tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post116467392473739017..comments2024-01-28T00:20:40.933-08:00Comments on Agoraphilia: TV Theme Songs: The Inframarginal Customer's LamentUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1164755425446004592006-11-28T15:10:00.000-08:002006-11-28T15:10:00.000-08:00I thought I had thrown in enough qualifiers (a pos...I thought I had thrown in enough qualifiers (a <EM>possible</EM> example, <EM>if</EM> the other inframarginal viewers are like me, etc.) to avoid being accused of saying there's definitely a market failure.<BR/><BR/>The inframarginal customers who don't like the theme songs also have to counted, of course. That's the main reason I wouldn't conclude there's definitely a market failure. Still, <EM>I</EM> like the themes, as do most people I've talked to about this.<BR/><BR/>Amy: "I think the groups of marginal consumers, both those who will refuse to watch shows that have theme songs and those who will only watch shows with theme songs, are very small, but I'd bet that the former group is larger than the latter." <BR/><BR/>I agree. The producers are definitely responding to the marginal customers, so the marginal theme-likers must outweigh the marginal theme-dislikers. Otherwise the producers would keep the themes. But the issue is whether the net gain to marginal viewers are outweighed by the net loss (if any) to inframarginal viewers. And that's not hard to imagine, because there are almost always a lot more inframarginal customers than marginal customers.Glen Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01425907466575991113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1164753627852053142006-11-28T14:40:00.000-08:002006-11-28T14:40:00.000-08:00It's only a market failure if you assume that the ...It's only a market failure if you assume that the utility lost by you and other theme-song-loving consumers is greater than the utility gained by those of us, marginal and otherwise, who hate theme songs and find them a huge waste of time. I'm especially skeptical of that assumption given that I think the groups of marginal consumers, both those who will refuse to watch shows that have theme songs and those who will only watch shows with theme songs, are very small, but I'd bet that the former group is larger than the latter.<BR/><BR/>I prefer to believe that the market is finally responding to the preferences of people like me who believe that for the vast majority of shows (I except Battlestar Gallactica, which actually makes use of its theme song to give viewers updated population numbers and show teasers), theme songs are wasted time. I hope they replace them with more show rather than more commercials, but either way, fewer theme songs means fewer sequences I have to fast forward through.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1164735446508140152006-11-28T09:37:00.000-08:002006-11-28T09:37:00.000-08:00Perhaps if more theme songs were as awesome as Fir...Perhaps if more theme songs were as awesome as Firefly's more people would look forward to watching them?Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10037630225847201081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1164732002407334082006-11-28T08:40:00.000-08:002006-11-28T08:40:00.000-08:00Another factor is that closing themes are going to...Another factor is that closing themes are going to get squelched so that Mr Over-Caffeinated Announcer Man can promo something else on the network. If viewers like the theme, that will irritate them. Since nothing can stop the promo, better to have no theme.Bob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06384565746734984949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1164678492971246012006-11-27T17:48:00.000-08:002006-11-27T17:48:00.000-08:00Don't forget, of course, to weigh the inframargina...Don't forget, of course, to weigh the inframarginal customers who don't like the theme songs.Trent McBridehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00386958284812295485noreply@blogger.com