Writer's Strike Helping Online Video?

Online video sites are seeing huge jumps in traffic from the US this fall and speculation is that the writer's strike is driving the surge. YouTube's numbers are up and new comer, Crackle, has seen it's numbers double since the strike began. "That is greater growth than you would normally see in such a short period and the strike could be a possible factor," Nielsen analyst Alex Burmaster is quoted as saying in this BBC article. Other things to consider are a 9% increase in high-speed connections at home in the US, where 54% of adults report having high-speed. I'm thinking that the Television networks had better take notice, as TV has already fallen out of favour with the younger crowd. I'd estimate that my teens already spend much more time on the PC than they do watching television, while it's generally on it usually is only background noise... their attention is primarily on the computer monitor. A prolonged strike may do irreversible harm to what is suspect are already dwindling ratings within the under 30 demographic.

Gamers see promise in writer's strike

There is an old saying that goes something like this... "it's an ill wind that doesn't blow someone some good" and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences is feeling something like that with respect to the current writer's strike. According to the Globe and Mail, Joseph Olin, president of the Academy is quoted as saying "If you're a fan of network programming, maybe seeing another repeat of ‘Pushing Daisies' or ‘Cold Case' will inspire you to finish that level of ‘Ratchet and Clank Future' instead". The relationship between gamers and writers has been a bit rocky in the past, as The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists both voted to strike against game publishers over compensation for voice talent, two years ago. "My hope is that people who are used to watching new programming on TV discover gaming as an entertainment alternative," says Dan Connors, CEO of Telltale Games. "Obviously, it will have to be a pretty prolonged strike for that to happen, but I think it's a definite possibility."