The audience has changed
After more than two decades of airing, the Tao Quan program stopped to give way to another script airing on the night of the 29th of Tet.
Analyzed from the perspective of television brand management, Tao Quan has entered its 23rd year, at a stage often considered the "downturn" of an entertainment product life cycle.
Tao Quan aired in 2003 and has been broadcast for more than 20 years. The program once had a special mark, becoming a brand of television, but at the same time also faced pressure for innovation.
After more than 20 years, the times have changed rapidly, social networks have exploded, and entertainment platforms are fiercely competing with traditional television.
Analyzing the viewing habits and television viewing methods of audiences today, director Khai Anh analyzed: "The viewing habits of audiences have changed. When they have free time, they browse their phones, watch movies on digital platforms, watch through apps, OTT (Over the Top) - digital content services. The majority of audiences today tend to watch short stories, excerpts...".
Viewing habits, viewing trends, and viewing methods of audiences have changed rapidly along with the development of social networks and multi-platform entertainment channels.
The traditional TV is also increasingly likened to a more decorative furniture item. Even when opening the TV, viewers also tend to watch YouTube, Netflix... Especially the young audience of gene Z, gene Alpha.
Talking to Lao Dong reporters, veteran expert in the field of media Tam An said that at this stage, the biggest risk lies in maintaining a program mainly by habit and nostalgia.
According to experts, although nostalgia can help retain a loyal audience in the short term, in the long term, if there is no appropriate renewal strategy, the brand can easily fall into a state of "existing but no longer having life".
Tao Quan usually lasts for 2-3 hours, every New Year's Eve. In recent years, Tao Quan has caused divisions in audience age, when the generation of grandparents, parents 7X, 8X will prefer the program - generation Z gene, Alpha gene audience.
When a television brand is no longer able to create a natural emotional connection with young audiences, extending an old format can lead to the erosion of brand value in the long term, even if recognition and viewing habits are maintained in the short term.
Limitation in reaching young audiences with "television stage" scripts is an important reason why Tao Quan needs to change.
Clearly, the old script of Tao Quan is based on the satirical social context that is only familiar to the 5X to 8X generations. The Gen Z and Gen Alpha generations prioritize concise messages, fast pace and rich images.
Economic problem
Attracting audiences, increasing ratings, creating multi-platform discussion of a television program directly affects the economic problem.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha forces are the target customer groups of many major brands... When a program gradually loses connection with this audience group, the advertising value, which is very high for Tao Quan, is also difficult to maintain as before.
Preserving values suitable for traditional audiences, while expanding the space to reach young people through more flexible and multi-platform formats, is what television programs need to aim for.
Too much expectation from the public sometimes becomes a "too tight shirt" for Tao Quan.
Experts assess that stopping to open a completely new program could be "taking a step back, three steps forward".
Expert Tam An said: "Continuing to maintain a symbol that has been too burdened with expectations is sometimes not preserving value, but unintentionally wasting creative resources for the future.
Replacing will help release symbol pressure, creating conditions for artists to experiment and form new cultural symbols that are more suitable for contemporary life.
Producers can aim for a format that creates a multi-platform Tet content space, where social stories are expressed in many different forms: television plays a key role, while digital platforms expand interaction and dialogue.
Because, what the audience really keeps in the end is the feeling of being accompanied by a meaningful content in the moment of New Year's Eve, not just the name of a program.
