Putting the Wheels on the Wagon and Watching it Go

Scott Kirsner of the generally excellent and oftimes brilliant blog Cinematech (see sidebar) has a post on the coming large hurdles that web content will have to run over in discovering how audiences will want to watch internet content.

You can read about it here.

He makes the analogy that the web is now in an infancy similar to what television went through when it first came to prominence in the late 40's:

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In 1948, NBC moved Milton Berle's "Texaco Star Theater" from radio to television. By 1949, Berle had become television's first big-name star, and was credited with causing the sale of television sets to double that year.

While there have been lots of original shows created for the Web, we don't yet know who the Texacos will be (the sponsors for this new kind of content) or the Uncle Milties. I don't think we've hit an inflection point yet for professional video content online.But it could be close.

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Well, I think that Scott has very aptly answered his own question here in how many of the hurdles will be overcome in transitioning the viewing audience from television to the web.
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What happened in 1948 was that Television took a "radio star" and made him a "television star." They didn't try to reinvent the wheel, but merely rolled that wheel over to their "wagon" so it would work for them.
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You run into that a lot with new technology - the "newness" of it all and how you can do this or that, link to umpteen different sites and chat while watching "tv on the web." It's the geek fascination with possibility instead of the average Joe's practicality.
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So how do you get people to transition into this web world we live in?
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Answer: As easily as possible, by giving them the familiar with the added twist of convenience.
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It's a pretty safe bet that people will want to watch their internet without the bother of chatting while watching (I personally HATE it when people talk during a program). It's a pretty safe bet that what works on the television screen in terms of ads - watermarks, banners, before and after program ads is going to work.

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You don't have to reinvent the wheel.

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Those of you out there who read my blog know of my love for comics. I have been in several discussions with webcomics folk as to what the new version of webcomics ("we can cut them down to this size, add music, flash animations, etc...) will be to attract new people to webcomics. My thought is to analyze the average comic book reader's habits now, and make a similar experience for the web, but with something extra.

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If a reader wants to read comics on the web, why not make the pages "flippable" just like in a magazine? [ FYI - if you want to know what that looks like, subscribe to Video Business's digital edition. An electronic clone of the magazine with flip pages that really mimics the feel of reading a print edition].

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You don't want to make people have to relearn how to connect with their entertainment. That is just a hurdle many people won't want to leap over.

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Which is why I feel confident in saying that the next big (first big?) internet program to gain reknown will be something that was created for the web, but is based on an existing brand or franchise - just like Uncle Milty - that will capture fan interest and have them asking for more. I'm guessing that the Scifi Channel is on the right track as is TBS. Both have initiatives in place to create content based on existing franchises or brands.

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This will bring fans to the net in droves...

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Then we can begin the discussion of new content.

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PS. This also bodes well for writers who can work within the restrictions of the medium and use their knowledge of story to craft something familiar yet different. The net is going to be the land of opportunity for those who want it.