Is This the End of TV As We Know It?

The end of Keeping Up With The Kardashians says a whole lot more about society’s habits around social media and TV viewing than it does about The Kardashians.

For KUWTK fans, it has not been a great week. The TV show that launched an incredible family into the lounge rooms of the world is coming to an end.

We will no longer share the intimacies of their ups, downs, cat fights, antics and family lives.

But the cancellation of the show highlights the way we are all using – and not using- traditional media to access information as well as entertainment.

In 2007, when Keeping Up With The Kardashians launched, no-one could have ever imagined the 14 year phenomenal global success the reality TV show would become.

According to American data measuring firm Nielsen, three years after the series launch in 2010, the season 4 finale was watched by a whopping 4.8 million viewers. Compare that to 810,000 viewers of the most recent episode.

But this is not being seen as a reflection of the Kardashians and viewer engagement with them specifically, but rather a reflection of our continually changing habits in the way and speed at which we now access information and entertainment.

Kim Kardhasian West and Kanye West are regularly in the global headlines, and that means on social media, where their movements, discussions and even public statements are regularly published in real time on instagram, or Tok Tok.

The need to watch the TV show to know what is going on between them is no longer necessary. And this is true of all celebrities and indeed many TV shows.

In addition, more and more bloggers (aka TV critics) publish short summations of what is happening on TV shows, especially reality TV, usually with links to highlights making the need to watch the actual show in its entirety redundant.

Think of The Bachelor, MAFS and so on. If you were a fan, how much of the actual episodes did you watch compared to the quicky summaries that landed in your Facebook, or instagram feed?

We have seen extensive magazine closures here in Australia over the past few years, as Australians no longer buy print publications in the way and in the numbers they used to.

That trend is now spilling into television in the USA at least, where viewer numbers are way down, even during the pandemic when people are spending huge amounts of time at home.

NBC Universal has cancelled E!News after 29 years on air. Again, this is a platform where the information and exclusives E! survived on no longer exist, as viewers have already seen them on social media by the time the show goes to air.

Younger audiences are not watching TV, (not even cable) but prefer the escapism of Fortnite and Tok Tok. One of the added bonuses is that on these platforms they can directly connect with their pier groups, and share online experiences in real time.

Social media is changing the very way we interact with each other in relation to our information.

The Kardashian and Jenner clan are a powerful, highly intelligent global marketing powerhouse who can market and sell virtually anything they put their name to.

There is no doubt they will have a plan in the wings – some TV insiders are suggesting a different flavoured Kardashian style series deal with Netflix, or even a new top of social media app.

Whatever they do and wherever they go will be worth noting closely, as love them or loath them, the Kardashians are social  media leaders and trend creators of our time. And the media landscape is changing – fast.

Luxe To Less:

Eye Palettes to Last a Lifetime from Luxe to Less

These are eye palates I think the Kardashians would love!

I love luxury, but for days when I’ve maxed my credit card, some fab products with a smaller price tag that work are what I reach for.

LUXE: Oh my gosh this Bobbi Brown BBU face palette is a big spend, but in truth, it could last you 5 years, and it is oh so fabulous to get your eyes looking fab, fresh and lets face it, a lot younger. The pro face palette can be used on the whole face to highlight, hide, soften and contrast.  It’s the best excuse to seriously up your game when it comes to make-up.

Packaged beautifully it travels well, and will work in all seasons as your skin colour changes. RRP$400.00

LESS: If you are new to beauty, why wouldn’t you start with this fab Morphe 350 Nature Glow Artistry Pallette at just RRP $36. It is mainly made up of orange and brown undertones, but is a great way to start your experimentation with light and dark, shadowing, contouring and face shaping.

Morphe pack an eye palette with a punch for just RRP:$36. Wow.