In the near future, you will be able to freely choose your favorite channels and watch them according to your own schedule instead of the traditional way of watching TV.
That day is not far off. Step by step, the content currently broadcast via cable and satellite TV is set to officially stream on the mainstream Internet.
From a technical standpoint, all necessary elements to provide high-quality video from the Internet directly to viewers are already in place. A range of new software has been developed to ensure that Internet video quality is “sharp as Sony“.
Major players like Microsoft and Linksys of Cisco Systems are also racing to produce new products that allow Internet video to be watched on TV, not just confined to computer screens. Search engines like Google are getting in on the action too. Last June, Google launched a new web video search service that allows users to search its database of hundreds of thousands of video clips using keywords.
However, paradoxically, content providers seem overly cautious about the idea of launching an Internet TV channel. For example, the newly launched MotherLoad website by Comedy Central only offers a handful of program clips, instead of the full range of shows currently airing on its cable channel.
Even MTV, the so-called “pioneering” channel, has expressed some hesitation. What are they worried about? Mainly the risk of losing their brand if the public can directly access TV shows or music clips through Google.
In explaining this, analysts suggest that, of course, program producers always want to connect with the public as directly as possible. They aim to eliminate the intermediary (which comprises cable and satellite networks). However, the fundamental principles of economics (production, distribution, and consumption) cannot be overlooked.
Many cable and telephone companies like Verizon and SBC have also recognized that customers want more interactive content. They have begun to move towards offering on-demand television programs, allowing the public to download movies whenever they want.
Comcast, the largest cable company in the United States, just last Wednesday announced that it would be adding 250 new titles to its on-demand movie library each month at no additional subscription fee. In total, the company’s customers will be able to choose from up to 800 movies each month. This service is particularly popular in the U.S., with on-demand downloads surpassing 1 billion this year, compared to 567 million last year.
“The traditional TV market will not die. We will witness many models coexisting and evolving. The proliferation of broadband, along with improvements in digital rights management, will encourage content providers to move more towards the Web. However, there will always be customers who still want to pay a subscription to watch their favorite channels,” said the Director of Kontiki.
