[arg_discuss] ARGs & relational aesthetics

[James Wallis]

On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:00:04 -0000, <arg_discuss-request at igda.org> wrote:


> Maybe this also explains why no British broadcaster has commissioned a  

> true ARG yet. Are they structurally incapable of doing so?


Towards the end of 2005 Channel 4 was making "We really want to do an ARG"  
noises, and I was involved in putting together a pitch from a TV/digital  
media production company for a pool of development money. When the  
contract was awarded it turned out that C4 was offering very little money  
and wanted all rights, and understandably nobody was prepared to go  
forward with that.

Until an ARG can show the same kind of user/viewer figures for the same  
kind of investment as an equivalent TV or radio show, and additionally  
show some way of generating decent revenue (Perplex City season 1 did  
great numbers for a game but small potatoes for TV) I suspect the large  
broadcasters here will continue to make encouraging noises and nothing  
more.

-- 
James Wallis
james at erstwhile.demon.co.uk
Tel (+44) 0776 016 5449
Gamesblog: www.spaaace.com/cope