Consumers confused by Web TV programming choices, says NATPE

Rather than enriching and exciting viewers, the blend of Web and traditional TV programming is going to confound them for a while, executives at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) said during that organization's meeting.

"With all this digital technology there's still consumer confusion ... and if the consumer is confused, none of it's going to work," said Nick Buzzell, an NBTV Studios producer.

It will sort out as soon as the television networks understand the model and consumers become comfortable with it, said Ted Sarandos, Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) chief content officer, who said that Netflix is "not centered around last night's episode. It's all about the history of the show." A single episode can offer a taste of the feast that is a show's whole season, he said.

Thus far, Netflix has had a tough time convincing programmers that the model will work. "We offered HBO a huge amount of money, a huge amount of money, for hit vampire drama ‘True Blood' and they wouldn't sell it to us. I should say, they haven't sold it to us yet."

For more:
- the Kansas City Star has this story

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