Digital Dish

I think about television programming a lot these days. Doing so is a little like trying to read the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica. It’s exhausting! The industry is still fairly new to me and often feels vague and complex. It’s a lot clearer than it used to be but I can’t lie. I have never seen a more nebulous target.

First, there are two basic sides to the industry, which from the outside appear as one. One is the swirling vortex that is the people who create the content; the other the clean, almost sterile (but no less intricate) structure that runs it.

From there, it splinters into a million directions on both sides, which then move around. It’s like a giant ball with a smaller core in the center (those who run content) completely surrounded by an outer world (those who create it). In the center of the center is what everybody wants: a show on the market.

Once you enter this weird, watery world, it’s like being in a big, strange city and you’re lost in the car.

Only here, everybody you come across gives slightly different and sometimes contradicting directions. Some people aren’t really sure of the way themselves but will try to pretend to be just to get a lift in your vehicle. Should you make it to one of the formally assigned guides to the city, you also have to be careful. Each of them have their own way of getting into the center. It doesn’t always mean it’ll be the one you should’ve taken.

I’m getting tired just writing today’s post about it!

It doesn’t end there because, of course, if you do find that you make it to the center, it’s no easier as it has its own, different brand of spaghetti that can be just as complicated. I’m sure that in a lot of ways, this is because I just don’t fully know/understand the business yet. But sometimes the business mind of me stares at these things in wonder at how and why exactly they’re there.

I think I may have finally solved at least one big part of the riddle, and soon, I’ll know if I am right about the other. It still doesn’t mean that the work is done, for if I have in fact successfully found the code, the game’s still not up.

I then have to find, gather and put together all-new clues and pieces for the formula that unlocks the last level. It’s like playing “Tomb Raider” and you’re like Lara Croft.

What’s so unusual to me is that at the end of the year, the business shuts down. I had heard about this but didn’t entirely believe it. Now, here we are. For me, it’s very fascinating and wonder what all is involved. Is it just the talent agencies? All of the networks? Who? What?

I can tell you that this is one girl who won’t be asleep in her bed when this promised industry-wide slumber comes to town. When the cat’s away, the mice will play. With the halls empty, I can’t wait to see what I find out.