Hollywood is too old-fashioned

Of course Hollywood is not old-fashioned in the normal sence.  The point I wish to make here is concerning how Hollywood, the music industry, media in general has not yet fully taken advantage of the potential of new technologies.

If we think about how our satelite or cable channels work, there are few companies in charge of distribution. In my view local and community organizations should have a far greater role in regulating ... no, not regulating... CHOOSING what groups of channels / stations / programming they are purchasing.

At first glance one would say "well that is silly... satelite and cable offer a huge variety of channels (sometimes hundreds!).... what could be better."  That is one good arguement for keeping things as they are..... more variety, better, more economical, ect.  True, variety and choice are benefitial.  Though I argue that the modern communities are struggling to maintain a sence of identity in such a mixed up world of too much choice.  Plus, the changes I would hope to convince people of would actually result in more variety and thus choice.

Let us consider if a group.. say a church, or fraternal, or neighborhood were given the option of having a group/set of channels that they were all to agree on.
This would  allow for a much greater coherence and would allow a much greater ability for consumers to have meaningfull conversations, make meaningful/rational choices of what they are watching and finding interest in.  As it currently stands the reality is that it is very likely that people are watching different shows, seeing different commercials, taking in different perceptions of how things are going.  This is having a negative effect on the closeness and number of things that can be discussed.  People should be able to be closer and have better coherence / more to discuss with members of thier church, school, family, ect.

Now it is no secret that there are forces that work well in and advance by operating in the current environment.  Advertisers being the main force.  Advertisers have that job, a very complex one, of optimizing the fun factor in there ads, and fitting the ads to the correct audience at the correct time, ect.  Mainly speaking they want there advertised dollars to be spent efficiently. Possibly a negative result is that the competition for add time has ment more advertisements in general (in commercials and in programs) and at a higher cost.  The result is that few companies are able to benefit and use the techniques of advertising on the radio and television.  More people (at different levels) should be involved in this process.

Advertisers want people surfing channels and looking for different products and hobbies, ect.  They know that there is a chance someone with a weight problem will potenitially stumble upon there ad for the newest exercise equiptment.  Also,  the greater number of channels, the better the odds of people "surfing" through and finding out about the greatest new gardening equiptment, or whatever.

My main arguement would be to these ad companies "Don't be so scared. Take some risk.  Look into the potential of allowing more functionality."  Ultimately what should happen, would be that local organization.. schools, churches, clubs, should have access to and should be able to use the new technology to settup groups of main program/channel choices, run their own radio channels, benefit and be more involved in the advertising processes (more jobs in this area might be of particular importance), and in general have a greater say in their choices.

What is stopping such changes are the forces of old. Those that drive the same old path... consolidation and competion... I am not an economist in advertising, or in the stock market (I wish I had more technical arguements) but I can make one note... allowing smaller groups to make more decisions would result in a greater "consumer plurality"  There would be more opportunity for innovation, more and better potential ideas... a greater benefit in the areas that our culture is at the forfront of ... ideas and innovation. 

As it appears to me there is a great potential for benefit and opportunity for greater variety than is what is currently being utilized.