Since the COVID-19 outbreak saw a serious rise in March, the world around us has dramatically changed. Schools everywhere have shut down. Classes have been moved online and people have shifted to working from home. In a world where only “essential businesses” remain open, no one can eat out at a restaurant. In Los Angeles, you cannot go to the park or the beach. Disney has closed down all of its theme parks worldwide. This pandemic is truly unprecedented. As people across the world have been shut into their homes, the media and television becomes even more important. The only problem is that as we move into a world where fewer and fewer businesses are deemed “essential” and we must stay within the walls of our homes, we also face a halt in production for those same boredom killers.
In a day and age when most people get their television through streaming services, it is particularly difficult to hear that Netflix has stopped all shooting. All series, movies and specials have not been shooting and will not be shooting anytime soon. Most weeknight television shows have stopped production as well. The fan-favorite series Riverdale had a crew member test positive for COVID-19, so production was halted. As so many shows were in the middle of filming for future seasons, they all risk losing their place on air if they have not already been renewed. While some shows are not at risk of being cancelled, they may still face problems due to the sudden halt in filming. If current seasons are not finished with filming, the question of whether the episodes will be filmed and shown later or omitted is still in the air.
Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, unfortunately, filming for the upcoming season of the Bachelorette has also been postponed and potentially recast. While it was originally intended to be shot only in the United States, the uncertain state of the world has put a stop to those plans. Since the government has stepped in to ask that only essential business continue, we have to worry about the loss of business in theaters, restaurants and shops. In Los Angeles, it is expected that more than 30% of restaurants will close as a result of the Stay-At-Home orders. We can also expect smaller shops and businesses as well as larger chains to struggle with the loss of revenue. It has been estimated that this pandemic could cause a $5 billion dollar loss in the global film industry. In addition, lower entertainment budgets overall are expected to hurt the retail industry in general.
Since the spread of COVID-19, all sports have been canceled. Since so many basketball players have tested positive for COVID-19, it is for the best. However, with the loss of new games to air, sports channels are forced instead to air old games and commentary. As the struggle continues, some sports with less people are being filmed for the media but continue to remain without the normal crowds to watch them. Several MMA fights have been filmed and aired but without audiences to keep the exposure risk as low as possible. As of now, in the United States, the NBA and NHL have both suspended their seasons indefinitely amidst COVID-19 reports. The MLB and MLS have delayed their seasons for shorter time periods but will likely extend them as President Trump has declared a nationwide Stay-At-Home until April 30th, to start with.
At this point, a lot of viewers are concerned with the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Because the world is currently facing a pandemic, the Olympic Committee came out with an official statement saying that “the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are going to be postponed, likely to 2021.” With that statement, it stands to concern that the postponement or cancellation of such an event will likely disrupt not only scheduled programming and coverage but also advertisement arrangements made previously, from sponsorship deals to paid advertisements during the games themselves.
Many concerts have been canceled or postponed with festival season being moved to October. As the world adjusts to this pandemic, some artists are airing virtual shows online, with some of those artists even asking for donations to help the public in this time of need. While some awards shows are currently set for June, they have been postponed until further notice. Following the closure of Broadway, the Tony Awards have been postponed until further notice. The Country Music Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards and iHeart Radio Music Awards have all been postponed or canceled as well. With so many events canceled or postponed, we can expect to see a decline in revenues for event organizers as well as for the media that broadcasts them. Since television involves a lot of advertisement, any decline in revenue flow will also likely impact profitability.
As more people stay home, there could also be an increase in the media consumption in the home. This means that we can expect to see an increase in the number of people using entertainment services like online gaming. This seems to be the case as we look at the communities around us. As UCLA students are trapped in their homes, it seems that Animal Crossing: New Horizons only grows more appealing.
Overall, it is difficult to say what long term effects the coronavirus will have on the media, but the extent of this disruption will probably vary by industry and how fast companies were able to react to the changing landscape. The most important thing for the media industry is to slow the spread of the virus and keep people indoors and safe. As we move forward, it only seems that the coverage of the virus has increased, so we do seem to be focused on the right thing. There’s a question as to how much value even streaming services can offer if new content is not available. If we miss out on audiences to our competitions, would they still have the same appeal? With any luck, we will soon tell stories about COVID-19 and the pandemic that scared us all. As of right now, however, the industry is in uncharted waters.