To ADV: An idea for turning the Anime Network around into a major success story

[StudioZEL]

Greetings AnimeOnDVD forums users and (hopefully) ADV Films employees (dlw?). I'm not the most active person on these forums admittedly, but I lurk with the best of them :-P

I apologize in advance if this is the wrong forum to post this. I know that there used to be a forum for talking directly to representatives of companies like ADV, Funi, etc. and this was the only place I could think of to post this. I also apologize if this idea has already been presented to the ADV staff, but in the posts I skimmed I didn't see this idea presented, but I admit that I could have just missed it. If I'm ripping off your idea, I apologize. *bows*

Anyhoo, I'm writing to you today to present a modest proposal to ADV Films about its Anime Network. I think it's no big secret that The Anime Network hasn't achieved the ambitious goals it set for itself to be *the* network of choice for anime fans (or cable carriers...), but I personally do not believe all is lost. I think the situation can be turned around to the benefit of ADV and the entire anime community to get the fans rallied behind the channel, truly making The Anime Network the nationwide provider of anime it deserves to be.

When The Anime Network was first announced by ADV back in (I think it was 2003?), I thought it was a stroke of genius. A brilliant and natural next step for the anime industry was obviously the creation of a channel that was devoted to broadcasting anime 24/7, run by one of anime fan's favorite companies, ADV Films. They had some strong partners like Comcast supporting the idea, and in 2004, the Anime Network was slowly but surely unleashed. But then, Comcast backed out and went for Sony's Animax (correct me if my name is incorrect) channel, leaving ADV high and dry at the alter.

ADV's next step was a perfectly natural one, and also the most logical. Get the fans behind them. ADV launched the "Demand your Anime" campaign designed to rally the support of anime fans nationwide to get their cable providers to beg ADV for the network. The campaign to my knowledge, is still ongoing.

But surprisingly, despite ADV's great strides to expand the library of anime in America, not to mention being a fan-favorite company, they weren't really getting the support from the hardcore fans they needed. As I was reading through the threads about it, I found many reasons sighted for the fan's disinterest in supporting the network, but one reason seemed to stand out above all the rest.

Lack of subtitled anime.

The Anime Network was dubbed. Almost completely. The majority of the hardcore anime community (I'd say at least 80%, and certainly the loudest), are completely devoted to anime in it's native Japanese language, and only subtitled in English. While people have suggested a "Subtitled Block" or something similar, it was just hard to get across. Hardcore fans didn't want to rally behind a network that was broadcasting their favorite shows, but not in the language they wished to watch it in. It is my belief that ADV needs the support and word of mouth from these fans if they are to turn the channel around and make it a huge success.

Which (finally) brings me to my proposal. I had something of an epiphany the other day when I was bored out of my mind and was mindlessly flipping channels until I arrived at the HBOs. We all know there's like, 10 or more of those now. >>; As I was flipping through them, I went through about five of them when I landed on the exact same movie I was watching 5 channels ago. It didn't hit me until they started speaking.

They were speaking in Spanish. HBO has it's main channel, and it also has a channel that shows the exact same programming that the main channel does, except the language is different.

"This is it!" I thought to myself! "THIS is how ADV can get its fans rallied behind the Anime Network!"

The idea I present is a simple one. Offer the Anime Network as a two channel package. The Anime Network, which offers the latest and greatest anime 24/7 to the public. Then, a sister channel (for the sake of argument, we'll call it The Anime Network J), that shows the exact same shows at the exact same times in the exact same blocks. Nothing about this channel is different at all...

... except the language.

If you can put together a comprehensive plan to implement and execute this strategy, I honestly believe that you'll see an overwhelming wave of support from the fans you never had before. They'll send letters, faxes, make phone calls and send e-mails to their providers to actually do what you've been asking them to for 2 years. To Demand their Anime!

I know I would.

I am not a business major, nor do I have any practical experience in the field of Television/Home Video marketing or some such (though if you offered, I'd relocate :-P ) *ahem*, but I think this idea is worth looking into, investing in, and implementing into your business strategy for The Anime Network. I'd go so far as to assure you that if you do this, you are definitely going to see an increase in support, that will slowly but surely bring The Anime Network into the spotlight; the cable providers will come to you on their knees, begging for your forgiveness for not buying the channel(s) before.

I thank you for reading this proposal. I know I'm not technically a member of the anime industry, I'm just a fan who went to art school trying to break into the manga market with his comics. I may not be the most qualified individual to propose this idea to you. But I really believe in The Anime Network. I want it to succeed. And that is why I've written this long proposal to you, in the hopes that I might be able to help you, the network, and anime fans nationwide, in giving us what we've always wanted. 24/7 Anime.

With that, I'll bid you good night. You may send any comments/hate mail/death threats to zel@studio-zel.com

*bows*

*goes back into hiding*

[jlazar]

Um.... there's really no reason they need two channels to show both subbed and dubbed anime at the same time.

Most Tvs and cable systems should be able to handle SAP audio to have both english and Japanese audio available.

The subtitles could be done by closed captioning (not ideal way to subtitle anime, but doable).


ADV could have done this yesterday, but they would have to WANT to do it and invest the time/money to setup the CC subtitles.

[StudioZEL]

I think two channels would be more successful though. It's easier for the end user, and more noticeable too. I wouldn't know how to set up SAP or CC as I've never used it.

[tstidm1]

You are looking at the issue wrongly. It is an success. It is in 40 million homes through VOD and it is making the investment back. By being one of the first choices for VOD, they got themselves on Cable systems. They reacted to the market to make it work. Anime Network may not be a linear success because it is hard to get on CAble carriers. My Mass Communications background is showing. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[StudioZEL]

If that's the case, I apologize for not doing enough research into the subject. I thought it was still having a hard time with their continued push of the Demand Your Anime campaign. -.-;

[Lego]

[ QUOTE ]
StudioZEL said:
If that's the case, I apologize for not doing enough research into the subject. I thought it was still having a hard time with their continued push of the Demand Your Anime campaign. -.-;

[/ QUOTE ]

For a newer poster, I enjoyed the post heh. I think the thing that has always held ADV's anime network back is that they only have so many shows to put on. I mean one can only watch Eva so many times.

I still think that ADV should try to get other companies to put shows on its on demand and station. I know this has happened somewhat, but imagine if you could tune in Friday nights for the "Geneon power hour" or tune in Wednesday Evenings for viewings of Kodocha under the "Funny Funi" block. I do agree with you that there is a lot of potentional left for AN.

[Legion]

[ QUOTE ]
StudioZEL said:
I think two channels would be more successful though. It's easier for the end user, and more noticeable too. I wouldn't know how to set up SAP or CC as I've never used it.

[/ QUOTE ]
You'd literally need to push two buttons and you'd be all set. It's ridiculously simple.

[StudioZEL]

But with two channels you'd only need to push one. Even better no?

[fantasydewdrop]

Aren't two channels far more expensive than one with dual audio and cc?

[StudioZEL]

If it's more convinent for the customer, than it might be worth the extra money if it makes more.

Example. Spending an extra 100,000, but making an additional 300,000 that wouldn't have been made before.

[itsuka]

Pure hypothesis, but...

Maybe the main business reason for having an anime channel is not to serve anime fans but to try to get more people to be aware and watch your anime, so that more people buy the DVD's (or spend money on it via VOD).

Hardcore fans are already very aware of what ADV is offering. If they want to buy it, they will.

And, drawing in new fans is a dub business. People unfamiliar with anime in the US want their stuff dubbed at first. They may move to subbed later, but at that point they're already hooked and no longer the intended audience of the anime channel.

The only extra value a subbed channel would have for hardcore fans is to actually make them look at the series and hook them. But while nobody dares saying it, fansubbing usually takes care of that detail.

I'm not saying I agree with ADV... but if my theory works, I can see why they're doing what they're doing.

[StudioZEL]

Perhaps so, but I also think that the Anime Network could be a huge stride forward in the industry.

Perhaps I'm just overly optimistic.

[Legion]

[ QUOTE ]
StudioZEL said:
But with two channels you'd only need to push one. Even better no?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not really, pushing one button instead of two saves you a fraction of a second, if that.

[StudioZEL]

I'm talking about more casual users like my mother, who has a hard enough time pushing 1 button let alone 2 -.-;

[Legion]

[ QUOTE ]
StudioZEL said:
I'm talking about more casual users like my mother, who has a hard enough time pushing 1 button let alone 2 -.-;

[/ QUOTE ]
Um... in that case, is that casual users market your mother belongs to really going to benefit from a separate subtitle-only channel?

[StudioZEL]

Perhaps so. I don't think it's wise to assume that all fans of subtitled entertainment are knowledgeable in the ways of technology.

Take for example. Me. I've been watching anime in it's subtitled format almost exclusively since 1999, and yet I didn't even THINK of an SAP option. Why? Too complicated for me, I've never really figured it out in the past.

You can call me stupid for what it's worth. I just think I may not be the only one.

[Legion]

This isn't high tech we're talking about here. Find the SAP button on your remote, then find the closed caption button. I'm not trying to call you stupid, but you do have me completely baffled here. I mean, you wouldn't have a huge problem finding the audio and subtitle buttons on a DVD remote so you can watch the subtitled version of an anime DVD, right? (For the sake of arguement, let's pretend you can't access the menu for some reason.) So doing the same thing for a TV remote should be a pretty easy concept to wrap your head around.

[MeggieMay]

You know that sounds really easy but I know I've never been able to ever get SAP to work and I consider myself quite skilled with VCRs and TVs. What I've decided is that part of my problem is I don't think there is TV set in the house that actually has the SAP option on it even though at least four of the five sets have been purchaced post 2000. Now I do have a VCR that says it can do SAP but it doesn't (I've tried every variation of options and nothing happens no matter how I set it.

So my guess as to what is that you either have to have a TV set, as well as a VCR, that will process SAP or the cable and the broadcast stations here don't have SAP transmissions. The last theory doesn't make sense to me, though, because I can usually get other extended features to work such as CC 3 & 4 on the Zenith, at least when working with the cable specific channels (while the Zenith is the TV that pre-dates 2000 it is quite a fancy number that was top of the line for its day). No clue on local broadcast, however.

I don't have a clue what's going on but I've personally given up on ever getting SAP to work for me /images/graemlins/depresse.gif )

[StudioZEL]

I understand your arguement, but here's my response to it.

If it's that easy, then why did HBO (a big major company that's been on TV for many years now) bother with making two channels of the same content in different languages instead of one with SAP options?

Answer? It's much easier and user-friendly on the consumer side of things to figure it out if it's simply two different channels instead.

Something to think about.

[Fencedude]

This is a really stupid idea.

[StudioZEL]

I don't believe it is. I think it could be a great idea if run properly.

[Bibulb]

[ QUOTE ]
Fencedude said:
This is a really stupid idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe a LEEETLE harsh there - my primary thought is that most cable companies are already squawking about "We've got limited bandwidth for channels right now! That's why we can't give you FoodTV - you wanted EIGHT shopping channels instead of five, and we just don't have the room in the fiber for extra channels!" As a result, most providers aren't going to want to devote another channel to something that's simply an alternate language simulcast of an existing channel. HBO's willing to do it for Spanish because that's a LARGE viewing market that buys a LOT of stuff - the sub-watching anime market, not so big. They can make cable companies do it because, well, they're HBO. Borg/Warner doesn't want to lose a channel that size and with that much money and clout by pissing them off.

Not necessarily a BAD idea - but I would say that it is an unrealistic one. And for that matter, I don't think that it would be one that would turn TAN "into a major success story" - not unless there's a WHOLE LOT of people avoiding it because of the dub issue. And by "whole lot", I mean an audience size visible in Nielsen ratings level size when they change.

[StudioZEL]

I didn't realize that Cable companies are having trouble with bandwith! o.o

Perhaps never mind then... >>; Darn, I thought I'd hit on something. ^^

[Bibulb]

[ QUOTE ]
StudioZEL said:
I didn't realize that Cable companies are having trouble with bandwith! o.o


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, whether they ACTUALLY are or not is irrelevant - they're gritching about it, and that's what matters in this regard.

To give you an idea, there was a while where Borg/Warner here in Houston was griping about people wanting ... either FoodTV or SciFi, I can't remember which. Anyway, at the same time that they were telling people that they couldn't fit whichever it was into their pipes, they had five separate home shopping channels.

[StudioZEL]

Wow, they need 5 home shopping channels? o.o