Seemingly Intractable Questions In Pop, No.1 in a Series

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

How do you make pop work on TV?

Comments

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

1. Videos - Before I changed cable plans, I used look forward to a "show" on VH1 weekend overnights that played just dance music. This was partially because of the music itself, partially because it was music I didn't know, and partially because the limited broadcast slot (only a few hours a week) virtually guaranteed that there were never repeats. I still believe - much like the old free-form FM fans in US -- that a huge "playlist," if that is the even appropriate word, is the best way to get and retain viewers. I'm not going to tune in because I'm guaranteed to see the new Avril Lavigne within the next 20 songs (esp. now when I can just go to youtube), however i am going to *stay* tuned if i am not constantly seeing things I've seen before (and in fact i may hang around a bit longer *hoping* that i'm tuned in during that one occasion during the day when you play the Avril video. The fact that both radio and tv seem to have consistently moved away from this model suggests that my attitudes are completely different from the average person, but whatever. I still think the idea might be worth reconsideration in the youtube's world of instant gratification.

2. I watched every series of S Club 7 with great pleasure (okay, maybe my attention drifted a bit during the last one in Spain). This included the behind-the-scenes-ish series where they were doing their tour (actually I probably liked that one best of all, because it hinted at the people behind the personae on the shows). I don't know if I'm bored with reality shows because they all feature a) non-entities or b) has-beens (or c) there are too many, too often). But I still think you could draw some kind of audience for something that offers a real-life glimpse of the artists/stars.

3. Hmm.. oh, yes. Two formats that we had here for a while:
- "Earth and Sky" (one hour once a week) featured a "panel" of DJs from radios stations with very different formats (rock, hard rock, europop, russian/oldies pop), an ex-MTV VJ "moderator." Each week a DJ invites a performer to the show. They would alternate live performance and discussion, topics of which ranged from discussion of a particular/song of performance, to the creative process, to the music business, to the life of pop stars, to politics. (And no sitting on couches or anything, the performers were "on stage" guitars or microphones on hand the whole time.) A bit rockist in executiion, perhaps, but always quite interesting, partially because of those moments when you'd get the pop DJ talking about the rock band invited that week, or vice versa.
- The other show was basically a money-spinner of sorts for the channel - imagine an cross between Idol and TOTP - people would "perform" their new songs live (usually singing/synching over tapes) and the viewing audience would call/text votes to determine the "chart" or #1 song for the week.