Comments on: RIP Gossip Girl http://www.thelampnyc.org/2009/11/10/rip-gossip-girl/ Learning About Multimedia Project Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:46:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Megha http://www.thelampnyc.org/2009/11/10/rip-gossip-girl/comment-page-1/#comment-5706 Megha Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:41:03 +0000 http://www.thelampnyc.org/?p=1039#comment-5706 Hi Joshua, thank you so much for your comment! I have to say that my critique of the ratings system was more of an offhand comment than anything else, but since you mentioned it, I will say this: the phenomenon of digital distribution is very recent. ABC was the first network to offer full-length episodes online, and this was only in mid-2006. Although networks are certainly motivated to research these numbers, it is still very early to fully understand the trend, and there was definitely an initial resistance to it. The GG "experiment" you mentioned was actually an attempt by the CW to increase GG's low ratings by no longer offering viewers the ability to watch it at their leisure. The experiment was, of course, a failure because, as you mentioned, ratings did not increase. Indeed, those who were watching the show digitally continued to watch it digitally. My offhand comment was actually a reference to this experiment and my frustration with the television industry for failing to adequately deal with the emergence of digital technologies. Hi Joshua, thank you so much for your comment! I have to say that my critique of the ratings system was more of an offhand comment than anything else, but since you mentioned it, I will say this: the phenomenon of digital distribution is very recent. ABC was the first network to offer full-length episodes online, and this was only in mid-2006. Although networks are certainly motivated to research these numbers, it is still very early to fully understand the trend, and there was definitely an initial resistance to it.

The GG “experiment” you mentioned was actually an attempt by the CW to increase GG’s low ratings by no longer offering viewers the ability to watch it at their leisure. The experiment was, of course, a failure because, as you mentioned, ratings did not increase. Indeed, those who were watching the show digitally continued to watch it digitally. My offhand comment was actually a reference to this experiment and my frustration with the television industry for failing to adequately deal with the emergence of digital technologies.

]]> By: Joshua Bentley http://www.thelampnyc.org/2009/11/10/rip-gossip-girl/comment-page-1/#comment-5693 Joshua Bentley Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:45:38 +0000 http://www.thelampnyc.org/?p=1039#comment-5693 An interesting piece, and good to hear the thoughts of a fan of the show. My opinion of the show itself is very different than yours, but that is likely due to demographics. After all, GG was fairly derivative...as many of the youth-focused shows that I enjoyed a decade or two ago were. Without getting into a conversation about whether it was a good show or a bad show, I thought it was interesting that you started your article with a critique of the ratings system, but then admit that the decline in the show's quality led to its ultimate demise. While the ratings system is riddled with flaws, networks are able to monitor legal digital distribution (though, again, imperfectly). A good deal of research, both by networks and independently, has been conducted to determine how much viewing is done on other screens. The amount of digital viewing, while large enough to be measurable, is fairly small. GG actually ran an interesting experiment in which it stopped offering shows online for a few weeks and found no change in the ratings. Again, these studies primarily deal with legal viewing options. If your favorite show is cancelled and its fans only watched pirated versions of it, remember Pogo's epiphany, "We have met the enemy and he is us." An interesting piece, and good to hear the thoughts of a fan of the show. My opinion of the show itself is very different than yours, but that is likely due to demographics. After all, GG was fairly derivative…as many of the youth-focused shows that I enjoyed a decade or two ago were.

Without getting into a conversation about whether it was a good show or a bad show, I thought it was interesting that you started your article with a critique of the ratings system, but then admit that the decline in the show’s quality led to its ultimate demise. While the ratings system is riddled with flaws, networks are able to monitor legal digital distribution (though, again, imperfectly).

A good deal of research, both by networks and independently, has been conducted to determine how much viewing is done on other screens. The amount of digital viewing, while large enough to be measurable, is fairly small. GG actually ran an interesting experiment in which it stopped offering shows online for a few weeks and found no change in the ratings.

Again, these studies primarily deal with legal viewing options. If your favorite show is cancelled and its fans only watched pirated versions of it, remember Pogo’s epiphany, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

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