That means that the “Seinfeld” series, the final episode of which was in 1998, is considered an investment for GDP accounting purposes. Reality-show star Kim Kardashian and the rest of her family, even at their peak, are still considered an expense.
Reality shows, news, and sporting events are less like investments and more like non-durable goods, which are consumed quickly, said Peter D’Antonio, an economist at Citigroup Global Markets Inc. in New York.
“Nobody’s going to be clamoring to get reruns of ‘Jersey Shore,’” D’Antonio said, citing another reality TV show following the lives of friends spending the summer in New Jersey. “It’s produced, there are commercials that go on it, and it’s over. It’s like office supplies, it’s completely consumed.”