James Yarnell – OnMedea

I had to interrupt my summer hiatus (I’m working on a book so I haven’t been posting in this space for a few weeks) to say the Emmys Are A Joke.

I’m not talking about the nominations – for the most part, it’s the same actors year after year after year. TV comedy is in big trouble. The only broadcast shows nominated are getting really old. New comedy doesn’t exist on broadcast.

But that’s not at all the point I want to make it.

This is my point: “HOUSE OF CARDS” IS NOT A TELEVISION SHOW!

It is a series of webisodes.

High-quality webisodes.

It was not produced for television…

It did not air on a television network…

It is not a television show.

“House of Cards” is an internet series produced for online and mobile delivery. The last time I checked, TV shows are produced and distributed for satellite, cable and over-the-air broadcast networks.

The TV Academy can’t just cherry pick internet webisodes that it likes and call them TV shows.

And the TV Academy shouldn’t be claiming the Internet as their own – even though on their website they say: “The Television Academy, the only major organization devoted to the television and broadband screen entertainment industry…”

In reality, they have as much claim over the Internet as I do.

And it would be impossible for the guys in the TV Academy to watch all of the content produced for the Internet (so, to make it easy on themselves, they just give the nominations to Internet content that features big stars – Kevin Spacey, Jason Bateman, Zach Galifinakis, etc.).

Can you imagine these TV Academy members sitting with their iPads watching every series produced by comedy improv troupes around the freakin’ world? “Hey, did you guys see this one from some guys in Des Moines that make fun of working in an office? It’s hysterical! It should nominated for an Emmy!”

On top of that, the TV Academy refuses (because of arrogance) to even acknowledge The CW as a legitimate producer of programming (how “The Gilmore Girls” on old The WB never got a nomination is still one of the great injustices in entertainment history – and that’s no platitude) and yet they’ll throw a few nominations to Netflix to prove some kind of point. To show that the TV Academy is aware of the future and is very much on the cutting edge of content production.

But they’re not. When you think of the TV Academy – you still think it’s just a room of old white guys longing for the days of Norman Lear and the three powerful networks that everyone watched. Remember when the cable industry had to form their own pathetic award show (the Cable ACE Awards) because the TV Academy didn’t allow cable shows to be nominated?

Now, anyone can be nominated for an Emmy. Maybe I’ll produce a series of webisodes about my dog and submit it for consideration. It won’t even be looked at because my dog doesn’t look like Kevin Spacey.

You never know, maybe the TV Academy is changing with the times – and if they are – maybe they should change their name.

“The Transmedia Academy Of Arts & Sciences!”

Now THAT has a ring to it.

A couple of years ago, I wrote “Broadcast Networks: On Death And Dying” to illustrate that Broadcast Networks are in complete denial that one day they will just be another button on the grid – the master grid that gives equal weight to every type of format imaginable on our connected TVs (broadcast, cable, YouTube, Netflix, games, family videos… everything equal).

Ted Sarandos of Netflix is absolutely correct when he says: “Television is what’s on the screen – not how it gets there.”

But that doesn’t mean “House of Cards” should get an Emmy nomination.

It’s not a TV show!

Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

I actually watched last night’s “American Idol” Season 11 premiere.

Yes, I’m the one.

Just kidding. There were actually quite a few people who watched last night. But 23% fewer than watched last year.

This show is dead.

It may limp along and have an occasional really good ratings night – but it’s all over. We all know it.

A couple of years ago, I said the show was dead as soon as Simon Cowell announced he was leaving.

I suppose I was wrong only because the show did continue – and actually had some nice moments last year – but creatively it was dead.

Last night, it was painful to watch Randy Jackson try to be the “tough” Simon-type judge. He just doesn’t have the verbal chops to pull it off.

“It was awful.” “That was really bad, dude.” “Just terrible.”

And you could see him trying to be the one with authority because Jennifer Lopez is too nice (but seems to be the only one trying to be constructive) and Steven Tyler too clueless to take on that role (though I actually like Steven Tyler and think he would have been a great addition instead of Kara DioGuardi in the year they thought they needed four judges).

Simon is desperately needed for this show to work. And, what’s really crazy is he DOESN’T work on his own show. I think “The X Factor” is terrible – just awful, dude (to quote Randy).

So Simon leaving “American Idol” basically made two shows suck.

Another problem, last night I realized the talent in this country is all the same (either that or the “AI” producers want the same talent).

We had Tent Girl (Amy Brumfield) – who was basically Crystal Bowersox – (hopefully she can stay out of jail)
We had Phillip Phillips – who is David Cook (among many others)
We had a teenage Michael Jackson (who annoyingly fancies himself a lady’s man)
We had some awkward Lee DeWyzes (more awkward than Lee DeWyze)
We had a few Daughtrys
We had some hot chicks who could barely carry a tune but made it through to Hollywood (because it’s a singing competition – you HAVE to have good looking people on the show)
We had numerous Jennifer Hudsons
We had a lot of country music types (can country music absorb another failed pop star?)

It’s just enough with these singing talent shows. The ratings drop-off year-over-year should be proving that America is getting tired of it and Hollywood is refusing to offer us something new.

But I understand how hard it is for Fox to give it up. It’s produced at a minimum cost (relative) and still gets double the ratings of any new scripted show they launch – so why not keep it going no matter how lame?

But that doesn’t mean I have to like it… or watch it.

Jill Kennedy – OnMedea