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How Big Data Has Moved Into TV Production....on Amazon By John D. Verlin

In the good old days of TV--you produce a sitcom or show of some kind--bring in a studio audience and put up Applause signs and hoped they laughed.

A lot of gut instinct stuff here in the creative decision-making.

Move in to the 1990's aka Home Improvement where you produced a show--performed it for an audience and "tested" how many times they laughed, etc.

Make adjustments to the script based on the "test-market" audience response--perhaps tweak it again, then air the version that got the most laughs.

Forward to today--create a huge marketplace online with millions of customers--mine their data for all it's worth, interests, purchases, etc.

Now, create TV-style content "targeted" to that built in audience.

Welcome Big Data influence in a not-so-long-ago "gut instinct" creative business.

Thats what the folks are up to at Amazon.com for the Prime Members patrons. Quoting from the Wall Street Journal..."Amazon's approach could hold lessons for established media companies, who do research on shows before they air but not on anywhere near the scale as Amazon. If Amazon turns projects other networks have passed on into successful shows or discovers untapped talent, Hollywood will take notice. Its efforts are already provoking debate among TV executives about how much of a role big data should play in an industry where creative instincts have always been paramount.
Amazon offers a streaming video service that comes with a subscription to its "Prime" two-day free shipping program, which costs $79 a year. Like Netflix and Hulu, the company has built an extensive library of TV and movies. 
But ultimately it determined that original programming was critical to attract and retain subscribers.
"We thought logically what we need to have is our own TV shows that give customers a reason why they want to tune in—why they should subscribe," says Mr. Carr.
And thus we begin to see the future of TV--streaming programming via original content on the web.
It's why Hulu has created a number of "special content" programs--I especially liked "The Confession" with Kiefer Sutherland. A nine-part series viewed on Hulu 24/7 with each episode like ten minutes each.
The idea behind that is to create really engaging content that viewers could access 24/7--and instead of a million people watching--you have a worldwide audience of 300,000,000 that can watch it like a podcast at their convenience.
And production costs are much cheaper.
One production  is called "Alpha House"...
"Alpha House" is based on the real-life story of four U.S. members of Congress who bunked together in a Washington, D.C., townhouse.
Though Amazon's selection process was unique, in many ways "Alpha House" is like any other slick TV production. Big-name actors are involved, like John Goodman, who plays one of the four politicians.
The healthy budget, on par with cable networks, is evident from the set, which has a mock-up of a U.S. Senate building so detailed that it bears the correct door textures and room placards. The office of Mr. Goodman's character has a framed letter from President Ronald Reagan: "Thank you for your strong support in passing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act."
"Alpha House" scored well in the viewing data and got a strong average rating of 4.1. The company also took into account that the work of Mr. Goodman was popular on its service.
In coming weeks, Amazon will find out if it can build a sustained audience for the show. Actors involved say that despite the company's unusual development process, they believe the material being produced rivals traditional networks.
Mr. Consuelos says he believes the quality of his Amazon show is on par with other projects he has worked on for cable networks, despite its unconventional development. "It's a whole new frontier," he says.
So, you become a Prime Member of Amazon--you save on shipping costs for anything you buy from them that features Prime shipping--get to watch free content including these new original content productions--then buy the DVD, etc from Amazon.
Not to mention online sponsors of these shows that Amazon signs up.
Pretty sweet deal--but don't throw your remote away just yet!
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