USA distribution -CBS All Access discussion

[JWPlatt]

...There's a reason Netflix is so insanely popular... part of it is because Netflix is way cheaper than cable, part of it is because Netflix has a wide variety of new content that appeals to many, and part of it is because Netflix gives people the ability to watch what they want, when they want, without being interrupted by commercials or worrying about whether an episode is still avail.

Most of that is true, except the last part. Contract roulette (or maybe Musical Chairs) between all the providers forms a fractured market where you still have to worry about whether what you want to watch is currently available on any particular service such as Netflix. That's why there is this growing issue about the cost of multiple streaming providers ironically adding up to the costs that cable customers are trying to leave behind.

 

[shapeshifter]

And they'll let you do that, will they?

My post was a 'best cases' scenario based on what I know so far. I have not heard anything proving we cannot subscribe / unsubscribe at will.

We all know how "retention specialists" make it difficult to cancel any services from your own provider. Do you really believe this will be any different?

I know. But again, I've heard nothing yet about a necessary period of subscription requirement. If a yearly contract is needed then that could become a problem to me. I won't be held hostage to a yearly contract unless there is content I want to view present for the other 8 months.

And even so, if you cancel, don't you lose access to all content? What if you want to keep DSC episodes? iTunes will let you do that, but CBS probably won't.

I don't do iTunes so cannot comment there.

(I think) They have already said the episodes will be put up weekly then taken down shortly to prevent subscribing to binge then canceling. So long as I had ample time or method to see the episodes I paid for then I don't care about that. After that I will wait to buy the videos.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

No one knows if DSC has been greenlit for say 2 or 3 seasons. It might be and just not required to be delivered except 1 season per calendar year. What if approved stories scripts to be written continuously after season 1 had completed production?
What if Season 2&3 greenlit and shot back to back? and then post produced over longer time?
and if Season 2 and 3 were distributed during the same calendar year say February 2018 and then October 2018?

 

[The Overlord]

Just subscribe for the 4 months Discovery is on then cancel when complete.
With ads= $24
Commercial free= $40
Assuming the BDs are $60 (will probably be less) the maximum total yearly cost to view first run episodes, be part of online discussions while current, and own on video when released: $85 to $100 a year. (probably less!)

Heck I spent that much for each season set of Trek back in the 90's so there is value here.

Again its not the 90s, if Netflix offers from more value for its content then CBS All Access, then just saying CBS All Access is better value from something from the 90s is meaningless in this day and age.

I like Star Trek, but a streaming service needs more then one show to succeed in today's market.

CBS All Access will not succeed if people quit after watching Star Trek and I wonder if CBS is tying the health of this show with the health of this service.

 

[JWPlatt]

I like Star Trek, but a streaming service needs more then one show to succeed in today's market.

That's a paradoxical demand for something just getting started. I understand you are saying there is only one show that would interest you, but there is more available.

 

[fireproof78]

Again its not the 90s, if Netflix offers from more value for its content then CBS All Access, then just saying CBS All Access is better value from something from the 90s is meaningless in this day and age.

I like Star Trek, but a streaming service needs more then one show to succeed in today's market.

CBS All Access will not succeed if people quit after watching Star Trek and I wonder if CBS is tying the health of this show with the health of this service.

I don't think they are tying the health of the service as much as using it to create more buzz about the service via a new show. So, it's not keeping the service alive, but generating interest and revenue.

 

[shapeshifter]

Again its not the 90s, if Netflix offers from more value for its content then CBS All Access, then just saying CBS All Access is better value from something from the 90s is meaningless in this day and age.

Nothing would make me more happy than for Discovery to be added as part of my NF subscription but, AFAIK, that ain't happening. Short of moving somewhere it will be, CBSAA is my (and others) only (legal) choice to be a part of the first run experiences, as I said in my post.

I like Star Trek, but a streaming service needs more then one show to succeed in today's market.

Exactly.

 

[eyeresist]

That's a paradoxical demand for something just getting started. I understand you are saying there is only one show that would interest you, but there is more available.

As I've said, they need at least one more genre show if they want sustained support from DSC viewers. Not many sci-fi fans watch Big Brother, or care that The Good Wife is getting a spin-off....

 

[The Overlord]

That's a paradoxical demand for something just getting started. I understand you are saying there is only one show that would interest you, but there is more available.

But here's the problem, CBS All Access only seems to be interested in hosting shows from the CBS Network (they don't even put the Showtime stuff on that service), while Netflix is willing to work with several parties to get new content. They can sign a deal with Disney, get some their movies and make some Marvel related shows, will CBS All Access do that? Of course not, they insist on going it alone, so they will never get the same level of content Netflix has. Does CBS All Access even have movies or edgy cable style shows or good shows for kids? Netflix will always have them beat, unless they rethink that entire service.

Frankly I think most of what CBS shows is reality show garbage or network pap that always plays it safe, it holds no interest for me besides Star Trek, which is not good for a streaming service. Netflix also takes bigger creative risks then CBS, 15 networks turned down "Stranger Things" before Netflix picked it up (I bet CBS was one of the networks who rejected it).

If Star Trek was on Netflix, more people would discover it well they are looking through Netflix for other content, because CBS All Access doesn't have the same content library as Netflix, it will get fewer views, because it is not packaged with a great content library.

 

[eyeresist]

I think most of what CBS shows is reality show garbage or network pap that always plays it safe, it holds no interest for me besides Star Trek, which is not good for a streaming service. Netflix also takes bigger creative risks then CBS, 15 networks turned down "Stranger Things" before Netflix picked it up.

They should license the show to Netflix in the same way they license Paramount to make the movies. Probably they would do that, except they want to use DSC to boost CBSAA. But based on what we've heard about AA so far, it's more likely this distribution format will kill the show.

 

[fireproof78]

Live and learn moment for CBS.

 

[The Overlord]

They should license the show to Netflix in the same way they license Paramount to make the movies. Probably they would do that, except they want to use DSC to boost CBSAA. But based on what we've heard about AA so far, it's more likely this distribution format will kill the show.

Well I hope CBS doesn't tie the health of the show to the health of this service, I hope CBS will sell it to Netflix if All Access fails.

I saw this article on Forbes and it does detail some potential mistakes CBS is making with their service:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrill...ek-discovery-may-cbs-all-access/#3cd8d90e36d5

Consumers do not want to be led by the nose by entertainment companies, which is what CBS All Access is trying to do, rather then giving its customers the freedom to choose to watch this Star Trek show whenever they feel like it, which is the attraction of streaming sites.

 

[JWPlatt]

But here's the problem, CBS All Access only seems to be interested in hosting shows from the CBS Network...

Frankly I think most of what CBS shows is reality show garbage or network pap...

If Star Trek was on Netflix, more people would discover it...

A few brief comments:

1. Agreed. Channels like Netflix, and HBO for a long time now, have also become producers to stay in the game by attracting viewers to unique offerings that no other channel can provide. Conversely, CBS, as a producer, shouldn't restrict itself to its own content. As a broadcast network, CBS surely does show content from other producers. If they are not doing that on All Access to compete with the new and successful business models - why not? They should.

2. Reality shows should be hauled away AS garbage.

3. All the world but the U.S. has Star Trek Discovery on Netflix. People will discover Discovery.

 

[The Overlord]

A few brief comments:

1. Agreed. Channels like Netflix, and HBO for a long time now, have also become producers to stay in the game by attracting viewers to unique offerings that no other channel can provide. Conversely, CBS, as a producer, shouldn't restrict itself to its own content. As a broadcast network, CBS surely does show content from other producers. If they are not doing that on All Access to compete with the new and successful business models - why not? They should.

2. Reality shows should be hauled away AS garbage.

3. All the world but the U.S. has Star Trek Discovery on Netflix. People will discover Discovery.

The problem is CBS could take steps to improve their service right now and they are not doing it.

There are no movies on there, why not? Doesn't seem like there many shows for kids, why not?

CBS All Access doesn't even have the shows from Showtime on this service, if they really wanted this service to thrive, they would put the Showtime content on it.

It really comes across as a lazy, half assed excuse of a streaming site.

Its a shame people in America are stuck with this, its less likely they will discover this show while looking through a service with other great content. Imagine how many people would find this show while looking up Daredevil or Stranger Things on Netflix, would as many people find this show while looking for NCIS reruns on CBS All Access?

 

[Shalashaska]

What other old franchise is CBS sitting on that they could reboot to keep Star Trek fans' subscriptions throughout the autumn/winter months?

I don't think a spinoff of The Good Wife, Big Brother or any of their network schlock holds much appeal to Trek fans nor could make up for the loss in subscribers that would come after DSC's first season.

The Twilight Zone perhaps? Wasn't Bryan Singer developing a modern revival for CBS a few years back? Why don't they collaborate with Showtime and get all their content on there as well as the new Twin Peaks? I'm not American, so frankly, I couldn't care less whether All-Access is a massive success or failure, but it seems like they have a really great opportunity with their wealth of Showtime content as well as older IPs like Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

What other old franchise is CBS sitting on that they could reboot to keep Star Trek fans' subscriptions throughout the autumn/winter months?

I don't think a spinoff of The Good Wife, Big Brother or any of their network schlock holds much appeal to Trek fans nor could make up for the loss in subscribers that would come after DSC's first season.

The Twilight Zone perhaps? Wasn't Bryan Singer developing a modern revival for CBS a few years back? Why don't they collaborate with Showtime and get all their content on there as well as the new Twin Peaks? I'm not American, so frankly, I couldn't care less whether All-Access is a massive success or failure, but it seems like they have a really great opportunity with their wealth of Showtime content as well as older IPs like Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.

I would be very interested in a Twilight Zone reboot. That would be a huge draw for me. How many shows on TV today have that story format and a new cast of guest actors every week? That would be cool.

 

[Shalashaska]

I would be very interested in a Twilight Zone reboot. That would be a huge draw for me. How many shows on TV today have that story format and a new cast of guest actors every week? That would be cool.

Just look at Black Mirror and its success. You can still make shows with that format in 2016, it's quite literally a modern-day Twilight Zone.

I just did a little research there, and apparently, they actually are making a Twilight Zone revival. The catch? It seems to be a strange interactive TV/game hybrid where you can "revisit each episode multiple times" and it's to be helmed by the same guy who made the BioShock video games.

Doesn't exactly fill me with excitement. Alas, I highly doubt it'll ever come to fruition, just like every other Twilight Zone revival attempt in the last decade.

 

[fireproof78]

Power Rangers got a reboot film.

 

[soornge]

I think the best case scenario is if they keep the whole season up once all the episodes have been released, so folks can watch the whole thing in 1 month. Don't think that'll happen.

I'm reluctant to pay for CBSAA, since I don't know if I'll even like the series. I haven't been too thrilled with what I've heard so far. I might be mistaken, but I think the first episode is going to be broadcast on CBS. Then all subsequent episodes will only be on CBSAA in the US and on Netflix in other countries.

i am with you on thatthe more i hear about it the less interested i am : on topmof which i havent read the thread but its called lower expectations and im not sure i want to watch a show about the second in command especially since tv has a bad way of writing female heroic leads for some reason there also has to be somethi g lesbian and all the men around them have to be idiots

 

[Shalashaska]

i am with you on thatthe more i hear about it the less interested i am : on topmof which i havent read the thread but its called lower expectations and im not sure i want to watch a show about the second in command especially since tv has a bad way of writing female heroic leads for some reason there also has to be somethi g lesbian and all the men around them have to be idiots

Second time I've seen this from you.

Are you trolling?