Current TV Puts Viewers in Control

Filed in archive IPTV on August 1, 2005

Digital media puts consumers in control. And with all the news about non-linear television (Internet Television and VOD), we might begin to feel that any new linear television network has little chance of succeeding. However, an interesting test to watch is al gore's Current TV.

Why? Consumers are increasingly taking control of their television viewing and Current TV is fighting that on-demand television trend because it is a traditional television network. But at the same time, its content will mostly come from the viewers themselves; thereby placing them in control.

The new 24-hour channel is aimed at 18-34 year-olds and will initially be available to a potential audience of around 20 million homes in the United States on DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Comcast.

Based in San Francisco, the new channel says it is rethinking the way TV is produced, programmed, and presented, so it makes sense to an audience that's accustomed to choice, control, and collaboration in everything else they do.

What this amounts to is a channel that is programmed according to the three-minute culture for those with attention deficit disorder.

The new network says "a substantial portion" of its short form programming will be provided by the audience. Each submission will soon be showcased online so that viewers and collaborators can review and rank submissions, potentially voting the best ones onto the air.

Through a partnership with Google, there will be an update each half-hour on topics that people are searching for on the web.

"The internet opened a floodgate for young people whose passions are finally being heard, but TV hasn't followed suit. Young adults have a powerful voice, but you can't hear that voice on television... yet," explained Gore. "We intend to change that with Current, giving those who crave the empowerment of the web the same opportunity for expression on television. We want to transform the television medium itself, giving a national platform to those who are hungry to help create the TV they want to watch."

"Until now, the notion of viewer participation has been limited to sending a tape to America's Funniest Home Videos, calling an interview show, taking part in an instant poll, or voting someone off an island," Gore added. "We're creating a powerful new brand of television that doesn't treat audiences as merely viewers, but as collaborators."