Global Media Distribution and the Tyranny of Digital Distance

Global Media Distribution andthe Tyranny of Digital DistanceTama Leaver / @tamaleaver 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Overview Previously on … • Watching Battlestar Galactica in Australia and the Tyranny of Digital Distance (2008)• Today’s Episode … • (a) The Olympic Contradiction • (b) Matchbox Slaps Diwana • (c) Fragmented Fastracking Next time … • Peppa Pig is the future.Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

I. Previously on ….Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Watching Battlestar Galactica in Australiaand the Tyranny of Digital Distance (2008) Global fandoms vs spoilers! Social networks as the ‘watercooler’ (Jenkins, 2006). On the <Zapper – Casual – Loyal> spectrum, loyals are the focus (Jenkins, 2006). “a prevailing tyranny of digital distance which occurs when the potential for, and indeed expectation of, near- synchronous global distribution of media are not fulfilled due to arbitrary boundaries which began as geographic but are now entirely in the economic and political domains.”Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

II. This week’s episode …Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

(a)The Olympic contradiction.Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

The Olympic Pie: National Slices … NBC (US): time-delayed coverage of key events until primetime. Online available, but only to specific cable subscribers. Australian coverage: Channel 9 free-to-air (single channel); Foxtel (subscription + iPad app), 8 channels.  Only 30% Australian households have subscription TV. Olympics FREE via YouTube in 100+ countries where the IOC was unable to sell national broadcast rightsInternet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

IOC YouTube Channel …Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

#NBCfailCurtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

@NBCDelayedInternet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Source: https://plus.google.com/112794044897464667374/posts/FwDEPGrE28JCurtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Responses to Channel Nine’s coverage …Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Pew Data on 2012 US Olympic Viewing … 73% say they have watched coverage on television, 17% say they have watched online, 12% followed Olympics via social networking sites. 76% of US Olympic viewers approved the time-shifted NBC coverage (excellent (29%) or good (47%); 18% describe it as only fair (13%) or poor (5%)). Source: http://www.people-press.org/2012/08/06/eight-in-ten-following-olympics- on-tv-or-digitally/1/Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

(b) Matchbox Slap’s Diwana. Mini-series based on Christos Tsiolkas’ novel. Was available for free streaming on iView. Matchbox (The Slap producers)  AFACT (Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft)  BREIN (Dutch copyright protection agency)  LeaseWeb (Dutch ISP)  Diwana.org (taken down, November 2011). Australian producers resorting to IP takedowns to try and protect their resale value in the global market (BBC pick up, NBC rights to remake). Diwana p2p community had 40,000 strong, largely ex- pat Australians and New Zealanders. Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012 Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

(c) Fragmented Fast-tracking … Homeland Season 2 New Zealand: free-to-air TV3, 4 hours after US broadcast. Australia: 2 week delay to free-to-air screen; 25min ‘promo’ online for 2 weeks before season two free-to-air premiere. Ten argues this will allow an uninterrupted (not fragmented) weekly run.Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

The Daily Show (US) in Australia & New Zealand  “Foxtel’s exclusive output deal with US channel Comedy Central means Australian premiere episodes of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart can only be seen on The Comedy Channel weeknights at 6.30pm” 10 August 2011Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Brendan Dahill, ABC1 Controller: “Piracy is wrong, as you are denying someone their rights and income for their intellectual property. The fact that it is happening is indicative that as broadcasters we are not meeting demand for a segment of the population. … So as broadcasters we need to find convenient ways of making programs available via legal means to discourage the need for piracy.” 29 August 2012 Source: http://www.news.com.au/technology/abc-warps-time-to-put-dr-who- online-early-at-iview/story-e6frfro0-1226460269988#ixzz29guIt4idInternet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Doctor Who on ABC iView Immediately afterUK Broadcast … iView (online) 6 days before the free-to- air broadcast. Asylum of the Daleks: 75,900 plays in first 24 hours; 172,000 before free-to-air broadcast (maybe 15-20% of overall audience). However, ABC also pursuing creators of iView-ripping software, arguing this is a TOS violation. (No ‘recordings’?)Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Tim Worner, CEO Seven Network: "Im confident that those shows [UK and US TV series such as Downton Abbey and Revenge] wont be greatly affected by the fact they have been on somewhere else first. I know there are other people in the industry who feel differently (about the ratings effects of illegal downloading) and they are making their programming decisions based on that feeling, but I think its jumping at shadows.” 17 October 2012 Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/tv-radio/seven-warns-internet-pirates-wont-scare- them-into-fast-tracking-tv-shows/story-e6frf9ho-1226498687762Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Channel Seven’s Localised Second Screen Bespoke social viewing apps like Fango localise second screen viewing (eg tablet/laptop while watching TV). Rather than Twitter (global conversation), it’s a national or even state conversation (due to multiple timezones in the same country.)Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

III. Next time …Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

iView & Peppa Pig … Top viewed program on iView in August 2012 was season 2 of Peppa Pig. (1st, 2nd and 4th seasons were all in iView top 20, as were many other children’s TV shows).Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

ABC CEO Mark Scott: “… broadcasting’s foundations were built on the idea of scheduled programming. Audiences being in the right place to listen or watch – and at the right time. But Peppa Pig fans don’t expect to wait. They’re a digital audience — they expect the content they want any time, any place, anywhere. […] They see it is immediate, on-demand viewing. There is no schedule. The ever-present trusted baby-sitter – at bedtime, in the car, at grandma’s. Available at the touch of a button. This is the only media world these children will know — and we broadcasting era executives are coming to grips with that.”Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

(Sort of) Conclusions … The tyranny of digital distance is being overcome, but gradually. Audiences of cult/genre/science fiction shows will remain the most likely to circumvent national schedules. However, if NBC’s Olympic coverage, or Channel Seven’s broadcast of Revenge still rate highly despite time-shifting, networks don’t yet have to change their core practices. This is especially true for greying television audiences. However, younger generations will never know the schedule, and once they’re in control whichever service (legal or unauthorised) meets their needs will dominate.Internet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

Questions, Criticism, Comments? Or find me later … www.tamaleaver.net @tamaleaver t.leaver@curtin.edu.auInternet Research 13, Salford. 20 October 2012Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of TechnologyCRICOS Provider Code 00301J

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Global Media Distribution and the Tyranny of Digital Distance

by Tama Leaver on Oct 19, 2012

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