Why don't cable and streaming networks follow the traditional "television season"?

[themistermanguy]

In the TV business, seasons are the time period where new and returning shows debut, usually running from September to May each year. NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, and The CW all put their best stuff on in the Fall, and debut a few extra shows later on mid-season. That's how they always operated, and that's how they will continue to operate till the end of time. By contrast however, Cable and Streaming networks have always just debuted seasons and shows whenever they felt like it. They don't stock pile most of their premieres for the Fall, instead spreading them out over the course of the September - May period, some even premiering in the summer. So why aren't these types of networks beholden to the traditional TV season rules?

 

[PapaGreg096]

... Because they aren't traditional TV therefore the rules don't really apply to them. Also for something like Netflix they just put the whole series out therefore its smart to spread out their shows

 

[Trunkage]

I think its a terrible idea putting all premieres on at the same time. You just get overloaded.

Plus, how many people are actually keen to see premieres these days. I wait for word of mouth on a least 4 episodes.

Also, I don't want to wait week to week for episodes. I might join in at the end of a season anyway

 

[Abomination]

Why would I pay a year for a service that I can binge in a month? They change their available titles and release them usually in a way that avoids competition with the AAA productions. Their entire revenue system is different to traditional television so it makes sense that their release schedule would also be different.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

In the TV business, seasons are the time period where new and returning shows debut, usually running from September to May each year. NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, and The CW all put their best stuff on in the Fall, and debut a few extra shows later on mid-season. That's how they always operated, and that's how they will continue to operate till the end of time. By contrast however, Cable and Streaming networks have always just debuted seasons and shows whenever they felt like it. They don't stock pile most of their premieres for the Fall, instead spreading them out over the course of the September - May period, some even premiering in the summer. So why aren't these types of networks beholden to the traditional TV season rules?

With Television, you have to watch what they release on their schedule, with streaming, you watch what you want to watch on your schedule. Television follows that format because summer is seen as the time people are vacationing and not watching prime time television while through the fall and winter are when people spend more evenings indoors at home. They market their prime time shows to try and get the most viewers during the time they show them, as they also get the most advertising money for those time slots as well. The more viewers watching a show, the more they can charge for that advertising slot.

Online, people watch what they want whenever they want to, and streaming services have no need to worry about fitting their best stuff into " prime time " television slots as people can choose when their own prime viewing time is instead, whether that is am or pm or fall or summer. Since streaming services make their money by monthly fees instead of advertising views during prime time television slots, their best approach is to keep releasing new content monthly, and changing it up to keep it fresh so people do not just buy a sub for a month and watch their show and unsubscribe the rest of the year. By releasing content all the time, people want to keep their current subscriptions and they are constantly gaining new ones. It is a better business model for the service they offer.

 

[themistermanguy]

Why would I pay a year for a service that I can binge in a month? They change their available titles and release them usually in a way that avoids competition with the AAA productions. Their entire revenue system is different to traditional television so it makes sense that their release schedule would also be different.

With Television, you have to watch what they release on their schedule, with streaming, you watch what you want to watch on your schedule. Television follows that format because summer is seen as the time people are vacationing and not watching prime time television while through the fall and winter are when people spend more evenings indoors at home. They market their prime time shows to try and get the most viewers during the time they show them, as they also get the most advertising money for those time slots as well. The more viewers watching a show, the more they can charge for that advertising slot.

Online, people watch what they want whenever they want to, and streaming services have no need to worry about fitting their best stuff into " prime time " television slots as people can choose when their own prime viewing time is instead, whether that is am or pm or fall or summer. Since streaming services make their money by monthly fees instead of advertising views during prime time television slots, their best approach is to keep releasing new content monthly, and changing it up to keep it fresh so people do not just buy a sub for a month and watch their show and unsubscribe the rest of the year. By releasing content all the time, people want to keep their current subscriptions and they are constantly gaining new ones. It is a better business model for the service they offer.

I get why streaming services don't do it. But it seems like Cable Networks don't really follow the traditional TV season Model either.

 

[Abomination]

I get why streaming services don't do it. But it seems like Cable Networks don't really follow the traditional TV season Model either.

Usually because folk are busy and do not have time to watch every show a company can put out within the same week. You space it out to ensure you have a regular revenue stream to keep people subscribed or to keep advertisers happy.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Why would I pay a year for a service that I can binge in a month? They change their available titles and release them usually in a way that avoids competition with the AAA productions. Their entire revenue system is different to traditional television so it makes sense that their release schedule would also be different.

With Television, you have to watch what they release on their schedule, with streaming, you watch what you want to watch on your schedule. Television follows that format because summer is seen as the time people are vacationing and not watching prime time television while through the fall and winter are when people spend more evenings indoors at home. They market their prime time shows to try and get the most viewers during the time they show them, as they also get the most advertising money for those time slots as well. The more viewers watching a show, the more they can charge for that advertising slot.

Online, people watch what they want whenever they want to, and streaming services have no need to worry about fitting their best stuff into " prime time " television slots as people can choose when their own prime viewing time is instead, whether that is am or pm or fall or summer. Since streaming services make their money by monthly fees instead of advertising views during prime time television slots, their best approach is to keep releasing new content monthly, and changing it up to keep it fresh so people do not just buy a sub for a month and watch their show and unsubscribe the rest of the year. By releasing content all the time, people want to keep their current subscriptions and they are constantly gaining new ones. It is a better business model for the service they offer.

I get why streaming services don't do it. But it seems like Cable Networks don't really follow the traditional TV season Model either.

Cable and Satellite TV is more comparable to streaming than to traditional Television as well, thus the streaming model makes more sense for them. They have a monthly fee, have on demand and pay for view programs and channels, and usually come with a DVR option allowing you to record your shows and watch them when you want to now. Traditional TV on the other hand, is broadcast without a monthly fee and primarily earned their income via advertisers alone.

Cable, Just like streaming services do not want people to cancel due to lack of new content each month so need to give people reasons to not unsubscribe.

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

Why should they? Especially streaming, which A) likes to have people binge watching things, so needs to spread its releases out, and B) reaches an international audience so why would they stick to US broadcasting standards?

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

What do you think the benefit would be to them doing so?

 

[Saint of M]

Streaming has the advantage of having an entire seasons up at once, so you can watch a show and get that "3 episode" rule out of the way. Streaming is also built to be binged watched so you can spend a few hours watching an entire season with no problem, or dropping the episode after 5 minutes and going to the next one. All points previously said.

Also as Trunkage said, too much of a good thing what you are asking. When you release a piece of visual media, say TV, Movies, or video games, you are competing with other sources of entertainment, especially in that medium. There are only 24hours in a day, and 2/3 of that is probably filled with work, school and sleep. Some of that might include a movie, news, or a tv show during work and study time, but probably not. You are going to need to decide what can be watched now and what can be put on the back burner. I have a maxed out Netflix que, but I can't possibly watch all of them.

Just on the top of my head I have: on my present to watch list: The second season of the Dragon Prince, The Order, a dozen nature shows, Dragon Piolot, Violet Evergreen, rewatch Hero, Jason X, rewatch Dirty Dozen. That's what, 50 to 100 hours of video watching.