It’s Unfair To Compare Local TV To American Television

Since last year, I’ve written about the few bright spots in our gloomy local TV. I’ve given praise to the first half of Kalye Serye and On The Wings Of Love. I’ve even defended its dubbing habit. Does this make me seem like a local TV apologist? I don’t consider myself as that. I want to enjoy and evaluate local TV based on its own merits. To judge it on what it is and not what it isn’t. Comparing local TV to American television is unfair, especially when you consider the systems running in each are entirely different. It’s like comparing your 13 year old brother barely grasping Algebra to your neighbor’s 26 year old marketing professional son. Or, comparing a lvl 5 Nidoran♂ to a lvl 65 Charizard.

The Golden Age of American Television

If you’re closely monitoring American television, you may have heard that US TV is at its 2^nd Golden Age. Production and consumption of American television is at its best and highest right now.People are even saying we’re at the peak right now, since 2014. How do the Americans know that they’re at their peak? If you clicked on the link, FX Network CEO John Landgraf presented that there are 419 original scripted shows set to be released this year alone, spread across broadcasting, cable and streaming video-on-demand services. Confused with what that means? Let’s breakdown all that mumbo-jumbo:

• FOUR HUNDRED NINETEEN original scripted shows. Interpret that as: 419 NEW comedy and drama shows. That number excludes reality shows, game shows, talent shows, and talk shows.
• TV tiers: Broadcasting would be your free-access TV (think of our ABS-CBN and GMA). Cable are paid channels such as HBO, FX and ESPN. In the Philippines that would be our CinemaOne, AXN or NBATV. Streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) are oour Netflix, HOOQ, iFlix. SVODs exclude web series uploaded on free-streaming services such as YouTube and Vimeo.

That’s a lot of TV to go around! But just like Rome, this Golden Age of American TV didn’t happen overnight. It took three or four decades for US TV to find its groove back after its first Golden Age. One of my favorite TV critics, Andy Greenwald, explains it wonderfully in an interview how circumstances in Hollywood fueled the early creation of TV’s Golden Age. The success of SVODs and the introduction of binge-watching further expanded the sandbox TV could play in, allowing for it to exponentially learn and grow. Sure for every The Wire, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, you had three or four crappy shows. But that was the only way for American television to gain success. They needed to invest, innovate and take risks.

Moreover, for cable and SVOD services, audience rating wasn’t the top metric to measure a show’s success. Quality came first. Current classics like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones were given breathing room to flourish. These risks eventually paid off as these two shows’ audiences grew season after season.

Philippine Television, the Upside Down

The current landscape of local TV isn’t conducive to innovation. First off, local TV is basically shared by three major broadcasting networks: ABS-CBN, GMA and TV5. Between the three, only 36 original scripted series are to be aired this year. Second, instead of producing more shows to fill in their time slots, local networks have the habit of buying and dubbing foreign shows.  I’ve already mentioned the merits of having these dubbed foreign shows in a separate post, but I can still argue that these shows take airtime from what could have been other locally-produced shows. Thirdly, TV shows are merely vehicles to showcase and sell network artists. It’s more important to write in scenes that build the main talent or love team rather than build the story.  Lastly, the production and airing schedule in the local scene is much much different. A typical primetime local TV show would run for three months every weekday. Take On The Wings Of Love as an example. It had 145 episodes in its seven-month run. That’s seven seasons (read: years) of US TV squeezed into seven months. This matters because the pace and pressure the production and creative staff experience on a daily basis isn’t at all conducive for creativity.

It might seem that I inevitably compared both industries but you can get a sense how they’re miles apart. It’s not as simple as telling local TV networks to just “git gud” to reach the level of American television. As it stands, the local TV landscape lacks the necessary ingredients (investment, risk-taking and creative freedom) to deliver our version of the Golden Age. Moreover, asking for TV like how Americans do it is basically requesting the local networks to restructure how they do their business.

• “Produce more shows? You’re expecting us to spend more?”
• “Make shows weekly and seasonal? How will I maximize the utility of our talents? We need to revise ALL the contracts of our talents.”
• “Create a prestige drama show about a Chem teacher selling Shabu? How will that put Daniel Padilla or Dingdong Dantes over?”

And what would be a compelling reason for them to change their ways when the two giants ABS-CBN and GMA have posted growth over the last year? Things will stay the same unless some new innovation forces itself in industry.

Disruption

So are we forever sentenced to have mediocre content on our local broadcast channels?

Last June, it was announced that the local indie movie hit On The Job will get a sequel mini-series to be released exclusively on HOOQ late this year. During the same month, telco giant, Globe, announced that they will try their hand at producing original content with the launch of Globe Studios. These two announcements give me hope as both HOOQ and Globe Studios are new entrants in producing original content. Both are upstarts that want to create a big splash in the entertainment industry. I’m betting on these two in delivering original scripted content that can eventually influence the TV networks.

It has happened before and could happen again. Netflix was just a video-on-demand streaming service for movies and TV series until they finally decided to make their own content. They were lucky enough to sign great on-screen and off-screen talent making their two original series, House Of Cards and Orange Is The New Black, such critical and audience hits. Thus changing how broadcasting and cable networks do their business.

While we wait for new developments in the landscape, it wouldn’t hurt if we continue to be critical of what we are being currently offered. Call out GMA’s inconsistency in offering an awfully produced and performed Alyas Robinhood when they can, at the same time, produce a quality show in Encantadia. Call out ABS-CBN for their newest re-skinned and re-casted sexy drama in Magpahanggang Wakas. It’s the nth time we’ve seen a sexy poverty-stricken female lead get married to a wealthy man (and a misuse of Arci Munoz if I may add). These are reasonable critiques that these networks can resolve.

I consider myself as a local TV optimist. I still believe that local TV can be better. It may take time, but we’ll eventually get our own Golden Age.

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast – 11 – The Winds Of Winter

Juan and Euge discuss the finer details of the awesome season finale: How was Varys able to teleport and Arya to fast travel? Why Doran Martell had to die? Why was Sam included in the finale? And so much more!

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast – 10 – Battle of the Bastards

Juan and Euge break down this week’s phenomenal episode of Game of Thrones. They discuss the set pieces in the Battle of the Bastards, the misuse of Rickon, sexual tension between characters as well as micronutrient deficient dragons

 

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast – 09 – No One

Juan and Euge discuss Jaime’s redemption plot, real talks by the fire with Sandor Clegane, Arya’s direction and the show’s newfound use for violence.

 

A Newbie-Friendly Guide To Podcasts

Podcasts are an awesome way of consuming information and entertainment. Like an IV stuck to your arm, podcasts provide the rawest and freshest content straight to your ears for your listening pleasure. Admittedly, for the last two years, I’ve grown to be more dependent on the format. I’ve substituted my sound trips with binges of Hello, From The Magic Tavern, Podcast Beyond or The Read. Reading books, unfortunately, replaced with listening to 99% Invisible, Radiolab and The Allusionist. It’s just a convenient way of consuming content.

Interestingly, podcasts are proving to be a viable medium in the US. In an article posted by AdWeek last week, “nearly one in five Americans in the 18-49 demographic listen to podcasts at least once a month”. It’s not surprising, therefore, that most media outlets have started their own podcast channels; the likes of CNN, Time, WWE, The New Yorker having established channels while MTV recently joining the game. Also from last week, famed author, Malcolm Gladwell, announced that his next project will be a podcast; joining the slew of celebrities like Alec Baldwin, Marc Maron and Stone Cold Steve Austin also making waves as podcasters.  The aforementioned AdWeek article also included a recently conducted study pointing out that people are more receptive to ads in podcasts. It’s a good indication for the medium that brands are becoming more and more interested in investing in it.

However, podcasts and podcasting have yet to take off in the Philippines. Our Awesome Planet listed 2014 as the year of the podcast for the Philippines but has yet to materialize. On the content creator side, the local podcast scene is currently filled by independent podcasters; the likes of Podcast.ph, Good Times With Mo, New Media Factory, and Becky Nights topping the iTunes charts. None of the three major media outlets, have yet to fully utilize the medium. Rappler, so far, is the only major media outlet creating content for podcasts. While on the listener side, just based on podcast plays on soundcloud, consuming podcasts haven’t been as ubiquitous as the medium is in America. For a country with almost half of its population having internet access, it saddens me to think that an informative and entertaining medium such as the podcast is underutilized in the Philippines.

Which brings me to my point: I’d like to convince you, dear reader, to start listening to podcasts. It is such a promising medium that it would be a waste for you not to at least try listening to one. Take this read as my pitch.

What are podcasts?

I won’t go into the origins of the term because it’s fuzzy but a podcast, basically, is a newsletter service in audio or video format for your phone, tablet or computer. Subscribing to a podcast channel ensures you to receive the freshest episodes as soon as it’s uploaded by the creator. It’s similar to how you’re instantly notified when a person you follow shares or posts something on Facebook or Twitter.

Typically, podcast channels upload episodes on a certain schedule; most on a weekly basis, while a few upload bi-weekly.

Podcasts can be streamed online or downloaded to your device. Personally, I prefer using podcast apps (like Overcast, Podcast Addict or Apple’s Podcasts app) on my phone where I can search and subscribe to channels, directly download episodes, and then listen to them anytime anywhere. Recently, audio streaming services like Spotify and Soundcloud have opened their platforms to podcast channels making streaming much more accessible.

Though it might be an unfamiliar term to us Filipinos, consuming podcasts aren’t any different from how we consume mainstream content online.

Image source: relatably.com

 

What makes podcasts different from other media?

Podcasts are insanely cheap to produce. All you really need are a mic, computer, recording/editing software and a steady internet connection and you’re set. In addition, podcasts don’t have a governing body that regulates and evaluates content like an FCC, MTRCB or ESRB. Hence, it’s not surprising that podcasting is a more robust medium than traditional media. And because of this basic difference, stems podcast’s additional advantages over other media:

• Freedom in content: Podcasts provide unrivaled scope and depth in its content. Anyone can make a podcast on just any topic. It can be as broad as daily world news, politics or pop culture to single-topic podcasts about Tom Hanks, WWE wrestling or Game of Thrones.
• Freedom in format:  There’s no prescribed format for podcasts. Sure most  use the proven roundtable discussion approach but some of the truly entertaining podcasts are those that play around with its format. For starters, there’s the serious journalistic approach made famous by podcasts such as This American Life, Radiolab and Serial that try to weave a story to a specific topic. There’s also the fictional storytelling podcasts such as Welcome To Nightvale, Thrilling Adventure Hour and The Black Tapes Podcast. For more unique formats, Hello, From The Magic Tavern mixes storytelling, world-building with improvised comedy. My Dad Wrote A Porno playfully lambastes an erotica book written by the elderly father of one of the hosts. Basically, any audio recording can be considered a podcast.
• Low buy-in: almost all podcasts channels are free giving you a plethora for your access. Podcasters earn from advertisements and listener donations rather than putting up paywalls. All you need as a consumer is a device that can play audio files and an internet connection

There’s something in the direct and open nature of a podcast that makes it an intimate medium to consume. Having no regulatory bodies to censor work, the podcast feels like an unfiltered transmission of information from the creator to the consumer. It’s a celebration of free discourse in the digital age.

Should I consume audio or video podcasts?

Podcasts are usually audio-only but some creators also release a video version of an episode, like Mo Twister with his Good Times With Mo Podcast or Kinda Funny with their Playstation podcast. Video podcasts are preferred by some consumers  but I don’t find any value add in also watching the hosts talk around a table. Personally, I prefer audio podcasts as it frees me up to do other stuff like commuting, travelling, or playing video games.

And truth be told, it’s a better activity partner than listening to music. Instead of looping your Spotify playlists for an hour stuck in traffic, why not listen to a discussion about On The Wings Of Love? Music is a good activity partner when you need motivation, like doing exercise or pumping up for an interview; but for lax and dull moments, podcasts are a better option.

How can I listen to podcasts?

Like I said, subscribing and listening to a podcast follows the same process of following a person on social media:

Of course, you still need to download the podcast app first. iPhones already have the Podcasts app pre-installed; although I’d advise you to still download the Overcast app for a better user experience. For Android phone users, the one I can recommend is the Podcast Addict app. It’s simple enough to use but still offers a wide-variety of options to tweak it to your liking.

Each of the apps I’ve mentioned also includes a podcast recommendations feature so you can check the top podcasts for each general interest like arts, comedy and sports and recreation. This is a convenient way of searching for podcasts when you’re unsure yet on what to listen to.

What podcasts should I listen to?

There are so many podcasts in the internet that a newbie might find it confusing to pick what to listen to. Here’s a list of the podcasts I can vouch to be top quality:

For all your pop-culture needs:

• Channel 33: Formerly known as the Grantland Pop Culture Podcast feed, Channel 33 serves multiple podcast shows in one channel. Each week, you’re sure to get podcasts on pop culture, wrestling, tech AND the all important recap podcast for The Bachelor/Bachelorette. Channel 33’s style of podcasting is casual, light and organic making it an easy listen.
  • Also, check out their TV/film podcast (The Watch), their political podcast (Keepin’ It 1600) as well as their their basketball podcast (The Ringer NBA Show)
• Pop Culture Happy Hour: A weekly pop-culture podcast from NPR. If you’re looking for a calm, organized yet in-depth discussion on the latest TV shows, films, music and pop culture trends, this is the show for you.

When you’re in need of a good story:

• Hello, From The Magic Tavern: A podcast in the fictional land of Foon. Arnie interviews the different creatures and personalities of Foon with the help of his co-hosts Eusidore the blue wizard and Chunt the talking badger. What makes HFTMT different is that it tries to tell a continuous narrative even though every detail is actually improvised. Each succeeding episode builds on the improvised lore from the previous episodes making Foon such a messed up and magical place. Subscribe to this podcast when you just want some quality improvised comedy.
• The Black Tapes Podcast: Horror’s a tricky genre to accomplish using just audio. Without any visuals, listeners have to rely heavily on the narration and their imagination to provide the scares. The Black Tapes Podcast is horror done right. More The Blair Witch Project than Gabi Ng Lagim in quality and execution; join Alex Reagan as she tries to uncover the secrets behind paranormal skeptic, Richard Strand’s, black tapes. Listen to this podcast if you need a creepy atmospheric scare.
• Modern Love: Straight from the pages of The New York Times,  Modern Love (the podcast) asks celebrities to read out submitted essays about love and loss from the Modern Love (the newspaper column).
• Serial: The podcast that reinvigorated the True Crime genre in pop culture, Serial focuses on a case each season. Its sensational first season introduced us to the cold case of Adnan Syed while the second season tried to prod further the high profile case of Bowe Bergdahl. The show’s host, Sarah Koenig, a veteran journalist, masterfully weaves a story  toeach episode that can mesmerize listeners even without video.

A substitute to your sound trip:

• All Songs Considered: One of the longest-running podcasts in the world, All Songs Considered serves fresh music every week; from unsigned bands to your established artists.
• Song Exploder: Each episode of Song Exploder explores the creative process behind a song, breaking down the stories of each of its ingredients. The pod also covers a range of songs from mainstream and indie artists.

Other links you might want to check for other recommendations:

• The Guardian’s 5o Best Podcast You Need To Hear
• The Atlantic’s The Best Podcast Episodes of 2015
• Business Insider’s report on The Best Podcasts of 2015 According To Apple
• And while you’re at it, help us out by subscribing to our podcast channel via soundcloud or via itunes . Help us out in spreading the good word about podcasts in the Philippines.

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast – 08 – The Broken Man

Hide yo chickens, hide yo wife, the Hound is back! Juan and Euge discuss the broken men in need of redemption in this episode of the Across The Narrow Sea Podcast

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast – 07 – Blood From My Blood

Guess who’s back? Back again? Benjen’s back! Tell a friend!

Plus the dysfunctional families of Westeros, Meera the true GoT bad ass and the possible directions of Arya, Sam and Jaime.

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast – 06 – The Door

So much stuff to discuss! Juan and Euge discuss Friendzoning in Westeros, Kingsmooting, Bran’s timey-wimey powers and the possibility of R + L = J&M

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast 05 – Book of The Stranger

Wherein Juan and Euge discuss the themes of Book of The Stranger (02:11), Shout Outs and Call Outs (13:18), Jon and Dany’s development (36:55), the Umber theory (45:00) and reactions (54:34)

Across The Narrow Sea Podcast ep 04 – Oathbreaker

Juan and Euge discuss the themes in Oathbreaker (4:13), details to shout out and call out (16:00), the season moving forward (37:00), viewer reactions (56:21) and the Stark kids building the best D&D party

Join in the discussion by commenting on this post or emailing us at popphiltre@gmail.com