[tmazanec1]

We "both" agree about the early post-peak era...things will get worse before they get better. I am not sure about the getting better part, but you are sure things are going to get worse before they get worse (as I admit they might). So lets just talk about the first few years.
What will happen to entertainment and the media? Will there be consolidation, so only Xbox (or only Playstation) exists, your cable has twenty channels instead of two hundred, most (but not yet all) radio stations are dead air, a majority of our magazines are out of businness, etc.?
What will the content be? Will there be more war video games because of all the oil wars, or will they be "escapist" content? Will TV, radio, newspapres, magazines require federal censorship? Or will there be a proliferation of anti-government material as things get worse? Or will the media just try to go along as it has been?
Any other comments?

[killJOY]

Honestly, I hope the "entertainment" industry dies, just dies.

[Ludi]

Gee, thanks, I kind of like my job....

[Tyler_JC]

Ludi's right. If any type of consolidation occurs, it would put people out of work. And how are those people going to buy food and pay the rent?

[Jack]

Well, let's look at the past. Generally, people want something escapist - so, I'd expect to see a lot of entertainment, probably centered on a very affluent (even rich), high-energy usage lifestyle. The material would emphasize low price over content or quality.

There would be less money, hence fewer advertisers, so this implies consolidation of cable channels, radio stations, and so forth. But people have a need for entertainment, one that hard times stimulates.

I suspect that movie theaters will have a hard time; neighborhood video rental stores may see a resurgence as the price equation for Netflix changes.

[PenultimateManStanding]

Lots of nostalgia stuff: reruns of Dallas and Leave It To Beaver

[Vexed]

Don't forget that being unemployed means that people have a lot more free time on their hands. They may not have a ton of money but when it comes to spending, the unemployed will be in a far easier situation than folks who are working 15 hours a day. Hard to go to a movie when you're behind a desk or digging ditches or foreclosing on people's homes all day.

Plus, the unemployed are left feeling like society has no place for them. One can just imagine how they will attempt to justify "escapist" pursuits because the very hardship they are experiencing makes them feel like they deserve pleasure (even if they can't afford it). Sure, there will be a slowdown in entertainment services (and movies won't cost $9.50 each), but an end? I don't think so. Not even close. We'll "amuse ourselves to death" first.

The entitlement that Americans feel these days for pleasure is too overwhelming. I doubt very much that that feeling of entitlement will disappear just because incomes decrease. Look at the growing number of smokers in poor countries. They can't afford it. Does that seem to matter? Nope.

Historically, if I remember correctly, the tobacco industry and entertainment industry do very well during tough times.

Jay says short the airlines. That looks like pretty damn good advice. If I felt like supporting corporate America, I'd also consider going long on alcohol and tobacco stocks. Those unemployed people gotta do something while watching those reruns of Leave it to Beaver and Dallas.

Throw everything out the window though if you die-off folks are right.

[Terran]

I'm starting to think as soon as we have problems with the power grid, then entertainment by electronics dependent on electric energy will soon go down with it. Alot of people tend to watch T.V, which is a pretty big propaganda tool, I would expect T.V to be even more controlled in the future, as it already is. But alot of the video game based entertainment system in my opinion are pretty worthless in the first place.