If I could wish one thing (a thing that would be so good for the South African TV viewer, good for MultiChoice, good for its new video-on-demand service DStv BoxOffice, good for M-Net, good for everybody) it would be for MultiChoice to make the 2 hour premiere of the upcoming new TV drama Terra Nova available at the end of September or in October as a DStv BoxOffice movie. Even if it's just for a week.
I doubt that it will happen. But it would be such a great thing.
Last month of course I exclusively broke the news RIGHT HERE that M-Net has definitely acquired the rights to Terra Nova and that the new Steven Spielberg drama chronicling a family traveling back in time to prehistoric times to make a new start, will start in January on M-Net. Of course MultiChoice also just launched its new DStv BoxOffice service making a constantly updated selection of 15 movies available for rent at R25 each.
I don't think that MultiChoice has that clout, and for various technical and business and licensing price point and gumption reasons I don't think it can happen or would be something that MultiChoice would give energy to pursue, but it's a nice idea. When i daydream about television, it is things like this that I fantasize about: That South African viewers can get the opportunity to see the next best new thing, while its hot.
Let's play along. Terra Nova starts on 26 September in America as a two hour premiere. It will be on the Fox network and is made by Steven Spielberg. Now, TopTV has proved that with the first season and the upcoming new second season of The Walking Dead, as well as the current Falling Skies (made by Steven Spielberg, gotten to South Africa by ... Fox International Channels) its possible to see television episodes of a show within 48 hours of it being shown in America.
Imagine, imagine, if, as for one of its rolling movies, the new DStv BoxOffice acquired ''Terra Nova 2hr premiere feature'' as a R25 movie, as part of its playlist selection - even if its just for a week - just after the America premiere on 26 September. (And MultiChoice and M-Net has an even better and longer history and relationship with Fox than what TopTV has.)
DStv BoxOffice will win. I will definitely pay R25 to see the 2 hour Terra Nova premiere in high definition in my living room shortly after its American debut when it will be a global pop culture buzz topic around the world. Subscribers will use and sample DStv BoxOffice if they find out that the year's biggest new TV show (dinosaurs! family drama! secrets! amazing special effects!) is available for a very limited time as a special preview sampler movie - one you cannot even get on a DVD yet.
M-Net will win. DStv Premium subscribers who already have M-Net are introduced to the new TV show that's coming and get a delicious want-to-see ''preview''. Of course you're going to tell other people; of course you're going to return when the full first season of 13 episodes start in January on M-Net.
The South African television viewer will win. You get to see and sample the latest television. In that way you're fun won't get spoiled when it's months later and you've accidentally already read about the orange, the feathers, the Six, the mysterious ancient hieroglyphics in a ancient world where even the ape-forebearers of humans should not yet be ... I've said too much already.
I think if MultiChoice and DStv BoxOffice and M-Net are clever, doing this kind of thing will be the brilliant and dynamic forward-thinking thing from a programming point of view to start doing immediately and into the future. Hard work for sure, but work that will pay off for the viewer and for everybody in brand building, habit forming, true cross-promotion, revenue generation and true TV viewer satisfaction.
