If NBC’s gamble is successful, tonight’s “The Sound of Music Live” may be the new trend for TV programming. In an age where more and more viewers are opting to view their favorite shows online, on demand, and on DVR, live programming is more attractive to TV advertisers than ever.

The TV Spectacular is not a new concept for broadcast television, especially NBC which is the home of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Fourth of July Fireworks, and, of course, The Olympics, whose Opening Ceremony is the epitome of a Live TV Extravaganza. NBC has had great success in live programming; this year’s Macy’s Parade hit an 11 year high and The Voice is still holding strong in its 5th season. They’ve also had some expensive failures, like 2013’s Million Second Quiz.

It will be interesting to see if sponsors and advertisers will be worked into the live broadcast or if NBC will just run standard commercial breaks which will double as a rest for the actors. Regardless, if this event is successful it could be a game changer for both television stations and their advertisers, drawing a live, unified audience, different from the average news or sports viewer, to fight the ever growing time shifting trend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtC6V5CL2Ws