Forbes feels it's a terrible move to make people pay to watch ST

[Quinton O'Connor]

Not sure if it's been posted here already, but as somewhat of a counterpoint to Forbes' iron stance:

http://www.vulture.com/2015/11/star-trek-cbs-all-access-house-of-cards.html

 

[Tim Thomason]

Homeless people probably don't have high speed internet either.

Easy fix. Get seven dollars somehow (might take a couple days), purchase a gift card from the nearest gas station for six dollars, go to the nearest public library, and use the gift card to set up a CBS All-Access account on the library computers. Repeat monthly as necessary.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Yeah, but does anyone actually think like this? For most people, they buy a TV package, they don't pay for an individual show.

But you won't be paying for an individual show. You'll be paying for every show CBS All Access provides, Star Trek 2017 being only one of them. Which is no different than paying whatever ridiculous amount of money per month cable or satellite TV currently is, just to see the one or two shows that you actually care about.

So to answer your above question, yes, people buy TV packages all the time just to watch one or two shows.

Exactly. It's not paying $6 a month for one show, but all the All Access line up and live shows. Heck, even some of their older shows are part of the line up that I'm interested in, like JAG, Frasier, and other shows.

Also, I believe part of the agreement is CBS will be syndicating with international partners. So, there is access for international fans as well that doesn't involve a streaming service.

I don't think it is as dire as being painted.

Are old episodes of NCIS or whatever CBS does enough?

I would think not, for most people, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Greg Cox]

I'll be honest. My girlfriend and I subscribed to Showtime just to watch DEXTER's final season in real time. Not sure we ever watched anything else on that channel, and we cancelled our subscription as soon as DEXTER ended.

I can see Trek fans doing the same.

 

[Squiggy]

90% of the reason I pay for HBO is Game of Thrones.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

That's 100% of the reason for me, so I get HBO Now, and I sign up for it when GoT is airing and cancel it when it's ended.

 

[Greg Cox]

I've yet to subscribe to Netflix since I'm old and don't quite get how it works, but DAREDEVIL and JESSICA JONES are sorely tempting me . . . .

 

[Karzak]

I couldn't agree with this article more. I surely won't be paying to watch Star Trek. It's not as if their streaming service is Netflix or Amazon. The selection is quite limited and to this point CBS All Access has zero track record of success.

It's as if they are trying to hold Star Trek fans hostage. Are they trying to alienate the fanbase? Don't they remember that nobody watched the last couple of series when it was on tv for free?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillbarr/2015/11/02/star-trek-cbs-netflix/

Hmmm

I seem to recall a similar outrage when Star Trek Into Darkness was released on home video and the special features were spread across various versions of the film as offered by different distributors (Target, Best Buy, Amazon, etc.). Then, not too long after, whaddya know? The Star Trek Compendium comes out and all those precious features were collated in one edition. Whew!

Kinda reminds me of the time they released TNG on Blu-Ray, even though tons of people said it wouldn't and couldn't be done. More than a decade after the DVDs were released (and later re-released, lol) and yet it was still done.

Or like the first ten films on DVD. They were bare-bones single discs, really with just the film's trailer and the fact that they were widescreen listed as special features. Of course not too long after that, Paramount put out the Director's and Special Editions of each film on DVD, two-disc sets loaded with extras, launched with the much beloved Director's Edition of TMP.

Kinda also reminds me of the TOS Remastered Blu-Rays and DVDs... which were done only after TOS had been released as season sets on DVD in 2004... which only happened after much ballyhooing and nerdrage upon its announcement when TOS had already been released and collected in single disc, 2-episode form mirroring the series' release on VHS in the 80s and 90s.

Or perhaps we should look at the soundtracks, and how (especially the last two) were released at the time of the films' premieres only to see expanded editions later produced with more music and content.

Golly, you'd think by now that one of two things would have happened.

Paramount would realize that they have a huge base from which to sell and re-sell the same damn content over and over again because they know we'll buy it.

2) Fans would realize Paramount knows they can do this and continues to do so because that's exactly the business model that has proven most profitable for them since 1966 because they also know we're all a bunch of entitled, spoiled, gimme-gimme-gimme fans who have to have everything, even if its the same thing all over again with a different slipcover.

Don't want to pay for this service to watch the show? Too bad.

In other words, you aren't being held hostage if you keep coming back to your captors and say "Tie me up and hold me hostage!" Every. Single. Damn. Time.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I've yet to subscribe to Netflix since I'm old and don't quite get how it works, but DAREDEVIL and JESSICA JONES are sorely tempting me . . . .

Make it so, Greg! Daredevil is great and Jessica Jones looks like it'll be following suit. I'm confident you'd probably dig 'em! Just gotta figure out how to get that Netflix thingy hooked up at your house. Where there's a will there's a way!

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

What do people want out of Star Trek?

I would think that fans who bothered signing up to a forum would want to actually grow the fanbase of their show - not just produce a series for an existing moribund audience.

How many people will sign up to CBS's service for this?

Will interested non-fans be flinging their 6 dollars at CBS, or more likely, just skip it due to the paywall? People found they liked Star Trek by flicking through TV channels - I know people who for example, have only ever watched Voyager, via that route, but are fans. How will this show build an audience? Are people gonna be told at work "you might wanna check this out" and suddenly sign up for CBS All Access, when they have a Netflix sub? Sounds like fantasy, but maybe I just don't know how these things work anymore.

 

[BillJ]

What do people want out of Star Trek?

I would think that fans who bothered signing up to a forum would want to actually grow the fanbase of their show - not just produce a series for an existing moribund audience.

How many people will sign up to CBS's service for this?

Will interested non-fans be flinging their 6 dollars at CBS, or more likely, just skip it due to the paywall? People found they liked Star Trek by flicking through TV channels - I know people who for example, have only ever watched Voyager, via that route, but are fans. How will this show build an audience? Are people gonna be told at work "you might wanna check this out" and suddenly sign up for CBS All Access, when they have a Netflix sub? Sounds like fantasy, but maybe I just don't know how these things work anymore.

How's it any different than people paying for HBO to watch Game of Thrones?

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

What do people want out of Star Trek?

I would think that fans who bothered signing up to a forum would want to actually grow the fanbase of their show - not just produce a series for an existing moribund audience.

How many people will sign up to CBS's service for this?

Will interested non-fans be flinging their 6 dollars at CBS, or more likely, just skip it due to the paywall? People found they liked Star Trek by flicking through TV channels - I know people who for example, have only ever watched Voyager, via that route, but are fans. How will this show build an audience? Are people gonna be told at work "you might wanna check this out" and suddenly sign up for CBS All Access, when they have a Netflix sub? Sounds like fantasy, but maybe I just don't know how these things work anymore.

How's it any different than people paying for HBO to watch Game of Thrones?

You know it's different - HBO had been a pay-cable channel for like a decade before Game of Thrones - they had built up a reputation for "haute" drama.

CBS All Access is coming out of nowhere, with a catalogue entirely from one network, and no reputation.

 

[Squiggy]

What do people want out of Star Trek?

Star Trek.

I would think that fans who bothered signing up to a forum would want to actually grow the fanbase of their show - not just produce a series for an existing moribund audience.

Having three movies a decade isn't going to grow the fan base. Having a show based on 50 year old canon isn't going to grow the fan base.
Not having any show at all isn't going to grow the fan base.

How many people will sign up to CBS's service for this?

I will.

Will interested non-fans be flinging their 6 dollars at CBS, or more likely, just skip it due to the paywall?

The pilot is going to be on CBS. If CBS is smart - and they are - then they're going to air it right after a special Star Trek episode of The Big Bang Theory that will be packed with every single Trek actor they can find.

The Big Bang Theory has 20 million viewers per week.

People found they liked Star Trek by flicking through TV channels

Those days are long gone.

I know people who for example, have only ever watched Voyager, via that route, but are fans.

Those poor bastards.

How will this show build an audience?

Word of mouth. Just like every other show.

Are people gonna be told at work "you might wanna check this out" and suddenly sign up for CBS All Access, when they have a Netflix sub?

They'll Google it. Figure out that there will (probably) be a free trial, then watch it and either take it or leave it.

Sounds like fantasy, but maybe I just don't know how these things work anymore.

Correct.

 

[Pondslider]

What do people want out of Star Trek?

I would think that fans who bothered signing up to a forum would want to actually grow the fanbase of their show - not just produce a series for an existing moribund audience.

How many people will sign up to CBS's service for this?

Will interested non-fans be flinging their 6 dollars at CBS, or more likely, just skip it due to the paywall? People found they liked Star Trek by flicking through TV channels - I know people who for example, have only ever watched Voyager, via that route, but are fans. How will this show build an audience? Are people gonna be told at work "you might wanna check this out" and suddenly sign up for CBS All Access, when they have a Netflix sub? Sounds like fantasy, but maybe I just don't know how these things work anymore.

How's it any different than people paying for HBO to watch Game of Thrones?

HBO has movies and other good original shows. Regardless of the price at this point all we know about this service is Star Trek and Two and a Half Men reruns which isn't anywhere close to what HBO offers.

 

[Squiggy]

HBO has movies?

Is that when they're not showing boxing?

 

[BillJ]

HBO has movies and other good original shows. Regardless of the price at this point all we know about this service is Star Trek and Two and a Half Men reruns which isn't anywhere close to what HBO offers.

What exactly did you expect to know 24 hours into this new venture that doesn't launch for another 14 months?

HBO Now also costs $15/month compared to CBS' $6/month.

Everything has to start somewhere. HBO wasn't birthed as the industry leader.

 

[Pondslider]

HBO has movies and other good original shows. Regardless of the price at this point all we know about this service is Star Trek and Two and a Half Men reruns which isn't anywhere close to what HBO offers.

What exactly did you expect to know 24 hours into this new venture that doesn't launch for another 14 months?

HBO Now also costs $15/month compared to CBS' $6/month.

Everything has to start somewhere. HBO wasn't birthed as the industry leader.

I never said I was completely opposed to it. I'm not going to subscribe to this service any time soon but if by 2017 CBS makes it worth it I'll consider it.

I do subscribe to HBO Now because there is enough content for me to justify it. I also subscribe to Hulu which is $8 a month and has shows from several networks, original content, and library of movies. At this point the only thing I know I would watch on CBS All Access is the new Star Trek and I've never subscribed to a whole streaming service for just one show.

 

[Greg Cox]

Given that the novels cost $7.99 apiece, I would be the most shameless of hypocrites to object to paying $6 a month for the new show.

 

[BillJ]

I'm not sure I see the big deal in paying for Star Trek. I've been paying for "new" Star Trek for decades. Whether it be movie tickets, comic books or novels.

$6 is a steal compared to what I've spent over the last few decades.

 

[Brolan]

I have no objection to this new pricing model, it deserves a chance and may keep the new series on longer than it would be on a broadcast model where it has to make ratings numbers every week or get dumped.

As for the money, skip coffee one day or eat a sandwich instead of a fast food lunch one day. Chip in with friends or fellow students on an account and have a weekly viewing party.