opportunities they face. #Television #TVFestival #TVIndustry #AudienceEngagement #Marketing #Collaboration #FestivalGrowth #IndustryTrends #Entertainment

Still processing a wild ride at the Banff World Media Festival this past week. For the past two years at the festival, it seems like a single shocking announcement really changed the course of the festival (and media in general) in Canada. Last year, it happened in the immediate aftermath of the festival: deep cuts at some of Canada's biggest media companies meant that (sadly) some of our best clients and colleagues were gone (and the folks we had literally just pitched and had meetings with) were all of the sudden gone and laid off. This past year, the shock happened right at the beginning of the Banff World Media Festival. In a stunning move; Rogers swooped in and bought the rights to some of the most well known media brands across the board. From Corus, these brands included 'HGTV' and 'Food Network'. From Bell Media, the brands included 'Discovery Channel' and most importantly for our company: 'Animal Planet' (as we have two shows with them). The timing was obviously on purpose and it definitely caught everyone off guard and threw things into a bit of disarray. I guess this move speaks to the strength of those particular brands and branding in general. Obviously, no contract details released but Rogers must have paid a pretty penny. A couple of points to make here: 1) For the broadcasters who lost their brands: as T.V producers, we feel your pain when we lose our T.V shows. Let us (as T.V producers) help come up with new branding ideas for you. 2) For Rogers Communications: welcome to the party. We'll give you some time to set up and we're looking forward to pitching you next year 3) Can we please have a normal Banff next year??

A common misconception is that Gen-Z aren't interested in awards shows like The Oscars... but the numbers tell a different story ⤵️ It's not that the awards don't float their boat, just that the way they engage and consume is radically different than previous generations and the TV broadcasters and awards organisers haven't fully caught up with the drastically altered media landscape.... I took a dive into the recent National Research Group's findings based on their March 2024 study on young audiences and awards show engagement to pull out the juicy facts... For the full report I'm popping the link in the comment... #cinemamarketing #entertainmentindustry

What do we really DO at Ozarks Public Broadcasting all year long? Here's our latest report to the community. Thanks to everyone for spending time with KSMU and Ozarks Public Television!

What's your next BIG EVENT or MEETING? Check out Perlow Productions, LLC's Livestream Demo Reel. Let's work together on your next event. Sarah B. Shpetner Mark Geisler Jack Schott Owen Halsey Paige Woodburn Jeffrey Martinez Amy Valentin, CMP, HMCC Casey McCrudden Heather Roberts Nicole Baglivo Scott Barnes Holli Elgart #eventplanners #eventplanning #events #livestreaming #livestreams #broadcast #meetingprofs #meetingplanners

Join Kristelle and Jace for an insightful journey with Mike Utaegbulam, founder of Black Digital, as we delve into the nexus of digital marketing and diversity. Discover how representation fuels aspirations and learn how injecting empathy into strategies can drive success! 🎙️ Listen here or on your favorite streaming platform for an episode that's not just about business but also about embracing inclusivity in every aspect of life: https://bit.ly/3VIFPtM

In today's Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee meeting, we are holding the fourth session on our inquiry into Women’s Sport. The panel will examine the challenges and opportunities faced by broadcasters in growing women’s sport. BBC Sport, ITV Sport, Sky

Awards shows for the entertainment industry have taken it on the ratings chin over the past few years with declining viewers. The Golden Globes could be a bellwether of whether any of its new changes can turn things around and get viewers to tune back. To give you an idea, the audience for the 2023 Academy Awards were an improvement from the year before - to the third worst ever. And other awards show broadcasts have seen mixed results: the Grammys saw a 31% increase, while the Emmys dropped an all-time low. While some may make light of this, the changes go back to the most basic sales rule: It’s about what the prospect needs, not about what you need. For its part, this year's version of the Golden Globes will have new award categories as well as a new host, a new network, new owners, and a new voting body. The transformation comes in response to ongoing criticism over the lack of diversity within its voting body. Think about that. In a changing world, the awards have become, well, unrelatable for most. We may watch the shows and the movies, but at a time when many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, it may seem excessive to some to give away a gift bag that is worth more than double the salary of the average American. And people likely don't want to be reminded of that over and over again for the next three hours. Then there's the nominees themselves. One of the reasons why revamping the voting body had to be done was that people didn't recognize the films and shows being recognized, creating a disconnect between what people love and the content nominated for awards. If people don't recognize nor relate to them, they might be less likely to watch it. Historically, the Oscars have had this problem especially in the "Best Picture" category where there's a divide between prestige movies and mainstream tastes. Remember "Spotlight" and "The Artist", among others? They won, but few had actually seen them. When all is said and done, none of these changes may make a difference for the Golden Globes and these other awards shows for one simple reason: the way we watch television has changed significantly. The shift from network TV and cable to streaming services has been a major change, and our ever-changing interests no longer include awards shows. The Golden Globes are giving it the old college try and willing to change, and that by itself deserves its own award https://lnkd.in/gPq2encN #goldenglobes #entertainment #movies #film #television #streaming