In its first five months, 2024 has been what a sports commentator might euphemistically describe as a rebuilding year for TV. The actors’ and writers’ strikes that brought Hollywood to a standstill last summer and fall have, of course, left gaping holes in the calendar. But the more permanent problem is a chaotic contraction in the streaming economy that has left executives scrambling to cut costs (perhaps by canceling your favorite show) and grow revenue (which is why you can now watch Sex and the City on Netflix as well as Max), as the future of second- and third-tier players like Paramount Global and AMC Networks remains precarious at best.
On the business side, a sort of Ship of Theseus-style recreation of linear TV’s broadcast model and cable bundles s…