TV's Evolution Brings New Profit Squabbles

Meg James writes:  "... TV production chiefs say they too are getting squeezed. In the past, the huge profits they reaped from a mega-hit such as Warner Bros. Television's 'Friends' or 20th Century Fox Television's 'The Simpsons' more than covered their inevitable flops, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars each year. And a show like 'Friends,' which made more than $1 billion in syndication, was a gift that kept on giving.  ¶  But now, the success of television show DVDs and next-day downloads of episodes are threatening the business model that has been in place for nearly half a century. So-called repeat values — the amount that can be charged to run a show in syndication — are expected to drop if everyone has already seen the show on a DVD or video on demand.  ¶  Still, many media executives hope the new technologies will make even more money not just for their companies but also for everyone involved. ..."  Link:  Los Angeles Times.