Some people think our attention spans are getting shorter, while others argue that we’re simply getting better at multitasking. Well, you can decide for yourself, but MySpace, Sony, and Honda are preparing to air edited four-to-six minute versions of thirty-to-sixty minute television shows.
MySpace TV
The so-called “minisodes” will be shown on MySpace, and this may say more about the social networking site’s primary user base than society in general. But, to be fair, online video lends itself to showing shorter clips. And some young people have never even heard of “Fantasy Island,” “Who’s the Boss,” and “The Facts of Life” – you can’t blame them for not wanting to sit through full episodes.
In fact, the classic Sony shows that have been selected for this Minisode Network are an odd fit for MySpace. Honda’s sponsorship, on the other hand, is intended to promote the Fit, a compact car. While I’m not a fan of the Fit’s styling, it’s gotten positive reviews (first place out of seven models, according to Car and Driver), and the Fit’s small price tag is well suited to MySpace’s main demographic.
That’s where the commercials come in. “To mirror the pared-down programming, Honda and its longtime agency, RPA, have agreed to run only eight seconds of commercials with each episode, appearing before the shortened show starts,” reports Stuart Elliott for The New York Times.
Elliott also writes that Honda’s sponsorship is “estimated in six figures,” and “is indicative of the intensifying interest in online video among marketers.”
As for the future of the Minisode Network, Amy Carney, president for advertiser sales at Sony Pictures Television in New York, told Elliott, “After the exclusivity with My Space ends . . . . Sony Pictures Television is looking at sites like aol.com, yahoo .com and youtube.com.” It appears that these short clips may have a long shelf life.
