I have not hidden the fact that I am a fan of professional
wrestling. Yes, I know it is predetermined and scripted. When done right it is
fun. I am not current with the WWE or TNA at the moment. I miss my WWE on
demand subscription. The reason I miss it is all of their retrospective
programming on the older events and performers. Right now I prefer going back.
The newer personalities are not doing it for me. WWE finally launched their
Network. They could not convince the cable companies to sign on. So they did
the next best thing. They launched it as a streaming channel and an on demand
service via the internet, game consoles, Tablets, Internet streaming devices
(ROKU and Apple TV) and so on. Here is the kicker if you pay agree for 6 months
of service you get Pay-Per- Views Live streaming. What are they charging? 9.99 a
month. That seems a lot. However this includes their entire library from the
late 40's to the present. All of the collected libraries from WCW, ECW, WCCW,
AWA, FCW, Jim Crocket Promotions (NWA from the 70's to 80's) and more. That
means they have over 60 years of Professional Wrestling History to play with.
They own it. Unlike Netflix no licensing fees. Even if you are not a fan of the
present iteration of WWE, there still could be programming that would interest
you. If I had it I would get it. That is just me. The new pay-per-view model with WWE Network
so far has led to one content provider, Dish Network, refusing to carry any WWE
pay-pre-views. DirecTV has grumbled
about following suit. Other providers
are going to wait month to month to see how things work out.
WWE a major media corporation just entered the New Media
Paradigm. Vincent K. McMahon has been
trying to create a WWE channel for over a decade. Other larger Media Corporations have made
money off of him. They also refused to
let him play. In the early eighties when
he gained control of his company then the World Wide Wrestling Federation he
wished to do things against convention.
During that time Wrestling Promotions were regional and you did not set
up shop in a region without permission of the head of the region. Vincent K. McMahon wished to go
national. He got shows on cable and
started selling shows to various television markets. When he was told no, he did it anyway or
found a way around it. He has done that
again, this time with going streaming and on demand with content.
The cable companies are still clinging to the old paradigm
and they are losing ground. There is a
movement of cable cutters; they use the internet to access film and
television. The Cable companies then
make agreements with content providers, Television Networks, Cable Networks and
other Media Corporations, that force the need of a cable or satellite provider
to access the content on the internet.
There is a demand for a la carte cable and satellite services. There is also a demand for those without
cable or satellite to pay for a subscription for internet access to
content. These corporations are refusing
to do so and losing money to make their business partners happy. Vincent. K. McMahon is tired of waiting for
them. I may not have agreed with many of
his tactics, but this one makes absolute sense.
Music companies are also making huge mistakes by not signing
acts that challenge conventional thinking in style and genre. These acts are taking their work directly to
the people through iTunes, Amazon and other internet music services. Steam Powered Giraffe would have been ignored
by the old media paradigm. In fact they combine,
street performance, Mime, theatre with folk and pop music. They are gaining quite a following producing
and selling their work through the internet music outlets. Lindsay Sterling, The Piano Guys, Peter
Hollens, Pentatonix, Street Corner Renaissance, Adam WarRock, The Doubleclicks
and many more are doing the same thing.
Corporate media companies are losing ground in a serious way. They are also losing the ability to be taste
makers. Due to the global nature of the
internet, acts that had limited access to other parts of the world are going
viral. Gotye and PSY are evidence of
this.
Old school book publishers are struggling too. Independent publishers and Amazon.com are
gaining serious ground in this new electronic system. In the past publishers took on internet savvy
writers known for self-publishing assuming they did not have to put a dime into
promotion. That was a mistake. Amazon is not repeating it. They have scooped up some of those authors
the traditional publishers let go.
Others went back to their roots of self-publishing. They are succeeding selling their works
through various e-pub sites. Comics
Books have gotten into the mix too.
ComiXology and DriveThruComics are working with Indie Publishers and
Self-Publishers to gain new access.
Recently Amazon bought ComiXology.
This will work, because more options for sales does the company well
monetarily. DC and Marvel unlike their
counterparts in Traditional Publishing are getting into the act. They have digital first comics titles that
are published online months prior to print.
All of these changes have made me hopeful for the Evolution
of Media into the New Media Paradigm.
There still will be those with a vested interest in the old paradigm
kicking and screaming themselves into irrelevance. That Is My Not So Humble Opinion.
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