Converging Trends: The Industrial and Content Dynamics of Contemporary Television

Veronica Innocenti; Guglielmo Pescatore

doi:10.6092/issn.2280-9481/18447

Authors

Veronica Innocenti University of Bologna https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7483-3644

Associate professor at the University of Bologna since 2015, she conducts her research in the areas of cinema, television and digital media. Her research interests mainly concern the history, forms and themes of television, and in particular the new forms of serial narration, the relationship between cinema and television (and cinema and other media), social TV and social media, and audiovisual product marketing.
Guglielmo Pescatore University of Bologna https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5206-6464

Guglielmo Pescatore is full professor at the University of Bologna. His work is characterized by the attention to the phenomena of mutation, both for what concerns the textual forms, as well as the social valences of audiovisual media. His research on TV series gave rise to a line of study dedicated to narrative ecosystems and "vast" narratives, that is to say extended in time and space. Recently he devoted several essays, articles and speeches to this topic. The study of narrative ecosystems led him to adopt an interdisciplinary approach that ranges from studies in media economics and marketing to those related to information technologies, up to an emerging discipline such as information architecture. This has fostered interdisciplinary reconsideration of film studies and audiovisual media in a new key, which aims to promote dialogue between different disciplines, in order to account for the complexity and degree of articulation achieved by contemporary media. The study of narrative ecosystems has found its expression in the international conference Media Mutations (of which he is promoter and member of the Scientific Committee) devoted to this topic.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2280-9481/18447

Keywords:

Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST), Neo-generalism, Library Content, Streaming War, Consumption

Abstract

This article is focused on the complexities of contemporary media scenario, considering the interplay between industrial frameworks, market dynamics, and resultant content exploitation. The paper seeks to chart the current landscape of serial production and posit potential trajectories for its future development. At its core, the research addresses two principal dimensions: the contemporary industrial structure and the relevance of library content.

Within the industrial context, the article scrutinizes the role of streaming platforms and the rise of Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) services. The concept of “neo-generalism” is also introduced as a new framework, characterized by diversified offerings within a single platform that cater to an array of consumer preferences and needs.

With regards to the importance of library content, the article underscores how archival materials serve not only as a supplementary feature but also as a strategic asset in competitive positioning. Furthermore, the dynamics between broadcasters and platforms are investigated, highlighting the hybrid strategies that are emerging from this relationship. Lastly, new paradigms of serial content consumption are explored, specifically focusing on the recent behavioral shifts spurred by the on-demand culture.

Converging Trends: The Industrial and Content Dynamics of Contemporary Television

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