Even though there are two television sets in my apartment, each with access to thousands of channels, I average only about half an hour of cable TV a week. When I do sit down to watch cable, I find myself only watching anything for incredibly short increments of time. My desire to watch any particular show hardly ever seems to outweigh my distain for the constant interruptions of television ads. After giving up on the cable TV, I usually will switch on my PlayStation to access Netflix or HBO and end up watching something on there instead. Obviously this wasn’t always the case since streaming services are a relatively new phenomenon. As a kid I recall sitting in front of the TV for hours on end and if an ad came on that I didn’t want to view, I’d simply change the channel.
Changing the channel, fast-forwarding through ads, or even switching to Netflix, are all examples of a user disrupting flow. Raymond Williams describes flow as a programming strategy used by television networks aimed at attracting and retaining views for as long as possible. There are dozens of different ways to optimize flow, from back to back programming, stay tuned announcements, behind the scenes, shortening of theme songs, and ad placements just to name a few. It is important to note that when Raymond Williams was writing about flow in the mid 1970’s, the landscape of television was very different from what it is today. “In 1973, the US had a total of 927 VHF and UHF television stations and meanwhile, cable subscriptions were relatively low (the first available data is for 1978, and indicates 13 million cable households, or 17.7% of the market)“ (Uricchio). During the mid 1970’s RCDs and VCRs had not yet penetrated most homes as they would in the next ten years. Flow at this time was less complicated as there limited number of channels and interrupting devices. Today we have many more mediums that allow us to consume TV and even more to disrupt it. With the emergence of these new mediums it becomes important to adjust and redefine some of the strategies surrounding enhancing flow. “Whatever the reason, the larger point regards the subtle but important shift in the concept of flow away from programming strategies and instead to viewer determined experience (Uricchio).” If you compare traditional cable TV to subscription based streaming sites (ie. Netflix, HBO, Hulu) we see a dramatic shift from emphasis on programming to customized experiences.
Uricchio, William. "Television’s Next Generation: Technology /Interface Culture / Flow In, Television After TV: Essays on a Medium in Transition Eds.: Lynn Spigel and Jan Olsson,." Duke University Press (2005): n. pag. Web. 28 Feb. 2015. <http://web.mit.edu/uricchio/Public/pdfs/pdfs/flow%20edited.pdf>.
Webster, James G. "Audience flow past and present: television inheritance effects reconsidered." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 2006: 323. Literature Resource Center. Web. 28 Feb. 2015.
Changing the channel, fast-forwarding through ads, or even switching to Netflix, are all examples of a user disrupting flow. Raymond Williams describes flow as a programming strategy used by television networks aimed at attracting and retaining views for as long as possible. There are dozens of different ways to optimize flow, from back to back programming, stay tuned announcements, behind the scenes, shortening of theme songs, and ad placements just to name a few. It is important to note that when Raymond Williams was writing about flow in the mid 1970’s, the landscape of television was very different from what it is today. “In 1973, the US had a total of 927 VHF and UHF television stations and meanwhile, cable subscriptions were relatively low (the first available data is for 1978, and indicates 13 million cable households, or 17.7% of the market)“ (Uricchio). During the mid 1970’s RCDs and VCRs had not yet penetrated most homes as they would in the next ten years. Flow at this time was less complicated as there limited number of channels and interrupting devices. Today we have many more mediums that allow us to consume TV and even more to disrupt it. With the emergence of these new mediums it becomes important to adjust and redefine some of the strategies surrounding enhancing flow. “Whatever the reason, the larger point regards the subtle but important shift in the concept of flow away from programming strategies and instead to viewer determined experience (Uricchio).” If you compare traditional cable TV to subscription based streaming sites (ie. Netflix, HBO, Hulu) we see a dramatic shift from emphasis on programming to customized experiences.
Uricchio, William. "Television’s Next Generation: Technology /Interface Culture / Flow In, Television After TV: Essays on a Medium in Transition Eds.: Lynn Spigel and Jan Olsson,." Duke University Press (2005): n. pag. Web. 28 Feb. 2015. <http://web.mit.edu/uricchio/Public/pdfs/pdfs/flow%20edited.pdf>.
Webster, James G. "Audience flow past and present: television inheritance effects reconsidered." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 2006: 323. Literature Resource Center. Web. 28 Feb. 2015.
--Sophia