I launched HOOK.tv last month and instantly became a network president. HOOK.tv is the premier online multi-channel TV portal, social networking and e-commerce destination devoted solely to anglers and the outdoor lifestyles. Our first channel is about fly fishing, providing 24/7 programming, an on-demand search engine and great fishing content.
Why did I want to become a network president? Well, I did not build HOOK.tv to get out of L.A. and relax. My workload has nearly doubled. Becoming a new media network executive entails a new skill set that includes juggling production, advertising and investment.
For years I followed the standard production model as a production entity. My company, Castle Creek, developed a following by creating and producing hundreds of TV shows, segments and spots for various clients. Shortly after working with Robert Redford on the film A River Runs Through It, I dreamed of creating a media channel that would focus on the niche of fly fishing. I knew the day would come when “micro-niches” like fly fishing would have their day as content turned digital. As Internet use blossomed, I watched its development from the sideline. Like you, I spent many hours developing ideas, pitching clients and doing lots of research and production. I saw many good ideas pushed aside. It was an inefficient way to work. I realized that by producing all these shows I built a reputation for my company, but gave up the real equity, which was ownership of the content.
HOOK.tv was born. The Internet gave me a ground floor opportunity to change things. You don’t need a billion dollars, just a good idea. Since I’ve written books on fly fishing and have consulted on dozens of productions, HOOK.tv was the perfect starting point. HOOK.tv needs content, and who better to supply that content than Castle Creek?
None of this is easy to do without advertising support. That’s my second reason for being CEO of my own network: advertisers. Now instead of bidding on a commercial, I can sell media buyers access to my site and/or to sponsor my programming. My production arm, Castle Creek, can do the spot. We can also create TV series for advertisers and buy the time on other cable outlets (we have a unique arrangement with Versus), and then the program will run on our platform 24/7. There’s also the upcoming mobile phone plays, etc. In other words, continued support from both agency and client.
Which leads me straight into the third reason I became network president: investors. Now that HOOK.tv is up and running with support from major clients like Suzuki and agencies like Colby & Partners, I can now troll for additional investors. Who wouldn’t want to invest? In the United States alone, 80 million people fish. In a few years we plan on broadening out even more to cover all segments of angling, then outdoor activities. From my new perch as a network president, I now can see for miles. The number of channels, opportunities and possibilities are endless. Now when I stare into the vault I see value where there once was none!
HOOK.tv founder and CEO John Dietsch is also the executive producer of Castle Creek Productions based in West Los Angeles.
L.A. Location Lensing Declines In 2024 Despite Uptick In 4th Quarter
FilmLA, partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, has issued an update regarding regional filming activity. Overall production in Greater Los Angeles increased 6.2 percent from October through December 2024 to 5,860 Shoot Days (SD) according to FilmLAโs latest report. Most production types tracked by FilmLA achieved gains in the fourth quarter, except for reality TV, which instead logged its ninth consecutive quarter of year-over-year decline.
The lift across all remaining categories came too late to rescue 2024 from the combined effects of runaway production, industry contraction and slower-than-hoped-for post- strike recovery. With just 23,480 SD filmed on-location in L.A. in 2024, overall annual production finished the year 5.6 percent below the prior year. That made 2024 the second least productive year observed by FilmLA; only 2020, disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, saw lower levels of filming in area communities.
The continuing decline of reality TV production in Los Angeles was among the most disappointing developments of 2024. Down 45.7 percent for the fourth quarter (to 774 SD), the category also finished the year down 45.9 percent (to 3,905 SD), which placed
it 43.1 percent below its five-year category average.
The two brightest spots in FilmLAโs latest report appeared in the feature film and television drama categories. Feature film production increased 82.4 percent in the fourth quarter to 589 SD, a gain analysts attribute to independent film activity. The
California Film & Television Tax Credit Program also played a part, driving 19.2 percent of quarterly category activity. Overall, annual Feature production was up 18.8 percent in 2024, though the... Read More