Yeah i think television is a big influence on the street rod and custom scene.. my hopes is that it get's more people into buiding rods from scratch, which many tv shows are doing and people are starting to see the benefits of doing such builds, it's just that only a small percentage can afford. and even the rods that are done are only going to go up due to this, but that's another topic..
but i do think that the trends are going to have alot to do with what the masses can readily see.. and the tv is one of the strongest forms out.. and is repeated on a weekly basis..