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New President for FoodNetwork

Chad

By Chad
in Food Media & Arts

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bloviatrix

bloviatrix

Posted
Posted
Boy, I'd love to be the the room for that pitch meeting.

"hey, we've got this idea. there's this hard core group of foodies out there, and we think there's enough of them, and they are the right demographic group, and, well, we think we can make a network go based on what they want to see."

OK, actually I'd love to be in the meeting when the laughter stops, and they throw them out on their ass.

Actually, it's not as crazy an idea as you think. Now, that we've gone to digital cable in many places, there's a lot more room for narrow-casting, meaning that you can develop networks geared to a very small group of people. As DTV penetrates further, a hard-core food channel could make sense.

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
Posted

Isn't that why there are now "on demand" programs available for those willing to pay for something they enjoy? :rolleyes:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

bloviatrix

bloviatrix

Posted
Posted

I think on demand currently only applies to movies.

Another point I forgot to make earlier. The hard-core foodists are, most likely, an attractive demographic to upscale companies. My educated guess would be that this group is more educated and has a higher income. Granted it might skew older than the coveted males 18-34, but for certain advertisers that's ok.

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

clothier

clothier

Posted
Posted

how many people are registered members of this site?

16,000 or so, right?

How many more people are out there besides that 16k?

Maybe another 20,000?

Not much of an audience there.

mnebergall

mnebergall

Posted
Posted
how many people are registered members of this site?

16,000 or so, right?

How many more people are out there besides that 16k?

Maybe another 20,000?

Not much of an audience there.

I think you have made your point. Everyone understands that you think it is a dumb idea.

Chris Cognac

Chris Cognac

Posted
Posted (edited)

OK, keep it simple folks...while there may never be an audience for an entire gourmet network..There is an audience for 1 or 2 serious shows, there is much more of a chance to get a few quality type shows for the "serious" gourmand then an entire day of programing on its own network. There is also a "middle ground" of viewers...guys like me, I can enjoy Billy Joe Jim Bob from Memphis talking about the best kind of method to smoke your ribs just as much as I enjoy Michael Chiarello doing Napa style picnic's. If you run a network you have a very tough job, you have to try to please everyone...folks it aint gonnna happen. Thats one of the first things i learned when I started writing reviews....someone is always gonna hate what you love!

Edit: me spell bad!

second Edit: me spl rreel badd :blink:

Edited by Chris Cognac (log)

Moo, Cluck, Oink.....they all taste good!

The Hungry Detective

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
Posted
how many people are registered members of this site?

16,000 or so, right?

How many more people are out there besides that 16k?

Maybe another 20,000?

Not much of an audience there.

Just possibly you might want to include the people involved in the "Slow Food Movement" who are equally serious about their food .. might that change your statistics, even in some miniscule fashion? :laugh:

I know, it ain't exactly a tsunami of viewers ....

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

herbacidal

herbacidal

Posted
Posted
The other model is where the cable network pays the channel on a "so many cents per subscriber per month" basis. These channels usually are premium in nature. HBO, come to mind. There are hybrids where the cable network pays on a per subscriber basis and there is advertising and the channel is part of the premium package. ESPN is in this category. The hybrids are not so dependant on advertising. Perhaps Food Network needs some competition from a rival channel that would be part of a premium package and had more focused advertising.

Actually, a food channel either as hybrid or premium might work.

It does for the limited Chinese-American market as an add-on to DirectTV.

And there are approximately 4 million Chinese-Americans in the US, although most of the programming comes from abroad and is just redistributed.

I would be willing to gamble that between the real egullet-types, and those that do want to learn, and those who are pissed at FoodTV plus others, there may be about 4 million in the US.

I would guess the key is how much of the programming would have to be original IE could most of the stuff be bought from other countries or PBS or whatever.

Of course, I have neither the money nor the experience to work on something like that. But anyone who does, gimme a call. It'd be a fun ride.

Herb aka "herbacidal"

Tom is not my friend.

lala

lala

Posted
Posted
I'm cynical/skeptical, and think the spiral will continue. The Food Network is not for the food geeks who are registered on this site. It's entertainment for the masses.

Absolutely. That's why we have each other on this site. I haven't watched Food Network more than 3 times in the last month. I'm on eGullet several times a day, and learn more on this site in a day than I have in years of watching FTV.

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
Posted
That's why we have each other on this site. I haven't watched Food Network more than 3 times in the last month. I'm on eGullet several times a day, and learn more on this site in a day than I have in years of watching FTV.

You got that absolutely correct, lala! I rarely bother to watch any FoodNetwork shows since I became involved in eGullet ... the TV has become the sole preserve of my husband and he holds his remote with glee, but solo .. :sad:

and I am more than content to be here! :biggrin:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

phrank

phrank

Posted
Posted
I agree with Brad that a few years ago FTV was more "geeky," it had cooking shows on almost all the time. I still miss Galloping Gourmet and East Meets West, among others. This was B.E.E. (Before Emeril Exploded), and now I don't watch it as much as I used to. I wish I could stay home during the day to watch the good stuff, but we've gotta pay the mortgage. I wish there was more respect for primetime gulleteers in FTV programming. There's only so much "Best Of" and "Top Five" I can take...

Agreed. I'd heartily add "Taste" to that short list. I learned more from David Rosengarten in the mid- and late-'80s than anyone else.

slowday

slowday

Posted
Posted

Agreed. I'd heartily add "Taste" to that short list. I learned more from David Rosengarten in the mid- and late-'80s than anyone else.

I learned a lot from Taste as well, but it wasn't exactly dynamic stuff.

I've been watching FTV since it went on the air with Robin Leach and it basically keeps changing. It seem like these days they are trying to come up with programs that demonstrate that food is both exciting and entertaining. Emeril even has his own band. The tasting part seems almost like a secondary part of the evening shows.

Most of the entertainment on the channel these days comes from watching Al Roker morph into three different sizes in the same show. Of course that's not new for the food network. After the Robin Leach era they had an afternoon program featuring diet researcher Dr. Lou Aroni giving advice on losing weight , and watching the co-host whose name I can't remember, slowly gaining weight during the run of the show. Kind of perversely hilarious.

slowday

godito

godito

Posted
Posted

Ah, the business of TV entertainment is rarelly about the die hards. So sad. I do agree that she will only make changes to meet demographics. Not their demographics but theis sponsors. Think about it, most products are delivered to busy mothers and Atkins diet followers. Not really for foodies

However I do hope that they stay away from reality shows or game shows or -yes- Dweezil and Lisa. Whay can't they have a shol like The Best Chefs of the World? or even Charlie Trotter's Kithen Sessions?

Argentina has a food channel the gourmet channel, and they have programs on wine and restaurants. One show was all about restaurants in NYC, and often presented specials on chefs like Albert Adria (Ferran Adria's brother, and the pastry chef for El Bulli) and Daniel Boloud. They also had a show where a chef visits Relais et Chateaux properties around the world. That's the kind of stuff I want to see!

Follow me @chefcgarcia

Fábula, my restaurant in Santiago, Chile

My Blog, en Español

mstillman

mstillman

Posted
Posted

not many got on air for sara. there were always a few who called but the vast majority of calls were authentic.

but we had to fabricate calls for dr. aroni and dr. callahan. nobody called that show.

Chad

Chad

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
the name of that lady with dr. lou aroni was dr. lisa callahan.

i used to be a call screener for that show. and cooking live.

Hey, Matthew, good to see you here!

I know you're kind of limited in what you can and can't say about FN, but can you offer any insights into whether Brooke Johnson might be better for the network? Is there anybody inside who recognizes the difference between delivering a large demographic and a smaller but higher-spending one?

Chad

Edited to add: For those just tuning in, Matthew Stillman is a former producer and Program Development Manager for Food Network. He did a great Q&A with us a while back.

Chad Ward

An Edge in the Kitchen

William Morrow Cookbooks

www.chadwrites.com

tryska

tryska

Posted
Posted
but we had to fabricate calls for dr. aroni and dr. callahan. nobody called that show.

i'm not surprised. i have never heard of these people until today.

ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted
the name of that lady with dr. lou aroni was dr. lisa callahan.

i used to be a call screener for that show. and cooking live.

Hey, Matthew, good to see you here!

I know you're kind of limited in what you can and can't say about FN, but can you offer any insights into whether Brooke Johnson might be better for the network? Is there anybody inside who recognizes the difference between delivering a large demographic and a smaller but higher-spending one?

Chad

Edited to add: For those just tuning in, Matthew Stillman is a former producer and Program Development Manager for Food Network. He did a great Q&A with us a while back.

I'd also love to hear what Matthew thought about the recently aired Iron Chef America episodes. Not on here on this thread, but maybe here. :smile:

Thanks,

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

bloviatrix

bloviatrix

Posted
Posted
but we had to fabricate calls for dr. aroni and dr. callahan. nobody called that show.

i'm not surprised. i have never heard of these people until today.

Isn't Lou Aroni Letterman's cardiologist (I watch a lot of late night tv).

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

Pickles

Pickles

Posted
Posted
as long as primetime doesn't include emeril live, i'm okay with it.

I say with tongue firmly implanted in cheek :rolleyes: that I look forward to a new Food TV show called "Emeril Dead." :cool:

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
Posted
as long as primetime doesn't include emeril live, i'm okay with it.

I say with tongue firmly implanted in cheek :rolleyes: that I look forward to a new Food TV show called "Emeril Dead." :cool:

and I am in tears of laughter about how he will issue forth, bellow actually, "Bam!"

:laugh:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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