It's not quite micro-cable, but it's close

Back in December of 2011, we wrote about a new (smarter, better, etc) content development strategy called micro-cable. The general idea is that cable networks (or network TV for that matter) can use niche digital distribution and community development to better create, test, and then launch new series.  It's 15 months later, and the micro-cable strategy is still only being tested in a limited fashion. However, we are finally starting to see some real positive change as more and more publishers and creators find real budgets on the web. The NYTimes' Brian Stetler wrote a great article yesterday about this shift, which is only the beginning. What's interesting to this blogger is that the recent round of investments isn't done in an effort to eventually create TV programming. It's done to create viable, profitable web programming. This is the next step in micro-cable - and it likely means that cable and broadcast networks are already falling behind the eight ball.