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The Internet Didn't Kill the TV Show

Economist argues online viewers more likely to tune in the old fashioned way

By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 9, 2007 4:19 PM CST
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(Newser) – With Viacom's lawsuit against YouTube, and widespread speculation that the dearth of material created by a long TV writers' strike will send more viewers online, there are still some economists who think Internet video could stimulate rather than stifle TV viewing. The key is not to think of the online/on-air conflict as a zero sum game, Melissa Lafsky writes on the Freakonomics blog at the New York Times.

"Watching an episode on the web can stimulate interest in watching other episodes of the same show on television," Lafsky quotes Joel Waldfogel writing, based on his interviews with a sample of 287 university students. His findings—that online viewers see the web as a supplement to broadcast television—might shatter Viacom's case: if YouTube isn't turning viewers off, than the TV giant's case might lack standing.

In a file photo Jon Stewart, host of the Emmy-nominated show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, arrives for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. YouTube wants to question Comedy Central comedians Stewart and Stephen Colbert as part of...
In a file photo Jon Stewart, host of the Emmy-nominated show "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," arrives for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los...   (Associated Press)
Beck is photographed during the filming of his music video for Nausea, a single from his new fusion album, The Information, in downtown Los Angeles, in this Oct. 2, 2006, file photo. As labels thin their music video budgets, artists are increasingly embracing the YouTube aesthetic with cheap, stripped-down, low-production...
Beck is photographed during the filming of his music video for "Nausea," a single from his new fusion album, "The Information," in downtown Los Angeles, in this Oct. 2, 2006, file photo. As labels thin...   (Associated Press)
Re: You Tube logo
Re: You Tube logo   (sedenkalkavan (YouTube))
A picture is shown of the YouTube homepage 13 March 2007. As a billion dollar lawsuit between the Google-owned YouTube and Viacom, Inc. rages on, some are asking how much damage web video is actually doing to television.
A picture is shown of the YouTube homepage 13 March 2007. As a billion dollar lawsuit between the Google-owned YouTube and Viacom, Inc. rages on, some are asking how much damage web video is actually...   (Getty Images)
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