The leading website of indie TV criticism just got a little less indie. Television Without Pity, home of endless fan discussions and nearly endless, snarky TV-show recaps, is being purchased by Bravo cable network.
As Tim Gunn is wont to say, this worries me. After all, Bravo is home to some of TWoP’s richest targets, including Top Design, Top Chef and Project Runway. (And formerly The Real Housewives of Orange County, the TWoP site for which recently disappeared, as announced by an ominous note referencing legal “concerns” from show participants.)
Now, I don’t think it’s in Bravo’s interest to meddle with the content at TWoP. Snark is part of Bravo’s brand, and it would bad just as bad business for the network to muzzle TWoP as to stifle Kathy Griffin. And it’s not like intracompany conflicts are a new thing in journalism (ahem): I work for Time Warner, but when I named HBO’s Lucky Louie the worst show of 2006, Richard Parsons didn’t send the goons to give me a beatdown. On the other hand, having a network directly own the site is a closer connection than usual, and I’m sure TWoP fans will (and should) watch its Bravo coverage closely.
Regardless, I’ve been a fan of TWoP’s editors’ work since the early days of Fametracker, and I can’t begrudge them getting paid. And I’m kind of glad that somebody out there actually thinks that TV critics are worth buying. Regrettably, since Tuned In is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner and I have no legal right to sell it, broadcasters wishing to buy influence should continue to use the old method: leaving crumpled dollar bills in a brown paper bag by the Time-Life building fountain.