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And then half the Internet complains when their favourite actually good show gets cancelled because the TV execs saw its viewing figures tumble below acceptable ad revenue levels in some graveyard slot while this month's major sporting event was on.

We are inevitably reaping the consequences of what freeloaders have been sowing for some years now. It still costs a lot up front to make good quality content, more than ever as we push the envelope in some media like the big name games and movies. If too many people just take it for free with whatever excuse instead of doing something that ultimately supports all the artists and other creative professionals who make these works, then those people are going to have to find other jobs to do to pay the rent, and our culture is left poorer for it.

[res0nat0r]

This is exactly why HBO keeps their Game of Thrones content which costs $6 million / episode exclusive.

If they started selling episodes for $1.99/each in HD the day after they air they'd see their upfront capital they get from their recurring subscriptions evaporate, and the show would also go away.

[Silhouette]

The irony is that Game of Thrones is big and successful enough that it probably could make a tidy profit even in the alternative model you mentioned and despite being one of the most pirated shows in the world.

The difficulty with the "adapt or die" reasoning isn't GoT, it's shows 2-10 on the popularity chart, where show 2 has only a fraction of the audience and brings in only a fraction of the revenue but its fans still want the same production values.