Comments on: Is the Web Hurting Guilty Pleasure TV Shows?

By: Josh Schwartz Is Too Cool for TV

Josh Schwartz Is Too Cool for TV — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:10:31 +0000

[...] Schwartz said he disagreed with the CW’s decision to take down free streaming episodes of Gossip Girl last year in an attempt to drive live viewer numbers up. “We fought them on that. People who watch online don’t always also watch on TV,” he said. (The CW eventually came around and resumed posting episodes on its site, where they are “disproportionately popular,” according to Schwartz. We have a little theory that has something to do with the show being a guilty pleasure.) [...]

By: TVloop Blog - Discussing TV and Social Media

TVloop Blog - Discussing TV and Social Media — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:47:48 +0000

[...] Guilty Pleasures Who would be a good TV fan without some secret guilty pleasures? 2008 marked several of [...]

By: Shakir Razak

Shakir Razak — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:07:53 +0000

"because their audience could care less about the TV...... — it’s all at their fingertips."

Hi,

Sorry, but good journalism/english requires this:

Then why don't they care less?

Why waste effort caring more than they need to, if, as you/they say, "they could care less"?

Or are they complaining that they want to care less but that they find themselves unable to care less for some reason?

Did you mean to say, "they couldn't care less"?

: j

Doesn't Hiro-Media have some sort of measurement facility?

I think as the market develops, and broadcaster acceptance of open digital distribution occurs, illegal bit-torrent really won't be an issue, when it's all above board and doesn't require illegal use to get the latest content.

It's not like Nielsen is absolutely accurate as it is - and it's been adequate for all this time.

Kind regards,

Shakir Razak

By: Thad

Thad — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:09:45 +0000

I’m an 18 year old male and I watch Gossip Girl online at 3am the night it airs. Am I embarrassed? Not technically, my friends know I watch it. But still, I watch it online because it’s a guilty pleasure show and I’d rather watch it in private.

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:06:52 +0000

I agree that the TV rating system is completely broken. Most TV viewers outside the US are getting their content via Bit torrent and a great site that is tracking this is http://www.showinsider.com/ which monitors and tracks major peer to peer networks. The networks need to look at other areas where users are consuming their TV shows.

By: Adam Loving

Adam Loving — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:30:11 +0000

Yes, I think “guilty pleasure” TV shows will be watched much less often now. However, I think the effect will be evened out by being able to access more shows overall.

By: yeoman

yeoman — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:26:26 +0000

there’s no $ to be made on the internet period.

By: TVloop Blog - That largest online community for TV fans

TVloop Blog - That largest online community for TV fans — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:14:39 +0000

[...] a great post today over at NewTeeVee about whether the Web hurts guilty pleasure TV shows because a significant number of viewers watch the show online rather than during its normal [...]

By: Phil Nelson

Phil Nelson — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:02:42 +0000

Pet peeve: The phrase is "couldn't care less." "Could care less" implies that the viewers DO care, which in this case negates your whole point.

The TV ratings game is very broken. I'm surprised that the major networks don't just gauge shows based on ad impressions by now, anyway.