Reality TV Declining? Not If You Saw and Listened To The Voices of March Madness Sunday…

This past Sunday there was a story in the New York Times about the drop in reality TV production, down 15% this past year. Costs, a lack of consumers watching actual broadcast TV vs streaming services and online platforms, were the key reasons we will get less Batchelor going forward.

However, as the late David Stern liked to say, the ultimate live reality show TV is going just as strong these days, and it remains the only thing short of music that is must see in the moment…live sports.

Sunday we got the latest national taste of that with the finish of the UConn-Duke game, more proof that when the subject has a heartbeat and is in the moment, stats and AI and simulations go out the window.

One other thing that we can’t take for granted are the voices brining us the moments. If you haven’t yet, catch Mike Crispino’s call on the UConn Radio network (here), the call, albeit a tough one on the other side of David Shumate on the Duke call (here), and perhaps the best piece that let the visuals tell the story, the camera that CBS had on Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery and Grant Hill for their final moments (here).

The first two paint different pictures for those who were listening. The third gives us a visual of what we didn’t see off the court, the stunned reactions of those calling the game while staying in the moment. It is an angle which we have written about before, booth cam, which should be a regular part of the streaming offering going forward as we get to pick and choose who we watch and when on a second screen. By the way the BEST part of booth cam (no not Grant Hill’s reaction), it was not was said. The three pros let the images tell the story instead of shouting, and then gave us the words to match the pictures.

So much there to learn from (along with the masterful and respectful job  Tracy Wolfson did on the sidelines)  and to literally see and hear a once in a lifetime communal experience.

Reality TV is not declining, it lives through the images and voices of live sports every night, with the best and latest example on Sunday.

Let’s see what’s next!