Another sign that everything has changed

By Don Keith N4KC

If anyone is still not convinced that a sea change has taken place in how consumers get their television--thanks in part to technological change--just look at the Emmy nominations, announced this morning (July 10, 2014).   (In case you didn't see them, I have included most of the major awards below.)

Traditional over-the-air networks are hard to find on the list, and even then, most of the nominations going to the "tower on the hill" gang are to PBS.  Instead, most of the kudos for best this-and-that go to everything from HBO to Netflix. This tells us two things:  1) People don't care where they get their video...over the air, cable/satellite, Internet, and, 2) The folks producing truly unique programming content do not hold FCC licenses or own towers.

Here's one more bit of proof: the only categories in which traditional networks dominate are those labeled "Reality."  I know they have their fans and viewers, but these, to me, are the least unique and creative categories of all.

Scroll through the nominations.  See how often Netflix, HBO, FX and AMC pop up.  Then look for CBS, ABC, Fox or NBC.

I rest my case.

Outstanding Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television

Louie • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions

Modern Family • ABC • Picador Productions and Steven Levitan Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television

Orange Is The New Black • Netflix • Lionsgate Television for Netflix

Silicon Valley • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky works, and 3 Arts Entertainment

Veep • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions

Outstanding Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal

Game Of Thrones • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

House Of Cards • Netflix • Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

True Detective • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Bryan Cranston as Walter White

House Of Cards • Netflix • Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix
Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Jon Hamm as Don Draper

The Newsroom • HBO • HBO Entertainment
Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy

True Detective • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger Woody Harrelson as Martin Hart

True Detective • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley

The Good Wife • CBS • Eye Productions in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick

Homeland • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Fox 21, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet
Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison

House Of Cards • Netflix • Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix
Robin Wright as Claire Underwood

Masters of Sex • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Sony Pictures Television, Round Two Productions, Timberman/Beverly Productions Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson

Scandal • ABC • ABC Studios
Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Dancing On The Edge • Starz • Ruby Film and Television in association with Endgame Entertainment and Playground Creative England and Lip Sync Productions
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Louis Lester

Fargo • FX Networks • MGM and FX Productions
Martin Freeman as Lester Nygaard

Fargo • FX Networks • MGM and FX Productions
Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne Malvo

Luther • BBC America • A BBC and BBC America co-production
Idris Elba as John Luther

The Normal Heart • HBO • HBO Films in association with Plan B Entertainment, Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy Productions Mark Ruffalo as Ned Weeks

Sherlock: His Last Vow (Masterpiece) • PBS • Hartswood West for BBC/Cymru Wales in co-production with Masterpiece
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

American Horror Story: Coven • FX Networks • 20th Century Fox Television
Jessica Lange as Fiona Goode

American Horror Story: Coven • FX Networks • 20th Century Fox Television
Sarah Paulson as Cordelia Goode Foxx

Burton And Taylor • BBC America • A BBC Drama Production co-produced with BBC America
Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth Taylor

Return To Zero • Lifetime • Cannonball Productions
Minnie Driver as Maggie Royal

The Spoils Of Babylon • IFC • Funny or Die for IFC
Kristen Wiig as Cynthia Morehouse

The Trip To Bountiful • Lifetime • Ostar Productions
Cicely Tyson as Carrie Watts

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper

Derek • Netflix • Derek Productions Ltd. for Netflix
Ricky Gervais as Derek

Episodes • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Hat Trick Productions, Crane Klarik Productions
Matt LeBlanc as Matt LeBlanc

House Of Lies • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Crescendo Productions, Totally Commercial Films, Refugee Productions, Matthew Carnahan Circus Products
Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan

Louie • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions
Louis C.K. as Louie

Shameless • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television
William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Girls • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions
Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath

Mike & Molly • CBS • Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. and Warner Bros. Television Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, A Caryn Mandabach Production, Clyde Phillips Productions
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton

Orange Is The New Black • Netflix • Lionsgate Television for Netflix
Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman

Parks and Recreation • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions, Fremulon, 3 Arts Entertainment and Universal Television
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

Veep • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President Selina Meyer

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

The Amazing Race • CBS • WorldRace Productions, Inc.
Bertram van Munster, Executive Producer Elise Doganieri, Executive Producer
Jerry Bruckheimer, Executive Producer Jonathan Littman, Executive Producer Mark Vertullo, Executive Producer
Dan Coffie, Co-Executive Producer Giselle Parets, Co-Executive Producer Matt Schmidt, Co-Executive Producer Patrick Cariaga, Co-Executive Producer Phil Keoghan, Co-Executive Producer Michael Norton, Supervising Producer Darren Bunkley, Supervising Producer Neil Jahss, Supervising Producer Micheal DiMaggio, Supervising Producer Chad Baron, Senior Producer
Vanessa Abugho Ballesteros, Senior Producer

Dancing With The Stars • ABC • BBC Worldwide Productions
Conrad Green, Executive Producer Joe Sungkur, Executive Producer
Ashley Edens-Shaffer, Executive Producer Deena Katz, Supervising Producer
Tara West-Margolis, Supervising Producer Daniel Martin, Supervising Producer
Peter Hebri, Senior Producer
Ashley Shea Landers, Senior Producer Megan Wade, Producer
Ryan Goble, Producer

Project Runway • Lifetime • The Weinstein Company, Bunim/Murray Productions and Full Picture Entertainment
Harvey Weinstein, Executive Producer Bob Weinstein, Executive Producer Meryl Poster, Executive Producer Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer Sara Rea, Executive Producer
Heidi Klum, Executive Producer Jane Cha, Executive Producer Desiree Gruber, Executive Producer Rob Sharenow, Executive Producer Gena McCarthy, Executive Producer David Hillman, Executive Producer
Barbara Schneeweiss, Executive Producer Gil Goldschein, Co-Executive Producer Teri Weideman, Co-Executive Producer Rebecca Taylor Henning, Senior Producer Tim Gunn, Producer

Sasha Alpert, Producer

So You Think You Can Dance • FOX • Dick Clark Productions, Inc. in association with 19 Entertainment
Barry Adelman, Executive Producer Simon Fuller, Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe, Executive Producer Jeff Thacker, Co-Executive Producer James Breen, Co-Executive Producer
Zoe Brown, Senior Supervising Producer Dan Sacks, Senior Supervising Producer Adam Cooper, Supervising Producer Mike Deffina, Senior Producer
Colleen Wagner, Senior Producer Matt Kinsey, Producer
Jensen Moon, Producer

Top Chef • Bravo • Magical Elves for Bravo
Dan Cutforth, Executive Producer Jane Lipsitz, Executive Producer Casey Kriley, Executive Producer Hillary Olsen, Executive Producer Tara Siener, Executive Producer Tom Colicchio, Executive Producer Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer Erica Ross, Co-Executive Producer
Doneen Arquines, Co-Executive Producer Shealan Spencer, Co-Executive Producer Christian Homlish, Supervising Producer Blake Davis, Supervising Producer
Wade Sheeler, Supervising Producer Ivan Oyco, Senior Producer

The Voice • NBC • Mark Burnett’s One Three Inc. and Talpa Media USA in association with Warner Horizon Television
Mark Burnett, Executive Producer John De Mol, Executive Producer Audrey Morrissey, Executive Producer Stijn Bakkers, Executive Producer Lee Metzger, Executive Producer Chad Hines, Co-Executive Producer Nicolle Yaron, Co-Executive Producer
Amanda Zucker, Co-Executive Producer Mike Yurchuk, Co-Executive Producer Jim Roush, Co-Executive Producer
Kyra Thompson, Supervising Producer May Johnson, Senior Producer
Teddy Valenti, Senior Producer Ashley Baumann, Producer Carson Daly, Producer
Keith Dinielli, Producer Barton Kimball, Producer Kyley Tucker, Producer Brittany Martin, Producer

Outstanding Miniseries

American Horror Story: Coven • FX Networks • 20th Century Fox Television

Bonnie & Clyde • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television

Fargo • FX Networks • MGM and FX Productions

Luther • BBC America • A BBC and BBC America co-production

Treme • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Blown Deadline Productions

The White Queen • Starz • Starz presents in association with Company Pictures (an All 3 Media Company) and Playground Entertainment

Outstanding Television Movie

Killing Kennedy • National Geographic Channel • Scott Free Productions for National Geographic Channels

Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight • HBO • HBO

The Normal Heart • HBO • HBO Films in association with Plan B Entertainment, Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy Productions

Sherlock: His Last Vow (Masterpiece) • PBS • Hartswood West for BBC/Cymru Wales in co-production with Masterpiece

The Trip To Bountiful • Lifetime • Ostar Productions

Outstanding Variety Series

The Colbert Report • Comedy Central • Hello Doggie, Inc. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central • Central Productions, LLC

Jimmy Kimmel Live • ABC • ABC Studios in association with Jackhole Industries

Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bill Maher Productions and Brad Grey Television

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon • NBC • Universal Television and Broadway Video Films in association with Rainmark Films and Sakura Films

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal
Jim Carter as Mr. Carson

Game Of Thrones • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister

The Good Wife • CBS • Eye Productions in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions
Josh Charles as Will Gardner

Homeland • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Fox 21, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet
Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson

Ray Donovan • Showtime • Showtime Presents, The Mark Gordon Company, Bider Sweet
Jon Voight as Mickey Donovan

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Anna Gunn as Skyler White

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal
Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

Downton Abbey • PBS • A Carnival Films/Masterpiece Co-Production in association with NBC Universal
Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates

Game Of Thrones • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister

The Good Wife • CBS • Eye Productions in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris

Pollyanna strikes again!

By Don Keith N4KC

My favorite radio broadcasting "the glass is not only half full but it contains a fine, fine wine" publication does it again in today's edition:

July Fourth listener drop is a one-day phenomenon.
From trips to the beach, barbeques and firework outings, it’s little wonder radio use typically ticks down on July Fourth. But Nielsen data shows the drop may not be as large as many believe it is, and listening habits quickly return once the calendar page is turned.

That is the word from INSIDE RADIO, that any idea that radio usage is down on a major summer holiday is a fairy tale.  Actually, July 4 in particular and summer in general was a fine time for traditional radio listenership.  Anytime people were out and about, in their cars, at the beach, doing stuff, they had their radios with them.  Radio provided music, info, companionship, and background noise for all those outdoor activities.  It was, after all, portable.  Unlike TV, the newspaper, or any other medium.

Now, consumers have plenty of other choices for that music, info, companionship and noise.  Radio is actually pretty far down the list because those other choices are equally or more ubiquitous.  And they are more reliable.  Ever tried to find a traffic update on most stations on a weekend?  Or spotted storm clouds and tried to dial up someone who could give you a weather report?

Probably not.  You have an app for traffic and weather.

Look, radio listening may have appeared to drop on Independence Day because of the way radio was once measured...by people keeping diaries of their listenership.  People who were not quite so diligent in their record-keeping on holidays.  Now, with a more passive means of determining listening, more of it probably gets reported.

But keep in mind that same passive means of measurement is showing listening to traditional radio has already had its fireworks finale.  The medium may soon be as much old news as yesterday's bottle rocket.

AM and FM own the auto dashboard and always will...

By Don Keith N4KC

Google will soon stake a major claim on your car's dashboard.  To counter Apple's CarPlay, the Google folks took time from putting all those World Cup cartoons on their search home page to introduce Android Auto.

Take a look HERE.

Remember when the middle of the dash was dominated by the ubiquitous AM/FM radio with CD player?  Heck I remember when it was just an AM radio.  Then FM came along.  Then 8-track tapes and eventually tape cassettes and finally the compact disc.

Many AM operators ignored FM.  Where is AM radio today?  Then FM operators pooh-poohed 8-tracks, and cassettes.  They were pretty much right since those technologies were so clunky.  CDs didn't appear to be a threat, either, since the average-quarter-hour shares were still based on 100%...100% of people listening to radio...not a percentage of the whole population, many of whom were finding other things to listen to, like CDs.  Radio still tries to sell its air time using shares...a percentage of people listening to radio, not a percentage of all the people out there in the population.

In the car?  What else you going to do but listen to "The biggest hits of the 80s, 90s and today on FM108!!!"  Or "The biggest and best country, Yahoo 95.7!"  Or three guys arguing for an hour about whether the Padres have the pitching to challenge for the division title?

No wonder people began preferring CDs to dull, boring personalities and two ten-minute chunks of commercials every hour.  Or they listened to audio books.  And people began talking on their cell phones instead of listening to radio or CDs.

But shares of audience were still based on 100%...of people listening to radio.  Even if people listening to radio were becoming fewer and fewer and for much less time.  The radio still dominated the dashboard, after all.

No more.  That big chunk of real estate to the right of the steering wheel has become far more than an AM/FM radio receiver.  Choices are becoming almost infinite.  

Can traditional radio still play a big part in what people do in their cars?  Can Yahoo 95.7 still be a significant part of CarPlay and Android Auto?

Sure they can.  But they won't.  Talent costs money.  Creativity runs risks.

Why should radio spend money and take risks to produce compelling content that keeps them a part of the auto dashboard?  AM and FM own the dashboard, right?

Will the last one out of the last radio station please turn off the transmitter?

(Note: just a reminder that I am on record as predicting that the current AM broadcast band will be given to the ham radio operators by 2025.)