Hasta La Creative!

So what’s the relevance of wiener poopie?

Well, a bit of post-Super-Bowl-extravaganza humor never hurts. But more importantly, it speaks (albeit in a bizarre way) to the rapidly changing television environment. Every time I turn on the TV and flip through the cable news channels, I’m surprised. While I’d like to think CNN running a story about a Jesus statue being held hostage is just an anomaly, I’m quickly realizing that is no longer the case. Television is rapidly beginning to emulate much of the internet, and news channels are prime examples. Turning into more of an extravaganza-style, shows like Countdown with Keith Olberman and much of the general CNN and MSNBC’s newscasts showcase rapidfire bits and trinkets, with significantly less in-depth analysis. The local news in Portland has even begun pulling and featuring clips off of YouTube in their newscast and soliciting viewer photos and videos – taking user-generated beyond content and into the realm of factual news.

So the big question: what direction is television viewership moving? Programs are becoming more rapid-fire bits and pieces, emulating on-line news aggregators and video sites. Are the viewers themselves shifting as well? or are broadcast and cable tv just trying to figure out how to maintain their media share in the presence of the ever-growing internet community? Does that shift change the way viewers interact with the advertising alongside these newscasts? Either way, it’s interesting to watch as a viewer, and certainly could have some impact down the road in terms of advertising and branding on tv.

Technorati Tags: CNN, MSNBC, news, user-generated content, youtube, beyond madison avenue