Is Diff ent Strokes better at 5 minutes than it was at 30?
The entertainment industry is its own unique ecosystem, and when it comes to content, the people in charge are excellent conservationists. The life of even a modestly successful television program, for example, might extend to syndication, a DVD set, a big-screen remake, and now, a series of bite-sized “minisodes.” This week, Sony launched the Minisode Network, featuring TV artifacts such as Charlie’s Angels, Starsky & Hutch, and The Facts of Life shrunk down to bonsai proportions for an initial run on MySpace. (The exclusive sponsor, Honda, is aptly plugging its compact car, the Fit.) The venture is a cheap and easy way for a Big Content entity such as Sony to ride the DIY video wave and milk their back catalog for new revenue sources, while also helping overwhelmed culture consumers manage their leisure time more efficiently. But how do these abridged relics fare as entertainment? The idea for the Minisode Network reportedly gathered added steam after Sony executives saw the ne plus
