After the murder of George Floyd, there seemed to be a bipartisan consensus that something had to be done, but nothing happened. The latest NBC News poll paints a picture of a deeply pessimistic country, distrustful of government, with an overall outlook that is historically bleak.
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#GeorgeFloyd #TyreNichols #PoliceBrutality
For decades, TV news lived on cable. The broadcast newscast, however, remained stuck in time. With the rise of DVRs, time-shifting became possible.
As a result, cable news programs began one-upping the broadcast newscasts. These cable channels brought live events into the mix. And the audiences preferred entertainment. In many cases, they spent more time watching streaming programming than they did watching broadcast TV.
Meanwhile, the major news networks began to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in new streaming operations. They were convinced that their technological edge would help them serve a new streaming audience.
When CNN and Fox launched their streaming services, critics questioned why people would watch them. But, at least as far as CNN was concerned, the streaming service did not have a chance to test its formula.
CNN’s critics overlooked the rapid rate of adoption of cable, and the pent-up demand for alternatives. The new streaming service was not ready to compete with the partisan news outlets of Fox and MSNBC.
It is likely that online video streaming will reshape the way political news is covered. The emergence of new, overtly political news operations could fuel polarization. However, it is also possible that some viewers will find the content commercially unappealing.
Streaming will also make it possible for viewers to customize their viewing experience. Some free streamers are promoting cable-quality news. Others are telling consumers that they can cut their cable subscriptions.
Streaming is a technology that can help news networks serve the mass audience they seek. By reducing the scarcity factor, they can provide timely and customized news.
