| Get ready because "there's going to be television out | | | | company, is in negotiations with the studios over the |
| the wazoo!" This | | | | rights to broadcast |
| according to Jonathan Klein, the president of CNN - | | | | movie content online. Will the cable industry continue |
| U.S. operations in a USA Today story on the merger | | | | to provide the |
| of the Internet and television. Major | | | | cable modem broadband services that allow |
| broadcast networks, cable networks, and content | | | | web-surfers to get movies from their competitors? |
| providers are gearing up for the 'mother of all media | | | | Stephen Burke, COO of Comcast believes that web |
| battles' in staking out territory on the new and rising | | | | video watchers only want short |
| medium called "Internet TV". Basically it's video online, | | | | clips and doesn't see any threat to their core |
| which | | | | business by people downloading |
| is not new, but what is new is that the major | | | | movies. Ned Peabody, a blacksmith in 1890, also said |
| networks are now getting fully involved. Klein | | | | that the horseless |
| continued, "It will be pausable, | | | | carriage was a noisy smoky bucket of bolts and |
| searchable, with all the customizable 'on demand' | | | | would never replace the |
| advantages of the Internet. It's a future that's not | | | | dependable horse. OK, I made that up, but I bet |
| very far away" Klein did not elaborate on how long it | | | | there was a blacksmith who |
| will take, what a 'wazoo' is, or how a television would | | | | said something like that. Anyway, you get my point. |
| fit through it.CNN has recently changed it's Internet | | | | If movies can be |
| news business model by trashing the $5.00 per | | | | purchased for a reasonable price, downloaded |
| month subscription price for video, in favor of a pure | | | | quickly, with good quality, and |
| advertising model. The coverage is more extensive, | | | | played on a large monitor, how will that not take a |
| and finally it's for free. The way they previously | | | | big bite out of the "Movies |
| baited news junkies was unconscionable.CNN Online: | | | | On-Demand", and Pay Movie Channels of Comcast, |
| "Breaking Story: A reporter was caught with his | | | | Time-Warner and other cable providers?Yes, we're |
| 'camera on' as Marines repelled a surprise attack by al | | | | heading right into the perfect storm of four major |
| Queda in Afghanistan ... click here to see video."Me: | | | | influences |
| "click"CNN Online: "First we need you to fill out this | | | | conflagrating simultaneously creating ripe conditions |
| form and sign this contract!"Me: "Oh...shoot me | | | | for a world wide sea |
| now...!"I prefer being slowly brainwashed with banners | | | | change!1) Video imaging technology is coming of age. |
| and branding ads, than being harassed to cough up a | | | | The picture is reasonably clear now on a computer or |
| credit card, don't you?CBS News which sat on the | | | | TV monitor without squinting and migraine |
| sidelines while its competitors ran the table with 24 | | | | headaches.2) Broadband use reached 35 million users |
| hour cable news will not be trumped again. They | | | | and is rising rapidly. That means that there are 40% |
| recently opened up | | | | less computer keyboards being smashed in |
| and is investing big bucks in beefing up the video. | | | | frustration, ripped out of the computer, thrown |
| You can even pick the reports to customize your | | | | against the wall and then kicked while the person |
| own newscast.Nippon TV in Japan is a step ahead in | | | | waits endlessly for choppy video streams. (That stat |
| Internet TV and will be offering pay-per-view | | | | may be just in my household)3) Online advertisers |
| services by the end of the year. Their marketing | | | | are paying big time, spending 11.2 billion this year |
| department has also come up with a brilliant and | | | | alone. Entrepreneurs like that "B" word.4) Most |
| creative name: "The Second Nippon Television | | | | importantly, video storage and streaming is now cost |
| Network".Major | | | | effective and will make a lot people rich. Or should I |
| broadcasters like ABC, ESPN, Foxnews, Major | | | | say, a lot of rich people, richer.So lets review: ...the |
| League Baseball, MTV, BBC, Telemundo | | | | mother of all media battles...the chain link fence |
| and others already offer video online with a TV-ish | | | | channel...horseless carriages...and a perfect storm. "It's |
| feel but a tidal surge of | | | | On!"Maybe one day we'll each have our own channel. |
| new programming is just on the horizon.Cable TV | | | | But if there's 6 billion channels and still nothing on, |
| made room for specialty | | | | what then? Maybe we can go outside, take a hike |
| channels targeting smaller audiences such as the Golf | | | | and get some exercise? Or we can get on our |
| Channel, and the 4-hanky | | | | treadmills and watch "The Walking Channel." Hey, that |
| super-drama "Bassmaster", now we can expect | | | | sounds like a good idea! Here's the slogan, "Where do |
| Internet TV to diversify even more. | | | | you want to walk today?" It's video and sound on |
| For example, the parent company of HGTV and | | | | serene paths from all around the world. Trust me, if |
| The Food Channel will launch 10 Internet | | | | it's not available now, it will be. Maybe you're the one |
| channels by 2006, the first one being "The Kitchen | | | | to do it. Send me a percentage!Rick David writes a |
| Remodel Channel." | | | | feature column entitled, |
| I kid you not. Maybe the first spinoff show will be | | | | "Don't Laugh, It Could Happen To You" for |
| "The Linoleum Channel". I'm hoping for the "The Chain | | | | San Diego Merchant America. |
| Link Fence Channel."Netflix, the online movie rental | | | | |