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New Distribution Models: Current TV

Published on December 12, 2005

While everyone from Participatory Culture to Google are confident that the future of television is online, Al Gore and the team behind his new enterprise Current TV have faith in the traditional tube and in the cable and satellite providers that determine what gets broadcast on it. As they put it in bold letters on their about page, "Right now, at this moment in history, TV is the most powerful medium in the world."

Current TV's Gotham Chopra acts as a reporter, host and producer for many of the channel's "pods."

It's hard to argue with that -- TV continues to be an influential source of news and entertainment. But with the three "P"s, iPods, PS2s and PDAs, in more and more young people's hands, "this moment in history" may ultimately be fleeting. It seems like for new television enterprises to have a chance in the current climate they have to take an innovative approach to content, interactivity and audience. And this is what Current TV, which launched in August, sets out to do.

The Current Approach to TV Programming

First of all, Current rejects the 30 minute viewing block, opting instead for much shorter content units called "pods." From "Current Courage" to "Current Blogger" these thematic shorts are generally 5-8 minutes long and introduce the viewer to one individual or concept. What all the pods have in common is that they seek to "reflect what is happening in the lives of young pople while highlighting voices and perspectives that aren't always seen," explains Anastasia Goodstein, Manager of Viewer-Created Content at Current.

And as you might guess by Anastasia's title, the next way that Current sets itself apart from most other television outlets, is its emphasis on airing pods made by young, emerging media makers. They call it VC2 (Viewer Created Content) and much of the action takes place online in the Current Studio. Current invites anyone to upload a short film and then visitors to the site, once logged in, can view, comment upon and "greenlight" the piece. The more greenlights a video gets, the more likely it is to capture the attention of Current programmers and make it on the air. Anastasia explains that about 30% of the programming right now is viewer created. There is presently no hard and fast rule about the number of greenlights a piece needs to get on the air, but she explained that they are developing a formula that will be revealed in the coming weeks.

If you tune in to Current at any given time, you will see a stream of pods created by viewers and by the channel's producers. You will also see commercials. No, Current is not ad free, nor is it nonprofit; it is a commercial enterprise seeking to work within the corporate media landscape while attempting to subvert its conventions. Part of this reality is that advertising dollars are necessary for Current to stay afloat, but we can find some comfort in Current's interest in "redefining what advertising is," as Anastasia put it. It's not exactly clear what this entails, except maybe a soft promise to viewers that Current will be selective and encourage advertisers to reach out to the channel's audience of 18-35 year olds with honesty and sophistication.

On Current's online Studio you can watch and greenlight other people's work as well as upload your own media.

Your Film on Current TV?

For those of you wondering if Current is a good outlet for your piece, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that if your video is selected for broadcast, you'll get paid: $500 each for your first and second pieces, $750 for the third and $1,000 for the fourth. Furthermore, as you work your way up the scale, you are more likely to be profiled on air as well as to be commissioned to make new content in the future. The bad news is that Current wants exclusive perpetual rights to all forms of distribution of your video.

This is not a bad deal and it is certainly comparable to those offered by other broadcasters, but it is potentially problematic for those of us focused on making social-issue media. If your film advocates for some kind of progressive action, your goal should be to get your piece seen by as many people through as many outlets as possible. Outreach to educators, nonprofits and activists should be a priority, but if your piece is picked by Current you may encounter some difficulties when it comes to alternative distribution options. That being said, Anastasia assures me that Current is committed to social impact and that they are open to exploring ways to bring pods to educators and others.

Initial Responses

Current is making an effort to reach out to the independent media world. They sent representatives to the NAMAC conference and to other convergences of grassroots media folks. In early October they presented their enterprise to a group of media makers, nonprofits and activists in NYC. Representatives from MediaRights, WITNESS, AIVF, Common Cause, Indyvoter and other established organizations were in attendance, as Chairman of the Board Al Gore, CEO Joel Hyatt (yes, that Hyatt), Creative Executive of VC2 Anthony Marshall (co-founder of Lyricist Lounge) and others essentially pitched the concept of Current TV.

Erik Olsen covers life in India in Postcard from Varanasi, a piece of Viewer Created Content that has aired on Current TV.

Reception at this event and in general has been mixed. Many are excited about the opportunity to get their work seen on a channel that reaches a potential 20 million homes, and there have already been hundreds of uploaded submissions to Current's website. Others are skeptical about what impact Current TV will have on the independent media field. "If Current is replacing MTV and FOX I'm all for it," explains media activist Josh Breitbart of Philadelphia's Media Tank. "But if it's replacing Indymedia and Public Access, then I've got issues. The public access system is essentially a massive public subsidy funded by corporate broadcasters. Current TV needs to do their part to step up and support public access and the diverse work that's already being done rather than narrow the field to white boys with video cameras."

The Nielsen ratings haven't come in yet, but anecdotal audience responses have been mostly positive. "As a nineteen-year-old in today's society, I realize that a lot of the stuff people my age watch on television is just mindless entertainment, which there is nothing wrong with, and I watch that stuff too, but it is refreshing to see something that makes us think," one viewer wrote.

It is refreshing and it will be great if Current TV can contribute to the reshaping of what is considered mainstream entertainment and news for the 18-34 set. In the meantime, they invite you to tune in and create content. As Anastasia expressed, "Hopefully you will see Current as another great distribution outlet. Our door is open."