Network/Steaming series Airings locations

drosso46561 wrote 4 years ago: 1

I have seen a lot of questions about who and what a shows airing/streaming site should be or is lately in the Data forum. I would like to make a suggestion that might help to clarify that information to more of TvMaze's users. I suggest adding a second Data Field for a show's Network/Streaming information. Keep the data field we currently have and have it come up first when entered with it being Network/Streaming site of Origin and the second data field to follow it stating the current Network/Streaming Site; Thus when a show first airs, and then moves you are able to present clear information on whats going on. Example would be Stargate SG1, Network of Origin: Showtime, Currently Airing/Streaming: SciFi Channel. (that might help to avoid confusion when a show is sold to another network/service that intends to keep producing it. Same would apply to Discovery Channel and all the others that are currently moving shows to online/streaming services from the Cable/Dish services.

david wrote 4 years ago: 1

It's already possible to track this on the season level, e.g. see https://www.tvmaze.com/seasons/9017/the-expanse-season-1 vs https://www.tvmaze.com/seasons/85413/the-expanse-season-4. I think that should be sufficient, since it's extremely rare for a show to switch in the middle of a season.

LadyShelley wrote 4 years ago: 2

This has come up before that the current network info is available at the season level, but that's not exactly an intuitive thing to find.

david wrote 4 years ago: 1

Yeah, I agree the season information can be exposed better. (Reference for myself: https://www.tvmaze.com/threads/4648/season-names)

drosso46561 wrote 4 years ago: 1

I was thinking something along the lines of a shows main page; Disenchantment for example, if I am looking for the currently airing location of a show I would go to that first. You have the list of information coming up in the grey box at the upper right of the screen.

Show Info

Web channel: Netflix (2018 - now)

Status: Running

Show Type: Animation

Genres: Comedy Adventure Fantasy

Episodes ordered: 20 episodes

Created by: Matt Groening

Official site: www.netflix.com

Lets say a show changes to a new channel, then it would say Origin Site/Channel: Netflix

Then Web Channel would reflect the new channel and you could have a check box in the data entry that would be something like, is this airing on a new channel other than the originating channel. If so once the box is checked the new data field would show up in the Shows info box on the main page, otherwise it would never make an appearance. I don't know if the average user who just goes to mark episodes is going to go into the individual seasons to try to find the airing location. My first thought is always a shows main page. I know cluttering information is always a issue, keeping smooth looks on the presentation is always a consideration along with the info provided. I had do deal with that issue years ago when I sysop'd my BBS, everytime I made a modification to the basic programing on how the wording was presented I had to keep in mind the display and how it looked.