Change or die!

I’ve just been sent this article about the change in TV watching habits in Canada. At the risk of sounding old, I remember the days when you would dread anything happening to the telly before Christmas just in case it wasn’t back from the TV repair shop in time to enjoy all that top quality festive TV. Now, who cares? I watch more programmes on BBC iPlayer than I do on conventional TV.

I’ve also been reading Tom Fleming’s new report Embracing the Desire Lines – Opening Up Cultural Infrastructure – download here. I quote: For many theatres, cinemas, galleries and other types of culture house; and for pretty much all such venues with a strong dependence on public investment; this wholesale renovation is born out of an urgent requirement to change or die, and it is just the beginning.

To change or die – that’s a harsh ultimatum. But the tools of change are emerging. The Digital Britain report has finally been published, more and more cinema screens are converting to digital and funky new ways of engaging and giving audiences added value are appearing. A much needed breath of fresh air all round!

For me the mind set change is more important than the technology change. Stick a digital projector into a cinema that’s managed by a 35mm mindset and you’ve just wasted £65K. I work with a number of mixed arts venues and independent cinemas all of which are gasping at cost of conversion and seriously worried about the future of their cinemas. But I know that the ones who have made the digital conversion in their heads, and see the possibilities contained both within and without their venues, are the ones that are going to stay relevant and as such stand more chance of survival. I’m not going to make the obvious Darwin reference, but let’s face it, where are TV repair shops now?