Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Media Studies senior capstone class (2 pm section) at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for the latest on media industry trends and insightful media analysis, you've come to the right place!
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Lifestyle & Niche Media Blog 4, Question 1 (March 2nd )
What is the appeal of lifestyle and niche cable
TV networks and/or programming? How are these networks/programs managing to remain
viable in the SVOD era? Limit: 7
responses
Fiona Doull Part 1: Blog 4, Question 1 Lifestyle and niche cable television have always captivated a certain type of audience. As Americans are staying home amidst the pandemic staring at their furniture wanting to remodel their homes and getting bored of the same meals, they are turning to lifestyle television. According to the article “Staying-at-Home Rules are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership”, Food Network ratings are up 25% and HGTV up 22%. People are currently gravitating towards networks such as these; they are providing ample amounts of entertainment throughout the pandemic while providing a sense of comfort and are easy watches. Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brand officer for Discovery-owned networks states that “people are gravitating to our networks and talent because we provide more than entertainment right now” (Associated Press). Lifestyle and niche cable television have a specific appeal right now; the ability to be made throughout the pandemic. Stuck-at-home shows are currently being filmed, with the use of cameras lent to creators by the network. Television shows such as “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook”, which are pretty self-explanatory and filmed by her nanny (Associated Press). Guy Fieri is working on a show in which he is getting takeout instead of going to restaurants and other shows are in the works about how to make meals at home with what is in your pantry. HGTV is also currently working on new shows where celebrities such as Melissa McCarthy and Brad Pitt improve living situations for people they know (Associated Press). HGTV also plans on creating a show in which products are left on a doorway and design experts will judge how the family made use of those products. Although these networks will host new shows that are a bit different than before the pandemic, it says a lot that they are still able to produce content that audiences will want to watch.
Part 2: We are also seeing a surge of lifestyle and niche shows on streaming services, mainly on Discovery+, the latest addition to the streaming wars. Discovery+ will offer an array of entertainment with over 55,000 episodes of over 2,500 shows (Jarvey). Discovery+ is direct to consumer service with two tiers, one with ads and one ad-free. (Jarvey). One of the biggest headliners in regards to Discovery+ and its new releases is Chip & Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network. Chip and Joanna Gaines are known for their show “Fixer Upper” on HGTV, however, they are releasing their shows as well as a standalone app with both original content and workshops included with a Discovery+ subscription. The Magnolia Network has been noted as one of the top priorities for Discovery+ (O’Connell). Shows such as this are what is allowing these networks and programs to remain viable in the SVOD era. The pandemic is partly responsible for the current and future success of these types of shows as well. Discovery+ also plans on releasing other exclusive lifestyle content such as new cooking shows with Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentis, two staples of the Food Network, a companion series to “90 Day Fiance” and feature-length shows such as a documentary series about JonBenet Ramsey (Jarvey). James Gross, a Barrington Research analyst who rates Discovery at Outperform explained that Discovery+’s “programming and selection of channels offers companies the ability to target ads at narrow groups of consumers, making it more valuable to advertisers” (Moyer). A service like Discovery+ is also different in that it “derives from its focus on unscripted content that is distinct from and complementary” (Moyer). Although Discovery+ may be a recent addition to the streaming world, it is doing so in a unique manner and promoting lifestyle shows, extending their success and helping them to remain visible.
Work Cited: Jarvey, Natalie. “Discovery+ to Join Streaming Wars with January Launch.” The Hollywood Reporter 2 Dec. 2020 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-to-join-streaming-wars-with-january-launch
Moyer, Liz. “Discovery's Lifestyle Streaming App Is Gaining Momentum. Earnings Beat Forecasts.” Discovery's Lifestyle Streaming App Is on a Roll. Earnings Beat Forecasts., Barrons, 22 Feb. 2021, www.barrons.com/articles/discovery-s-lifestyle-streaming-app-is-gaining-momentum-earnings-beat-forecasts-51614017329.
O’Connell, Mike. “Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Launching July on Discovery+, Linear Shifts to 2022.” The Hollywood Reporter 11 Feb. 2021 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/chip-and-joanna-gaines-magnolia-launching-july-on-discovery-linear-shifts-to-2022
“Stay-at-Home Rules are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership. Associated Press (via marketwatch) 5 May 2020. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05
Everyone’s lifestyle has changed within the past year, which means people gained new interests and hobbies. To no surprise, networks such as HGTV and Food Network received massive bumps in their ratings. People around the world, myself included were looking for some new meals and snacks to make, or some home improvement ideas to do while staying at home. According to the article, Stay-At-Home rules are boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership, written by the Associated Press, mentions that, “The Food Network’s overall ratings in April were up 25% over the same month last year, while HGTV was up 22%, the Nielsen company said” (MarketWatch). These are pretty incredible, yet realistic numbers given what the climate was of our world. However, not many stations and networks can receive huge breaks like this. Some of the ways networks like these are staying relevant are by making new ways to entertain. Throughout the rest of the article, it states that Food Network had shown with chef’s exploring new options in the pantry while HGTV is planning a show where people use create home décor with left over items that design experts judge (MarketWatch). It’s the shows like these, that keep cable TV relevant during the surge of SVOD.
Additionally, people like familiarity. Millions of people have been accustomed too flipping through channels on Xfinity, Optimum, or Comcast for decades. The older demographic is not going to go out of their way to find new outlets of entertainment. With that being said, there are still tons of problems with some of the networks being televised on cable. Andy Dehnart who writes for Reality Blurred, spoke upon the experiences of a travel show host, Samantha Brown. She states the lifestyle TV show industry shows a “’lack of representation that has been a contributing factor on how we see, regard and respect communities of color.’”(Dehnart). Brown who has hosted shows on the Travel Channel for nearly 20 years, says there is a huge double standard, and a scarcity of hosts of color and female hosts. In the very inclusive world we see today, where people are becoming cancelled for saying certain things, it is crucial for the dying cable networks to stay up to date. If they begin to include more minority or female hosts, there is a good chance they will be able to increase their viewership.
Lastly, according to a survey done by ZDnet.com it was revealed that 60% of Americans are both paying for a streaming service while having cable (Elleen Brown). Some other statistics shown throughout the article is that 10% of people pay over $160 a month for cable TV services. That number is an insane amount, especially when streaming competitors such as YouTubeTV is almost half of that for more content. As I said before peoples lifestyle’s are changing constantly; in order for cable to stay afloat they need to continue to adapt to people’s new interests, much like what HGTV and Food Network did last spring.
Associated Press. (2020, May 6). Stay-at-home rules are boosting HGTV, Food Network viewership. MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05 Brown, E. (2020, October 27). Cable vs. streaming compete to deliver the future of entertainment. ZDNet. https://www.zdnet.com/article/cable-vs-streaming-compete-to-deliver-the-future-of-entertainment/ Dehnart, A., & Dehnart, A. (2020, June 5). Samantha Brown calls out the ‘void of diversity’ in travel, food, and home reality TV hosts. Reality Blurred. https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2020/06/samantha-brown-diversity-travel-home-food-reality-tv/
Part 1 During the course of this pandemic, lifestyle television shows have seen a rather large surge in viewership. Personally, I think this could be attributed to the qualities the shows have always held. When you think about it, these cooking, home renovation, and lifestyle television shows have always found their home in the middle of the day, never at night or another busy part of the day. These shows are really like the opposite of prime time television. Think about who watches primetime television. People of all walks of life can settle down in front of the TV at 8-11pm and enjoy some of the higher quality content being put out. Now think about morning television. Television that is watched by people who are up early, getting ready for work or school and trying to get caught up in the latest news, sports, or morning cartoon. Now who watches daytime television? Daytime television is for people who are at home or in front of a TV for some period in the middle of the day. Some may be a stay at home parent with their child, some may be off from work, some may just be done with whatever they had that day, the point is they aren’t busy at mid day. Naturally, you don't put the super quality content on during the daytime because most people are busy during the day, so naturally the programming has to have a time occupying effect (i.e. a distraction for 30 minutes at a time). You produce a show that has no continuity (there’s nothing to catch up on), appeals to a wide audience, and presents something interesting enough to kill time. With the pandemic keeping everyone at home during the day, more and more Americans are sliding into that ‘TV that kills time’ category of viewer. Discovery’s channels are proof of this effect. Food Network and HGTV have seen increases of over 20%. According to Marketwatch: “Four Discovery-owned networks — TLC, HGTV, Discovery and the Food Network — were among the 10 most popular cable networks in prime time last week, Nielsen said.” This means that these channels are leaking into the prime time market as well, and are grabbing the attention of the new, wider audience.
Discovery and its owned channels are jumping on the SVOD wagon with their Discovery+ service. I can’t say how successful or sustainable this will be, but this may actually be the right time to do it. As I said before, the shows that are receiving more and more viewership are the daytime shows that are not normally watched by many busy people. Now that everyone is suddenly not busy, they are becoming more invested in these programs. I’m sure 90 Day Fiance will be plenty popular on its own, but with this new market it is reaching, more customers may be tempted to buy something like Discovery+ if it means they can keep watching on their own time, especially if they go back to work. This also comes in addition to a report from Hollywood Reporter saying that Discovery+ will host the olympic streams in Europe this year, likely because of their ties with Sky over there. According to RBC Wealth Management: “In fact, based on a cord-cutting study published by Roku in July of this year, cord-cutting hit a milestone in the midst of the pandemic with nearly one in three U.S. TV households without traditional pay TV subscriptions (cable, satellite, telco), while another 25 percent of households identified as cord-shavers and cut back their service.” This means that people, frankly, don’t care what time TV shows are on. Prime time can become when the consumer wants it to be, and having these non-prime time shows on demand can be a major step up with these new customers.
Streaming services have accelerated during COVID-19. Will this continue? - RBC Wealth Management. (2019). Rbcwealthmanagement.com. https://www.rbcwealthmanagement.com/us/en/research-insights/streaming-services-have-accelerated-during-covid-19-will-this-continue/detail/
Associated Press. (2020, May 5). Stay-at-home rules are boosting HGTV, Food Network viewership. MarketWatch; MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05
Jarvey, N. (2020, December 2). Discovery+ to Join Streaming Wars With January Launch. The Hollywood Reporter; https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-to-join-streaming-wars-with-january-launch
Caleb Joseph Wood Since the start of the pandemic both lifestyle and niche TV programs have begun to skyrocket in terms of their viewing numbers. TV in general has seen a major boost across the board, but many are wondering why the lifestyle genre specifically has been able to bring in so many more viewers. When the time is taken to actually consider these numbers and what is happening in our world today, it begins to make a lot of sense. I believe channels such as Food Network, HGTV, and TLC saw such a rise in ratings because they represent both what people miss about pre-Covid life, but also things they are able to do within their homes post-Covid outbreak. What I mean by this is that viewers can watch shows about restaurants and travel, but also shows on home renovations, DIY, and cooking at home. Not only are these programs entertaining, but they are also providing knowledge to the viewers on how they can perform the same tasks seen in the shows. Chief lifestyle brand officer for the Discover-owned networks, Kathleen Finch, described this by saying, “People are gravitating towards our networks and talent because we provide more than entertainment right now” (Associated Press). I agree with this statement because audiences can find entertainment in a plethora of sites and platforms, but during this pandemic people were searching for more than just that. Yes, people wanted to be entertained, but they were also just simply looking for something to do with their time. New recipes and DIY projects were definitely something that could take up this time, and networks like these are the only ones giving viewers this kind of experience of entertainment and knowledge of something they can do on their own time. This idea of being able to take what you see in these shows and do them yourself is definitely the major key in what makes these networks so unique and separate them from the rest. However, they do still have an entertainment factor that widely appeals to their audience. When discussing the entertainment value of these programs, Chip and Joanna Gaines of Magnolia said, “From the beginning, our aim for Magnolia Network has been to tell good stories. Stories that bring us together, that inspire and encourage us to try something new” (O’Connell). Of course getting the audience to try what the program is attempting is the main goal as I had mentioned, but there is absolutely the underlying focus on entertainment. The knowledge on cooking, DIY, or whatever it may be, is what continues to bring in viewers to watch these programs, but the entertaining and heart-warming stories are what keep them watching. During the SVOD era these kinds of programs will continue to thrive because they will always have relevance to a large demographic. Despite the rapidly changing market of both linear and streaming television, I see these networks as continuing this growth they have seen during the pandemic. Jason Lynch of Adweek believes these networks simply capitalized on the needs of their audience during this pandemic (Lynch). Although it was certainly heightened because of Covid I believe this will remain a “need” and the networks will continue to put importance on the creation and growth of these lifestyle programs.
Sources O'Connell, Mikey. “Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Launching July on Discovery+, Linear Shifts to 2022.” The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2021. Press, Associated. “Stay-at-Home Rules Are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 5 May 2020. Jason, Lynch. “Discovery Rakes in the Ratings With Home and Food Channels.” Adweek, Adweek, 29 Apr. 2020.
Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, lifestyle and niche televisions have had a surplus of viewers. There was something about quarantine and staying home that triggered a sudden interest in lifestyle cable television. For starters, this pandemic left us all in our houses with virtually nothing to do. People were starting to get bored fast. To no surprise with this being said, there was a surge in viewership for networks like HGTV and the Food Network. In an article by Market Watch called" Stay-at-home Rules Are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership", the author states that "The Food Network’s overall ratings in April were up 25% over the same month last year, while HGTV was up 22%, the Nielsen company said". It makes perfect sense to see viewership in these particular networks going up during this time. The boredom caused by the stay at home order is the exact appeal these networks needed. With nothing but time on their hands, people were turning to these channels to try and find the next DIY home project, or meal to make to keep themselves busy. It has even been said that these lifestyle cable networks are providing more entertainment right now than any other cable network (Market Watch).
Although lifestyle and niche cable television networks may have just gotten lucky during the pandemic, they sure are doing what they can to stay afloat. These networks have adjusted to the pandemic, and are continuing to adjust to a post-pandemic life. For example, Guy Fieri continues his Diners, Drive-ins and Dives series by taking his meals to go, rather than dining in. Not only this, but other chefs on the Food Network are teaching their viewers how to cook with everyday items that almost anyone can find in their pantry (Market Watch). Finally, the article states " HGTV is planning a show where new products are left on the doorway of people and design experts will judge how the family made use of them, said Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brand officer for the Discovery-owned networks" (Market Watch).
Furthermore, HGTV and the Food Network are not the only networks who thrived through the pandemic. The Discovery channel found themselves doing so well, that they decided to come out with Discovery +. In an article called "Discovery + Joins Streaming Wars With January Launch", author Natalie Jarvey states "Discovery+ will combine programming from across the conglomerate's brands, including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet and OWN". This is a very smart move by Discovery because it is tying in all of the elements of lifestyle cable television that thrived so well during the pandemic. The Rolling Stone released an article called "Discovery+ Review: Here’s What to Know About Discovery’s New Streaming Service", where they discussed the pros and cons to this new streaming service. Author Brandt Ranj points out that this service is cheaper than most at only $4.99 per month, and it is available on many different platforms. It also stream shows from several major cable networks. (Ranj). This is a really good way to stay at the top, and continue growing as a company and a streaming service.
works cited Jarvey, Natalie. “Discovery+ to Join Streaming Wars With January Launch.” The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-to-join-streaming-wars-with-january-launch. Press, Associated. “Stay-at-Home Rules Are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 5 May 2020, www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05. Ranj, Brandt. “Discovery+ Review: Here's What to Know About Discovery's New Streaming Service.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2021, www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/discovery-plus-shows-movies-pricing-1109388/.
Fiona Doull
ReplyDeletePart 1:
Blog 4, Question 1
Lifestyle and niche cable television have always captivated a certain type of audience. As Americans are staying home amidst the pandemic staring at their furniture wanting to remodel their homes and getting bored of the same meals, they are turning to lifestyle television. According to the article “Staying-at-Home Rules are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership”, Food Network ratings are up 25% and HGTV up 22%. People are currently gravitating towards networks such as these; they are providing ample amounts of entertainment throughout the pandemic while providing a sense of comfort and are easy watches. Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brand officer for Discovery-owned networks states that “people are gravitating to our networks and talent because we provide more than entertainment right now” (Associated Press).
Lifestyle and niche cable television have a specific appeal right now; the ability to be made throughout the pandemic. Stuck-at-home shows are currently being filmed, with the use of cameras lent to creators by the network. Television shows such as “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook”, which are pretty self-explanatory and filmed by her nanny (Associated Press). Guy Fieri is working on a show in which he is getting takeout instead of going to restaurants and other shows are in the works about how to make meals at home with what is in your pantry. HGTV is also currently working on new shows where celebrities such as Melissa McCarthy and Brad Pitt improve living situations for people they know (Associated Press). HGTV also plans on creating a show in which products are left on a doorway and design experts will judge how the family made use of those products. Although these networks will host new shows that are a bit different than before the pandemic, it says a lot that they are still able to produce content that audiences will want to watch.
Part 2:
ReplyDeleteWe are also seeing a surge of lifestyle and niche shows on streaming services, mainly on Discovery+, the latest addition to the streaming wars. Discovery+ will offer an array of entertainment with over 55,000 episodes of over 2,500 shows (Jarvey). Discovery+ is direct to consumer service with two tiers, one with ads and one ad-free. (Jarvey). One of the biggest headliners in regards to Discovery+ and its new releases is Chip & Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network. Chip and Joanna Gaines are known for their show “Fixer Upper” on HGTV, however, they are releasing their shows as well as a standalone app with both original content and workshops included with a Discovery+ subscription. The Magnolia Network has been noted as one of the top priorities for Discovery+ (O’Connell). Shows such as this are what is allowing these networks and programs to remain viable in the SVOD era. The pandemic is partly responsible for the current and future success of these types of shows as well. Discovery+ also plans on releasing other exclusive lifestyle content such as new cooking shows with Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentis, two staples of the Food Network, a companion series to “90 Day Fiance” and feature-length shows such as a documentary series about JonBenet Ramsey (Jarvey). James Gross, a Barrington Research analyst who rates Discovery at Outperform explained that Discovery+’s “programming and selection of channels offers companies the ability to target ads at narrow groups of consumers, making it more valuable to advertisers” (Moyer). A service like Discovery+ is also different in that it “derives from its focus on unscripted content that is distinct from and complementary” (Moyer). Although Discovery+ may be a recent addition to the streaming world, it is doing so in a unique manner and promoting lifestyle shows, extending their success and helping them to remain visible.
Work Cited:
Jarvey, Natalie. “Discovery+ to Join Streaming Wars with January Launch.” The Hollywood Reporter 2 Dec. 2020
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-to-join-streaming-wars-with-january-launch
Moyer, Liz. “Discovery's Lifestyle Streaming App Is Gaining Momentum. Earnings Beat Forecasts.” Discovery's Lifestyle Streaming App Is on a Roll. Earnings Beat Forecasts., Barrons, 22 Feb. 2021, www.barrons.com/articles/discovery-s-lifestyle-streaming-app-is-gaining-momentum-earnings-beat-forecasts-51614017329.
O’Connell, Mike. “Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Launching July on Discovery+, Linear Shifts to 2022.” The Hollywood Reporter 11 Feb. 2021
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/chip-and-joanna-gaines-magnolia-launching-july-on-discovery-linear-shifts-to-2022
“Stay-at-Home Rules are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership. Associated Press (via marketwatch) 5 May 2020.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05
Matt Gallo 1
ReplyDeleteEveryone’s lifestyle has changed within the past year, which means people gained new interests and hobbies. To no surprise, networks such as HGTV and Food Network received massive bumps in their ratings. People around the world, myself included were looking for some new meals and snacks to make, or some home improvement ideas to do while staying at home. According to the article, Stay-At-Home rules are boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership, written by the Associated Press, mentions that, “The Food Network’s overall ratings in April were up 25% over the same month last year, while HGTV was up 22%, the Nielsen company said” (MarketWatch). These are pretty incredible, yet realistic numbers given what the climate was of our world. However, not many stations and networks can receive huge breaks like this. Some of the ways networks like these are staying relevant are by making new ways to entertain. Throughout the rest of the article, it states that Food Network had shown with chef’s exploring new options in the pantry while HGTV is planning a show where people use create home décor with left over items that design experts judge (MarketWatch). It’s the shows like these, that keep cable TV relevant during the surge of SVOD.
Additionally, people like familiarity. Millions of people have been accustomed too flipping through channels on Xfinity, Optimum, or Comcast for decades. The older demographic is not going to go out of their way to find new outlets of entertainment. With that being said, there are still tons of problems with some of the networks being televised on cable. Andy Dehnart who writes for Reality Blurred, spoke upon the experiences of a travel show host, Samantha Brown. She states the lifestyle TV show industry shows a “’lack of representation that has been a contributing factor on how we see, regard and respect communities of color.’”(Dehnart). Brown who has hosted shows on the Travel Channel for nearly 20 years, says there is a huge double standard, and a scarcity of hosts of color and female hosts. In the very inclusive world we see today, where people are becoming cancelled for saying certain things, it is crucial for the dying cable networks to stay up to date. If they begin to include more minority or female hosts, there is a good chance they will be able to increase their viewership.
2
DeleteLastly, according to a survey done by ZDnet.com it was revealed that 60% of Americans are both paying for a streaming service while having cable (Elleen Brown). Some other statistics shown throughout the article is that 10% of people pay over $160 a month for cable TV services. That number is an insane amount, especially when streaming competitors such as YouTubeTV is almost half of that for more content. As I said before peoples lifestyle’s are changing constantly; in order for cable to stay afloat they need to continue to adapt to people’s new interests, much like what HGTV and Food Network did last spring.
Associated Press. (2020, May 6). Stay-at-home rules are boosting HGTV, Food Network viewership. MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05
Brown, E. (2020, October 27). Cable vs. streaming compete to deliver the future of entertainment. ZDNet. https://www.zdnet.com/article/cable-vs-streaming-compete-to-deliver-the-future-of-entertainment/
Dehnart, A., & Dehnart, A. (2020, June 5). Samantha Brown calls out the ‘void of diversity’ in travel, food, and home reality TV hosts. Reality Blurred. https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2020/06/samantha-brown-diversity-travel-home-food-reality-tv/
Brendan McDonald
ReplyDeletePart 1
During the course of this pandemic, lifestyle television shows have seen a rather large surge in viewership. Personally, I think this could be attributed to the qualities the shows have always held. When you think about it, these cooking, home renovation, and lifestyle television shows have always found their home in the middle of the day, never at night or another busy part of the day. These shows are really like the opposite of prime time television. Think about who watches primetime television. People of all walks of life can settle down in front of the TV at 8-11pm and enjoy some of the higher quality content being put out. Now think about morning television. Television that is watched by people who are up early, getting ready for work or school and trying to get caught up in the latest news, sports, or morning cartoon. Now who watches daytime television? Daytime television is for people who are at home or in front of a TV for some period in the middle of the day. Some may be a stay at home parent with their child, some may be off from work, some may just be done with whatever they had that day, the point is they aren’t busy at mid day. Naturally, you don't put the super quality content on during the daytime because most people are busy during the day, so naturally the programming has to have a time occupying effect (i.e. a distraction for 30 minutes at a time). You produce a show that has no continuity (there’s nothing to catch up on), appeals to a wide audience, and presents something interesting enough to kill time. With the pandemic keeping everyone at home during the day, more and more Americans are sliding into that ‘TV that kills time’ category of viewer. Discovery’s channels are proof of this effect. Food Network and HGTV have seen increases of over 20%. According to Marketwatch: “Four Discovery-owned networks — TLC, HGTV, Discovery and the Food Network — were among the 10 most popular cable networks in prime time last week, Nielsen said.” This means that these channels are leaking into the prime time market as well, and are grabbing the attention of the new, wider audience.
Part 2
DeleteDiscovery and its owned channels are jumping on the SVOD wagon with their Discovery+ service. I can’t say how successful or sustainable this will be, but this may actually be the right time to do it. As I said before, the shows that are receiving more and more viewership are the daytime shows that are not normally watched by many busy people. Now that everyone is suddenly not busy, they are becoming more invested in these programs. I’m sure 90 Day Fiance will be plenty popular on its own, but with this new market it is reaching, more customers may be tempted to buy something like Discovery+ if it means they can keep watching on their own time, especially if they go back to work. This also comes in addition to a report from Hollywood Reporter saying that Discovery+ will host the olympic streams in Europe this year, likely because of their ties with Sky over there. According to RBC Wealth Management: “In fact, based on a cord-cutting study published by Roku in July of this year, cord-cutting hit a milestone in the midst of the pandemic with nearly one in three U.S. TV households without traditional pay TV subscriptions (cable, satellite, telco), while another 25 percent of households identified as cord-shavers and cut back their service.” This means that people, frankly, don’t care what time TV shows are on. Prime time can become when the consumer wants it to be, and having these non-prime time shows on demand can be a major step up with these new customers.
Streaming services have accelerated during COVID-19. Will this continue? - RBC Wealth Management. (2019). Rbcwealthmanagement.com. https://www.rbcwealthmanagement.com/us/en/research-insights/streaming-services-have-accelerated-during-covid-19-will-this-continue/detail/
Associated Press. (2020, May 5). Stay-at-home rules are boosting HGTV, Food Network viewership. MarketWatch; MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05
Jarvey, N. (2020, December 2). Discovery+ to Join Streaming Wars With January Launch. The Hollywood Reporter; https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-to-join-streaming-wars-with-january-launch
Caleb Joseph Wood
ReplyDeleteSince the start of the pandemic both lifestyle and niche TV programs have begun to skyrocket in terms of their viewing numbers. TV in general has seen a major boost across the board, but many are wondering why the lifestyle genre specifically has been able to bring in so many more viewers. When the time is taken to actually consider these numbers and what is happening in our world today, it begins to make a lot of sense. I believe channels such as Food Network, HGTV, and TLC saw such a rise in ratings because they represent both what people miss about pre-Covid life, but also things they are able to do within their homes post-Covid outbreak. What I mean by this is that viewers can watch shows about restaurants and travel, but also shows on home renovations, DIY, and cooking at home. Not only are these programs entertaining, but they are also providing knowledge to the viewers on how they can perform the same tasks seen in the shows. Chief lifestyle brand officer for the Discover-owned networks, Kathleen Finch, described this by saying, “People are gravitating towards our networks and talent because we provide more than entertainment right now” (Associated Press). I agree with this statement because audiences can find entertainment in a plethora of sites and platforms, but during this pandemic people were searching for more than just that. Yes, people wanted to be entertained, but they were also just simply looking for something to do with their time. New recipes and DIY projects were definitely something that could take up this time, and networks like these are the only ones giving viewers this kind of experience of entertainment and knowledge of something they can do on their own time. This idea of being able to take what you see in these shows and do them yourself is definitely the major key in what makes these networks so unique and separate them from the rest. However, they do still have an entertainment factor that widely appeals to their audience. When discussing the entertainment value of these programs, Chip and Joanna Gaines of Magnolia said, “From the beginning, our aim for Magnolia Network has been to tell good stories. Stories that bring us together, that inspire and encourage us to try something new” (O’Connell). Of course getting the audience to try what the program is attempting is the main goal as I had mentioned, but there is absolutely the underlying focus on entertainment. The knowledge on cooking, DIY, or whatever it may be, is what continues to bring in viewers to watch these programs, but the entertaining and heart-warming stories are what keep them watching. During the SVOD era these kinds of programs will continue to thrive because they will always have relevance to a large demographic. Despite the rapidly changing market of both linear and streaming television, I see these networks as continuing this growth they have seen during the pandemic. Jason Lynch of Adweek believes these networks simply capitalized on the needs of their audience during this pandemic (Lynch). Although it was certainly heightened because of Covid I believe this will remain a “need” and the networks will continue to put importance on the creation and growth of these lifestyle programs.
Sources
O'Connell, Mikey. “Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Launching July on Discovery+, Linear Shifts to 2022.” The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2021.
Press, Associated. “Stay-at-Home Rules Are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 5 May 2020.
Jason, Lynch. “Discovery Rakes in the Ratings With Home and Food Channels.” Adweek, Adweek, 29 Apr. 2020.
Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, lifestyle and niche televisions have had a surplus of viewers. There was something about quarantine and staying home that triggered a sudden interest in lifestyle cable television. For starters, this pandemic left us all in our houses with virtually nothing to do. People were starting to get bored fast. To no surprise with this being said, there was a surge in viewership for networks like HGTV and the Food Network. In an article by Market Watch called" Stay-at-home Rules Are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership", the author states that "The Food Network’s overall ratings in April were up 25% over the same month last year, while HGTV was up 22%, the Nielsen company said". It makes perfect sense to see viewership in these particular networks going up during this time. The boredom caused by the stay at home order is the exact appeal these networks needed. With nothing but time on their hands, people were turning to these channels to try and find the next DIY home project, or meal to make to keep themselves busy. It has even been said that these lifestyle cable networks are providing more entertainment right now than any other cable network (Market Watch).
ReplyDeleteAlthough lifestyle and niche cable television networks may have just gotten lucky during the pandemic, they sure are doing what they can to stay afloat. These networks have adjusted to the pandemic, and are continuing to adjust to a post-pandemic life. For example, Guy Fieri continues his Diners, Drive-ins and Dives series by taking his meals to go, rather than dining in. Not only this, but other chefs on the Food Network are teaching their viewers how to cook with everyday items that almost anyone can find in their pantry (Market Watch). Finally, the article states " HGTV is planning a show where new products are left on the doorway of people and design experts will judge how the family made use of them, said Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brand officer for the Discovery-owned networks" (Market Watch).
Furthermore, HGTV and the Food Network are not the only networks who thrived through the pandemic. The Discovery channel found themselves doing so well, that they decided to come out with Discovery +. In an article called "Discovery + Joins Streaming Wars With January Launch", author Natalie Jarvey states "Discovery+ will combine programming from across the conglomerate's brands, including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet and OWN". This is a very smart move by Discovery because it is tying in all of the elements of lifestyle cable television that thrived so well during the pandemic. The Rolling Stone released an article called "Discovery+ Review: Here’s What to Know About Discovery’s New Streaming Service", where they discussed the pros and cons to this new streaming service. Author Brandt Ranj points out that this service is cheaper than most at only $4.99 per month, and it is available on many different platforms. It also stream shows from several major cable networks. (Ranj). This is a really good way to stay at the top, and continue growing as a company and a streaming service.
works cited
Jarvey, Natalie. “Discovery+ to Join Streaming Wars With January Launch.” The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-to-join-streaming-wars-with-january-launch.
Press, Associated. “Stay-at-Home Rules Are Boosting HGTV, Food Network Viewership.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 5 May 2020, www.marketwatch.com/story/stay-at-home-rules-are-boosting-hgtv-food-network-viewership-2020-05-05.
Ranj, Brandt. “Discovery+ Review: Here's What to Know About Discovery's New Streaming Service.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2021, www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/discovery-plus-shows-movies-pricing-1109388/.
Gianna Petruccelli^^
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