Stokes: Seven must adapt to illegal content sharing

By Ry Crozier on Feb 10, 2010 10:30 AM
Filed under Networking

Channel 7 considers "bringing broadcast windows forward".

Seven Network director Ryan Stokes has admitted that the television network is lost as to how to stop the proliferation of its content - both local and licensed - via peer-to-peer networks and YouTube.

Stokes told the Broadband and Beyond Forum in Sydney today that content creators “will need to adapt to this new environment”.

“It does start to change how we look at broadcast windows and timeframes,” he said.

“We’ve explored bringing those windows forward. But at the end of the day, we don’t know how to stop [peer-to-peer impacting on the business].”

Stokes believed bringing broadcast windows forward was particularly important for programming that targeted younger audiences.

He said the challenges caused by peer-to-peer and video sharing sites affected both content acquired from overseas sources and also locally-generated content.

Stokes: Seven must adapt to illegal content sharing

8 comments in this discussion

"Historically the reason we got things late in Australia, was that studios demanded a premium for "first-to-air", with charges dropping for depending on the delay period (cheaper if a season late). ..."

By Private Citizen

Tags

seven, network, ryan, stokes, p2p, peer to peer

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Comments: 8

laman Feb 10, 2010 4:43 PM	Not only that TV Networks now need to schedule the broadcast earlier, they need to do it in a consistent way. So many times, I watched a TV drama, say, on Tuesday for 2 weeks, then all of the sudden without notice, the 3rd episode was broadcast on Sunday. Missing 2 episodes all together, and so carry on with the peer-to-peer or YouTube and forget all about the bloody TV schedule.
Private Citizen Feb 10, 2010 6:17 PM	@laman, I agree totally, if you dont scour a TV guide daily you cant find out that your favourite show has been shifted by the network. Then there is timeslot creep (channel 10 I am looking at you) where you turnover to watch your show to sit through an extended broadcast of some crappy reality show. It also screws up "timeshifting" where you record while you are out and watch it later. Then there is those TV Shows that disappear for "rescheduling" (e.g. SGU) Free-to-Air wants the fans to come watch on their networks, but then treat us so poorly. They seem to intent on pushing fans to download. If you are a fan of a show you can become a part of a global community of online fans. Fans often download so they participate in the global forums. By the time Aussie Networks air shows many global forums are a full season ahead.
TheBlack Feb 10, 2010 6:36 PM	Indeed, the better they treat their viewers the more loyal they will be. Not withstanding the schedule issue, they also need to reduce the amount of ads. Seriously, as someone who downloads TV series, even a day late on normal TV compared to overseas, I would prefer to download as I don't have to deal with ads. However, if it were just a day later in Australia compared to other countries and if there are less ads and less breaks; I wouldn't bother downloading as it wouldn't be worth the bandwidth. So if they are serious about trying to get their viewer-ship back, then they really need to focus on getting the shows to the viewers quickly, and with as little interruptions as possible. You can't even argue the semantics now in regards to what it costs them to broadcast compared to what they get in pure profit revenue. These corporations have to stop thinking about their bottom line so much, otherwise, they will no longer have a bottom line. Here is an idea for you and it is free. So use it if you must. If you want revenue back from lost viewers, simply provide a downloadable NON DRM version of your shows. Include ads if you will, but less of them. 2 ads maybe every 20 minutes? And you can't complain about bandwidth costs if you take advantage of the very same P2P networks you so love to complain about. Use bit-torrent, create your own tracker, provide these shows yourself. That way you can still obtain revenue via the ads placed within the show. There are smart ways of doing business or the old ways of doing business. Clearly the old is no longer serving you the way you want. You must learn to adapt and change your approach.
wadeal Feb 10, 2010 8:42 PM	Maybe Seven could TRY, as hard as it would be, to play programmes at the SAME TIME as they are played in the US or whatever country. Why for any reason at all do they think that with the internet here and viewers having the ability to just jump online and watch the show whenever they want in full HD (without dropouts or program errors that keep happening with Seven) without ads, that playing a show months later irregularly would appeal to anyone? Adapt or die, but we'll watch them now try sue everybody and get money any other way and blame everyone else for their failure.
Moist Volvo Feb 11, 2010 5:40 AM	Too late 7, 9 and 10! You have treated us with contempt for years and now it's payback time. You've bombarded us with cheap dross and there's been a continued reduction of program material in favour of ads and station promos. You have all played this ridiculous schedule creep game whereby your shows are often starting and finishing 10-15 minutes late. You drop shows mid-series. You play them out of sequence. You shift them from one day to another without warning. You have pretty much ignored any feedback from viewers and arrogantly dismissed the many attempts to bring you into line. You made your bed, now lie in it. If I become aware of a show that might be interesting, I go to my favourite BT site and later that day I have whole series sitting on my PC waiting to be watched at a time that suits me. There are no ads and it's cost me nothing. In my household, and in an increasing number of others too, you are simply irrelevant. I am not often given to schadenfreude, but I'm happy to make an exception for you lot!
Res Feb 11, 2010 9:32 AM	@TheBlack I couldn't agree more, the networks treat us with such contempt. The networks know when very popular shows air in the states, there is no reason for them not to adjust their schedule for those as here, Channels 7 (some show I disliked) and 10 (Jericho, House) in particular have proven they can air shows here within 24 hours of the U.S if and when they want to. The biggest reason for P2P on TV shows (and was there not recent research to show Australia was worst offender?) is because most of the popular series, don't appear here for months and months, I do congratulate C7 for airing current 24 on 72, what I understand is its only 4 to 6 weeks behind U.S, but still no need for that delay, even the ABC is guilty, s8 of spooks was aired in the UK starting back in October last year, not a sign of it here, nor the 2009 Doctor Who Christmas Special (unless for some miraculous reason i missed it and thats highly unlikely) The networks have been told this all too many times before and know how to resolve this, but again, surprise surprise, no change.. Ryan Stokes, the only "bad guys" here are the networks, all of guys want the ratings but yet treat us all like incidentals. I realise there is an abundance of shows out there and you have to slot them all in somewhere, but hey, CBS, Fox (US), etc etc, all manage to do it with their shows don't they. And don't get me started on all the adds every 4 minutes...
ditroia Feb 12, 2010 10:00 AM	If the networks wish to survive they need to do a number of things. 1. Maintain a Schedule, so for the entire run of the show it will air at X time on X day. Make sure your EPG is up to date. 2. Air it within days of it's original OS broadcast. 3. Do not edit, cut or censor any part of the broadcast. 4. Give it a chance to gain an audience. Show a repeat at another time if possible. 5. Don't have too many ad breaks. 6. Make it available in HD. Cheers Dave
Private Citizen Feb 12, 2010 11:29 AM	Historically the reason we got things late in Australia, was that studios demanded a premium for "first-to-air", with charges dropping for depending on the delay period (cheaper if a season late). Networks would sometimes hold back to decide whether a show rated well before committing as well. But some studios are now pushing global releases to stop fans downloading. Also our ratings seasons dont match the overseas markets rating periods. A clarification as the networks always tell us that they have not increased the ad-breaks. What they have increased is Network Ids, Program Ids, Product placements (program sponsored by), popups, voiceovers, program ids over credits. 30 minute program usually has 22 minutes of actual program, I have noted that tighter cuts to adbreaks, adverts during credits has dropped us down to 21 minutes of actual program. 60 minute program is about 44 minutes of actual program.