Where Is TV Going in 2018?

Question thenamp160 What new capabilities will smart TV sets and device makers deploy throughout 2017Answer today amp160amp160A wide variety of them amp160A trio of apps now allow people to order Uber rides buy any Amazon merchandise they desire if they are Amazon Prime customers and order tickets for sports and entertainment events via StubHubamp160 Dwarfing all that with longrange implications to boot incorporating Siri Alexa Google Assistant and other artificial intelligencepropelled voice tech into TV sets and other devices with screens allowing users to command how they want to watch or use TVQuestion thenamp160 Will virtual reality become a TV attraction working as an alternative to headgear and mobile devicesAnswer todayamp160 amp160Not yet amp160You can thank the slowerthanexpected pace of headgear sales and VR content availability for thatQuestion thenamp160 As Netflix expands the number of original scripted series that are produced each year how much of its competition will attempt to keep upAnswer today amp160amp160Amazon Hulu CBS All Access the broadcast networks and many cable networks fired up the amount of original scripted shows they produce with Huluamp8217s The Handmaidamp8217s Tale drawing critical acclaim and an Emmy Award for Best Drama Seriesamp160 Other cable channels notably AampampE dropped out of the scripted sceneQuestion thenamp160 Will any of the diversity projects that started last year deliver their first TV series this yearAnswer today amp160amp160Sadly no amp160But there was some good newsamp160 First key TVmovie producersshowrunners of color received new longterm commitments for future work Shonda Rhimes at Netflix Tyler Perry at Viacom starting in 2009 after his Oprah Winfrey Network tenure wraps Ava DuVernay at OWN through Harpo Films and Will Packer at Discovery Communicationsamp160 Second actresses of color from Kerry Washington and Viola Davis to Regina King and Gina Rodriguez formed their own production companies and set up their first projectsQuestion thenamp160 Are any broadcast station owners willing to join Sinclair as original programming playersAnswer now amp160At least three amp160Fox produced multiweek trials of seven prospective series this summer then launched two series in syndication coming off similar runs in 2016 Page Six TV the toprated new syndicated series so far this season and Top 30 amp160Tegna premiered three original series this fall including a primetime talent competition and the ambitious Daily Blast Live going live in every market running it amp160Scripps purchased the Katz Broadcasting lineup of multicast channels including Bounce TV then launched a daily talklifestyle hour this past fallWith those answers out in the open here is this yearamp8217s crop of questions about where TV is going in the twelve months to comeHow will Paramount Network make out amp160Viacom is putting most of its scripted series resources behind this makeover of Spike that launches January 18 with a live Lip Sync Battle special amp160Out to be the next HBO FX or Netflix Viacom wants to make Paramount the centerpiece of its cable channels drawing the widest audience of the bunch so much so that the company transferred the upcoming American Woman and Heathers from TV Land to Paramountamp8217s firsthalf 2018 lineupWill Siri Alexa and other AI features in smart TV setsdevices lead viewers into the land of interactive Oz at lastamp160 I have a hunch the answer will come our way sooner than later this year amp160Several interactive advertising ventures from Hulu Connext and other sources are in play giving viewers the option to order merchandise or learn more about it with their voice or their remoteamp160 Interactive storytelling where viewers pick the direction of a storyline at various points of an episode is in the works from Eko and other ventures amp160Mosaic available on Apple TV and overseen by maverick producerdirector Steven Soderberg goes one giant leap better by having viewers build a miniseries their way through making the video and various plotlines available off the bat amp160Soderbergamp8217s own Mosaic vision appears on HBO later this month and he has said he will create two more miniseries in this fashion and invite other content makers to use Mosaic as an open source appCan Netflix maintain or expand its track record of new hit series this year including Ozark Mindhunter GLOW Godless The Punisher Dear White People American Vandal and Sheamp8217s Gotta Have Itamp160 They have a fighting chance given the range of new programming on their docket from a Lost in Space revival to the first original TV series from the Coen brothersamp160 Not to mention the streameramp8217s programming budget now approaching 8 billion per yearCan anyone match Netflix in presenting so many new quality series this year amp160Youamp8217ll definitely have some people trying from Amazon Studios under new management to Hulu coming off its Handmaidamp8217s Tale megasuccess amp160Keep your eye on YouTube Red whose longawaited debut of Step Up later this month may be the beginning of a new series blitz as well as Facebook Watch which with little attention is building up a portfolio of unique unscripted and scripted series amp160CBS All Access is hanging around as well with Star Trek Discovery and The Good Fight earning solid viewership and several new series including the latest reboot of The Twilight Zone awaiting their turnWill more diversityexpanding TV ventures surface this year and have an impact by yearamp8217s end amp160Two early possibilities are the Creative Threat Foundation formed last summer involving a consortium of TV networks production companies and advocacy groups and Fusion Creative Boardamp8217s amp8220open callamp8221 project where content makers can propose new series with or without connections to talent agents or agenciesDo we see mergeracquisition deals involving TV makers go through or notamp160 The answer could go either way in the respective matters of ATampampT picking up Time Warner and The Walt Disney Companyamp8217s takeover of 21st CenturyFoxamp8217s scripted programming assetsamp160 It all depends on the mindset of the Justice Department amp160As for Sinclair assuming control of Tribune Media it looks like that deal will pass regulatory muster with some concessions despite increased furor from a variety of organizationsHow quickly will broadcasters implement ATSC 30 and what will their first direction be amp160Look for trials in a number of cities as early as late winter some under the oversight of station groups others through consortium venturesamp160 A dramatic surge in the number of multicast channels offered nationwide appears to be the first hand that broadcasters will deal to invite mass viewer adoption of ATSC 30amp160 amp160Personalized advertising and content fed directly to smart TVs and smartphones may be close behindWhat companies are worth watching on the content frontamp160 Annapura Television Platform One Media Wattpad Studios First Look Media and all the ventures spotlighted here last January IM Global Critical Content Anonymous Content Skydance Sonar Legendary Fremantle Media Participant Media and Entertainment OneWhat companies are worth watching on the tech front amp160Singular DTV and other ventures exploring TV roles for blockchain andor crypto currencies Touchjet WAVE Nvidia for its Shield TVconnected device TMobile after acquiring Layer3TVUntil 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 writersamp160amp160

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Where Is TV Going in 2018?

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Simon Applebaum

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