Subscription-based TV channel/streaming for next Trek series

The TV landscape has changed with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus all having original series, and other "over-the-top" (OTT) broadband streaming services as well as the popularity of iTunes download rentals and purchases. Nielsen ratings include live+3 and live+7 for DVR viewing within 7 days. High profile new series are released as a full season at-once ("House of Cards" on Netflix)
Since the old thread is over 4 years without a post i am starting a new thread.

HDTV & Blu-ray players connected to the Internet have apps such has the above listed as well as Showtime (on demand) and HBO Go which both require proof of a cable subscription.
HBO has been written about as considering offering their HBO Go service a la carte on a monthly subscription-basis directly to consumers bypassing cable and satellite TV providers.
Apple is readying their streaming box service for Spring 2015.
Since Viacom owns CBS (which owns Trek) and Showtime now is the time to get a deal in place to put Trek into preproduction for a 2016 series premiere.
This article this week suggests Showtime may move forward with a premium cable ala carte subscription.

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http://www.tvweek.com/tvbizwire/201...ional-cable-and-forthcoming-new-ott-services/
Via
http://247wallst.com/media/2014/09/15/as-video-streaming-grows-price-war-likely/

Sony's Playstation network already has a 10-episode series in production with a network TV budget. http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/20/technology/sony-tv-powers/index.html

For a Scifi seties Star Trek using direct-to-consumer subscription it would bypass Nielsen ratings in the USA. Showtime linear premium channel, a on-demand Showtime subscription, and say a freebie on Sony Playstation Network and XBOX Gold subscription?
I can see a 13-episode Trek series released this way with episodes once a week in the US and still be on linear TV channels internationally starting say 10 weeks later.

Old thread:
Which vendor would you be willing to pay for a new Star Trek series?
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=103661

 

instead of

SOURCE
While Game of Thrones is the most successful series for HBO by Nielsen ratings and illegal pirated downloads does Trek have a large audience for another TV series? Is this a good home for it on Showtime rather than a CBS-owned linear network or cable network?

I can see Viacom wanting Showtime to compete with HBO for subscriptions. I can see them watching this to see growth. Can a new Star Trek TV series in 2016 have enough of a following to get people to pay for a subscription to Showtime via cable TV or a standalone service?

 

Viacom wouldn't mind if Showtime went under and just went away. Through Paramount, they threw their lot in with the Epix network, which was kind of like telling Showtime to f-off in a way (no longer having access to the Paramount film library as they did before, Showtime can now only get a limited number of Paramount movies through a third party distributor these days--I think Nemesis is the only Trek movie Showtime can currently get through that system).

 

Viacom does not own CBS (and by extension, Showtime), Those 2 companies split up and to separate entity's in 2006. Viacom has nothing to do with Star Trek beyond the fact that they own Paramount Pictures that currently holds the film rights contract for cinematic Star Trek productions.

Star Treks best bet is on a streaming service. CBS know that Star Trek could never get the ratings demanded and expected for shows directly on there channel. Trek could work on a cable channel, but it seems, more and more that Trek's destiny will be on a streaming service. I am sure CBS is considering this as they grow there own streaming network.

 

I misspoke. I meant CBS Corporation wanting Showtime to compete with HBO for standalone subscriptions by having their own standalone streaming service like the forthcoming Spring 2015 start of HBO's streaming service.

CBS All Access, a new digital subscription video on demand and Nielsen-measured live streaming service for the CBS Television Network. $5.99/month already includes every episode of every series of Star Trek.
And for the possibility of a new Trek TV series being on it with the fine print saying

They would have to change that if they want a Star Trek new TV series to premier here instead of on a linear CBS-owned TV channel unless they do a premium TV channel which is already subscription like Showtime.

 

Where'd you hear that?

 

I direcly overheard CEO of HBO Richard Plepler say it in the last 6 months.
Odd as HBO itself announced their own streaming service afterward.

 

HBO/Showtime streaming are just extensions of the cable service. Neither channel will risk jeopardizing their cable subscription business by providing exclusive content to their online streaming service. You could argue that Showtime should air a new Star Trek show, but that has nothing to do with streaming changes.

The same really goes for CBS's stream. The service is all about monetizing cord cutters and providing archival content.

If you want a new Star Trek show to be an online stream then you need to look at the companies currently airing first run content online, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. I still think Netflix could make sense for Star Trek, but nothing you posted indicates any change in the market in the past 6m-1y.

 

I would LOVE a new Trek series on something like Netflix, gives it the freedom to be a true sci-fi show without the pressures of TV, I reckon it would work really well as well, Trek has a huge cult following so an online series would definitely make sense

 

What istrue sci-fi?

Is that like Real Star Trek (™)?

 

And now industry news is reporting it but not a timeline:
"But now it appears that Apple has decided to try TV without the help of the TV pipe owners, and work with the TV content owners instead."
Apple is Talking to TV Programmers About Its Own Web TV Service
http://recode.net/2015/02/04/apple-is-talking-to-tv-programmers-about-its-own-web-tv-service/

" By reportedly going straight to the people making TV shows, Apple is hoping to cut these networks out of the deal, and solidify a beachhead for its assault on the TV industry in the process."
http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/4/7982229/apple-is-making-web-tv-over-the-top

Star Trek on this and not a TV channel?
I can see a premier series launching on something like this in 2016. I don't think CBS would pay to advertise this though if they license it to Apple for a year they could still release the blu-ray a year later. Apple would have to pay to advertise a premeire exclusive series.

 

“binge-watching” or “binge-viewing" next Trek TV series?

If the next Trek TV series is made for Showtime streaming or Showtime on-demand subscription-based service and not with commercials how would it be different? Let's compare to House of Cards first season.

this is interesting as surely Star Trek will air on TV Internationally and have commercials inserted. I think Star Trek ENT season 3 with a serialized story arc would have worked for full season release date. Most Trek TV episodes are stand-alone and I really wonder if they would make them more serialized to accomplish an entire season released at once. I wonder how the running time of the episode would be affected? Would it be a 42 minute episode? House of Cards is 45-59 minutes per episode. Will we finally get episodes as long as TOS (50 minutes), TNG episodes (or VOY seasons 1-5) again (44 minutes)?

SOURCE

Since CBS owns the Trek property for TV could Showtime have the next Trek series without commercials? Could it produce a 13-episode Trek series in a vacuum and release it all at once? Why would they release it all at once instead of 1 episode per week? Which would be best for Trek and for showtime subscriptions?
"What-if" CBS/Paramount produced the next Trek TV series and Netflix had exclusive distribution in USA for 1 year? After 11 months a Blu-ray/DVD of the season with special features would be released. Where would iTunes purchased downloads play in this scenario?
Could the actors, writers, producers, crew keep the story as secret at JJ Abrams has his cast & crew with his Trek and Star Wars movies?
Would it be enough time for the VisualFX work to be done with high quality?

 

The biggest question that isn't being asked is "Does CBS even need a new Star Trek series?" They've got so many other shows that bring in bigger ratings and are less expensive & easier to produce.

 

Showtime subscription app direct-to-consumer

Well it finally happened. CBS has allowed Showtime to go streaming app as a subscription without a cable TV subscription.
Showtime offers online-only video app for $11 a month

This is a direct-to-consumer subscription which would allow CBS to make and distribute on Showtime and to possibly offer Star Trek as a new TV series as a shorter run 13-episode premium episodic series. It would also lock in worldwide rights on Showtime…
No CBS advertisers to meddle with story or style if a series were on on Showtime…

 

Re: Showtime subscription app direct-to-consumer

That last bit is personal speculation, of course. Otherwise, it's just a way people can get Showtime without having to have cable with no bearing on a new Trek series at all.

 

CBS All Access

Instead of Showtime subscription they went with something half the price but For the 2017 new series does CBS All Access currently offer Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound?

 

Doesn't look like it yet. But 2017 is a long time for CBS to improve the quality of the service.

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/11/star-trek-returns-to-a-new-tv-landscape/413680/


The Atlantic thinks its a good idea.

 

http://deadline.com/2015/11/cbs-les-moonves-ad-sales-forecast-star-trek-1201605594/

$10./month For low-bit-rate streaming without 7.1 Surround sound?

They know people will pay $6 for streaming Trek once a week for 3 months.
And they know people will buy the season on Blu-ray 10 months later.