ive been waiting for this fan-vided documentary about my favorite show, FUBO! for a long time. And it finally came: The hidden story of why and how America’s favorite gaming network is going down the tubes ifttt. It’s called “The Secret Life of DVD” and it will air in its entirety on June 24th at 9pm ET/5p MuniTV. Check out all the highlights below, including an audio recap of last week’s episode!
The Secret Life of DVD
On the surface, this documentary looks like any other production from a small marketing shop in California. But behind the scenes, there’s something deeply compelling about the idea of a secret, cancelled series. The connection between the internet and television isn’t lost on the makers of the naukri24pk show, who explain in great detail how the internet has changed forever. The original series, which was broadcast from 1996 to 2001 on the now-defunct Discovery Communications network, is still a household name. And, like all good ephemera, the DVD release of “The Secret Life of DVD” is filled with questions and answers that, while answers, capture all the history, ideas, and contemporary relevance of the show. But the most fascinating part of the DVD, though, is what the author, Will Rogers, has to say about it all. In his book, “How to Get the World’s Media to Watch Your TV,” Rogers notes that the sudden and unprecedented popularity of “The Secret Life of DVD” caused him to lose sleep. “I was almost instantly captivated by the idea of a television show that could be heard by the whole world,” he writes. “And television becomes another kind of media when you can see it on a screen.”
The Method
When it comes to the series, the makers of “The Secret Life of DVD” knew it would be a best-case scenario. The network was cancelled and the show was released on the internet, with a promotional campaign based around the fact that viewers could “see” the show on channel 9. The channel was soon overwhelmed with advertising, and the show was only broadcast in syndication. “It was a total flop malluweb, and I was crushed,” says Rogers. “But then I read somewhere in a magazine that some cable system was acquiring the show.” To get the opportunity to air the show in its entirety, he and his team got in contact with a production company in the hopes of finding a distributor willing to pick up the show. Rogers eventually found a distributor willing to take the show, but wasn’t quite ready to commit to a deal. “And then I read about how the network was going down,” he continues. “And that’s when I found out about the plans to replace the network.”
The Game and the Station
Rogers has his own business in the city of San Diego, but he loved the opportunity to work in Los Angeles. There, he worked at various call centers, including the popular Dooney & Bourne call center in the city. And there, he met the owner of a local video rental store, Paul Eeb, who helped him start his career as a program manager. In 1976, the duo formed FUBO, which eventually became VH1 freesabresult. The network would evolve into one of the most successful American media ventures of all time. The studio was in a prime location, at 1040 West H Street, in the heart of downtown L.A., but it was left out of the city’s real-estate boom. It sat empty for years, but in 1995, when it was acquired by Discovery, it was transformed into a broadcast center. In its prime, it was home to hits including “The Cosby Show,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Facts of Life,” and “The Maddow Show.”
FUBO, Where’s Your Money?
When it came to the money, Evb was a fan of the movie “Forrest Gump.” That’s when it all started, he says, when he discovered an online network called FUBO. At its core, it was a subscription service to watch American television, complete with live feeds and access to hundreds of channels. Unlike other Netflix-like services, which only allow you to view shows on your computer or laptop, FUBO let you watch the whole thing on the television, complete with commercials. The service was so successful, it prompted a review of the movie on 97X, which led to a massive purchase of the service.
Ditch the Video on Demand
This one’s a no-brainer. FUBO/DVRs are king. They’ve captured the hearts and minds of millions of people, and millions more are hoping to see the service in action this month. On the surface, the idea is sound. You stream a show, and if you don’t mind the long-term storage of your videos, you can “dive” into an episode from start to finish. But what’s really fascinating about the service is that it doesn’t just store your videos. You can also watch replays, replays of replays, of course, but you get the idea.
Final Words
As you can see for yourself in the trailer for this week’s episode, “The Secret Life of DVD,” the service isn’t dead yet, and it isn’t finished with its life in the making. It’s still going strong, and audiences can still watch it on Demand Now, as well as on Google Play and the Apple App Store. But now the hard part will be making sure they do it without being too spoilery. Remember, the DVD masstamilan release of “The Secret Life of DVD” is going to air in its entirety on June 24th at 9pm ET/5p MuniTV. This week’s “The Secret Life of DVD” opener features guest segments from “The Walking Dead” and “Gossip Girl” star Pia Zadora, as well as “Good Behavior” actor and “Will & Grace” showrunner Dean Koontz. You can stream the entire series on Apple TV, and you can also watch the trailer for “The Secret Life of DVD” on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Go get it, now!
