An Open (Source) Letter to the Media Industry: The Future of Entertainment Should Be Simple
This is not just my letter - it’s ours.
The way we watch TV has evolved dramatically, but in solving old problems, the industry has created new ones. Entertainment should be effortless, but today, it often feels fragmented, frustrating, and overly complex.
This letter lays out a vision for a better future - one where viewers can simply watch without having to navigate a maze of subscriptions, sports rights, hidden price hikes, and overwhelming choice. But I don’t want this to be just my perspective.
This is an Open (Source) Letter to the industry, and I’m asking for your input:
📌 What’s missing?
📌 What did I get wrong?
📌 What needs to change?
Leave your thoughts in the comments of [my LinkedIn post], and upvote the ideas you agree with. I’ll incorporate the top insights into a new version of this letter - one that represents both viewers and industry professionals.
Let’s build a better future for entertainment - together.
⬇️ Read the full letter below. ⬇️
An Open (Source) Letter to the Media Industry: The Future of Entertainment Should Be Simple
For decades, television was straightforward. Cable gave us access to a wide range of content, all in one place. But it wasn’t perfect - it was expensive, filled with channels we didn’t watch, and came with long-term commitments that limited flexibility.
In many ways, streaming has solved those problems. It has given customers more choice, more control, and more ways to watch. But in solving the old problems, we’ve created new ones. Today, finding and watching content requires effort - too much effort.
Instead of simply sitting down to watch, customers are forced to search across multiple apps, remember which service has what, manage a growing list of subscriptions, and try to track down where their favorite sports teams are playing. The once-simple experience of watching TV has turned into another task, another mental load to carry.
This isn’t the future of entertainment that people want. And as an industry, we have an obligation to do better.
The Growing Burden on Viewers
Choice is great, but complexity is not. Today’s viewers face:
The frustration of searching - bouncing between apps, logging into different services, and scrolling through overwhelming options just to find something to watch.
The stress of missing out - never knowing when a new show drops, which service has it, or if your favorite team’s game is locked behind another paywall you didn’t sign up for.
Uncertainty about value - services quietly raise prices, promotional offers expire, and customers are left to monitor everything on their own just to make sure they aren’t overpaying.
Entertainment should not feel like work. And it should not feel like a battle.
A Vision for a Better Future
Imagine a world where watching TV is effortless. A world where:
You turn on your TV and can immediately find what you want to watch.
When a new show or movie is available, you know you have access - no searching, no frustration.
Your favorite team’s game is on, and you never have to wonder where to find it or if you’re paying for it.
If you don’t know what to watch, you’re presented with thoughtful recommendations based on your preferences and what’s trending - not an endless wall of options to scroll through.
You trust that you are paying a fair price, with no surprises or confusion. There’s no need to constantly check your bill, no games being played with price increases, no hidden fees.
You have peace of mind, knowing that your entertainment is simple, predictable, and designed with your needs in mind.
And yes - even advertising becomes something you don’t just tolerate, but actually enjoy.
The Evolution of Advertising
For years, ads have been seen as an annoyance - something to be endured. And in many cases, that perception has been well-earned. But advertising doesn’t have to be an interruption; it can be part of a better experience.
Think about how digital advertising has evolved. In the early days of the internet, pop-up ads were everywhere - disruptive, irrelevant, and universally despised. Over time, we moved toward better formats, like personalized Instagram ads that feel native to the experience - so well-targeted and visually engaging that people actually stop to watch them.
TV advertising needs to make the same leap forward. Instead of generic, repetitive interruptions, imagine ads that are so relevant, well-crafted, and seamlessly integrated that you actually want to watch them.
The challenge isn’t just reducing ad loads or making commercials shorter - it’s making them better. When advertising is done right, it becomes part of the entertainment experience, not a break from it.
Rebuilding Trust - A Shared Responsibility
Somewhere along the way, the relationship between the industry and consumers became transactional at best - and adversarial at worst. Customers feel like they always have to be on guard, making sure they aren’t overpaying, missing out, or getting left behind. This is not how it should be.
We need to rebuild trust. Trust that when someone pays for a service, they are getting fair value. Trust that they won’t wake up to find their price has gone up without warning. Trust that when they sit down to watch something, it will just work.
But trust is a two-way street. Just as the industry must step up and make entertainment simpler, consumers must also recognize that high-quality content, sports, and live events come at a cost. We cannot demand better experiences while insisting everything be free. We cannot expect premium content without supporting it through fair pricing or thoughtful, well-crafted advertising.
To break the cycle of tit-for-tat - where companies feel pressured to maximize revenue in ways that frustrate customers, and customers feel justified in gaming the system to get content for free - we need to meet in the middle.
The industry must stop making customers work so hard to watch what they love.
Customers must be willing to pay a fair price for great content and engage with advertising that respects their time.
If both sides come to the table, we can create an entertainment ecosystem that works - not just for businesses, but for the people who actually use it.
At its core, entertainment should be simple. It should provide joy, relaxation, and peace of mind - not stress, frustration, and uncertainty.
The responsibility to fix this does not fall on any one company. It is a shared obligation - to build an entertainment experience that removes barriers, eliminates friction, and puts viewers first.
It’s time to stop making customers do all the work.
The future of entertainment should be about watching, not searching. Enjoying, not managing. Trusting, not second-guessing.
It’s time to get there - together.
Sincerely,
Viewers and Industry Professionals
