To buzz or to under-cut?
If you’ve been wondering — like I have — why HBO has been making new episodes of “The Wire” available On Demand a week before they air, here’s why:
The new marketing strategy signals the networks’ acceptance that they no longer can dictate when or where or how viewers watch television. Instead of relying upon splashy TV debuts during a heavily hyped fall premiere week to reach mass audiences and create buzz as the networks have done since 1950s, broadcasters are using new technologies, from iPods to DVDs, to target smaller groups of highly plugged-in consumers.
With regard specifically to “The Wire” (and “Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam”), the article relays the point from a University of Maryland “media economist and historian” that early On Demand allows fans of the Sunday shows to stay “ahead of the curve in online chat” even if they prefer watching football on Sunday nights.
This seems to be the right take on the strategy, but I’m not sure that makes the strategy a sound one. Granted, the independence from advertising means air-time ratings aren’t as important to HBO as they are to other networks. But for a show as desperately in need of mainstream buzz as “The Wire” is, how does catering to the message-board kids help? “The Sopranos” can count on Monday-morning office talk every week; “The Wire” needs it.
The point is moot, of course, if we all just agree that HBO isn’t terribly interested in promoting its best show.
Oh, and if you’ve known about this strategy for months because they did the same thing with “Rome,” “Lucky Louie,” and “Big Love,” good for you. That makes this another in a series of irrelevant posts.
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