iTV and the battle for the future of television.
There is a lot of blog commentary out there bemoaning the fact that Apple's iTV does not include a tuner or a CableCard.
Why didn't Apple do this? It's quite possible, after all Microsoft's Media Center does include recording functionality.
This is not an oversight, I think this is the first shot in a war over how TV content will be distributed and paid for.
It's gonna be a tough battle, in one corner sits the 800pound Gorilla which is the Broadcast-Advertising model. This model has been around for fifty years. Broadcasters toss out a stream of programming into the ether for free. But bundled with it is a stream of compulsory advertising. You watch the shows, you get advertised at. The advertisers pay for the programming.
It's a tried and tested model - but its an idea who's time has gone.
The scattergun approach to advertising is clumsy and random. The programming is compromised as broadcasters strive to maximise revenue. No one knows who is really watching. Consumers are subverting the system by actively avoiding advertising with PVRs. Great shows, with loyal viewers get cancelled because not enough pizza-buyers are watching. This Gorilla is carring a lot of dead weight.
In the other corner is a new kid. A skinny weakling with "problems", but the newcomer has some slick moves.
In this model, viewers can buy shows directly from the program makers. These can be big budget, mass market shows, or ultra specialist shows for a tiny audience. The model still works. In this model, the networks (who are middle men) lose power. Just like record labels are losing power now.
You pay for the shows, and get what you pay for. If the show sucks, you can stop paying.
Adverting can play a role here too, but this time the advertising can be customised to the particular consumer. Advertisers are happier because their money is not wasted on selling baby forumla to single men.
There is a downside - everything is delivered through the internet. Which is almost fast enough, but not quite. And currently the technology is not nearly simple enough for Mom and Pop. But Apple are good at making technology accessible. Imagine controlling all this stuff with a five-button remote.
Of course there is money to be made being the distributor of such content. In the future, owning the actual mechanism is going to be very valuable. And it is this future which Apple hopes to build with iTV.
And in this version of the future. Firefly and Futurama would be safe.
C.
Why didn't Apple do this? It's quite possible, after all Microsoft's Media Center does include recording functionality.
This is not an oversight, I think this is the first shot in a war over how TV content will be distributed and paid for.
It's gonna be a tough battle, in one corner sits the 800pound Gorilla which is the Broadcast-Advertising model. This model has been around for fifty years. Broadcasters toss out a stream of programming into the ether for free. But bundled with it is a stream of compulsory advertising. You watch the shows, you get advertised at. The advertisers pay for the programming.
It's a tried and tested model - but its an idea who's time has gone.
The scattergun approach to advertising is clumsy and random. The programming is compromised as broadcasters strive to maximise revenue. No one knows who is really watching. Consumers are subverting the system by actively avoiding advertising with PVRs. Great shows, with loyal viewers get cancelled because not enough pizza-buyers are watching. This Gorilla is carring a lot of dead weight.
In the other corner is a new kid. A skinny weakling with "problems", but the newcomer has some slick moves.
In this model, viewers can buy shows directly from the program makers. These can be big budget, mass market shows, or ultra specialist shows for a tiny audience. The model still works. In this model, the networks (who are middle men) lose power. Just like record labels are losing power now.
You pay for the shows, and get what you pay for. If the show sucks, you can stop paying.
Adverting can play a role here too, but this time the advertising can be customised to the particular consumer. Advertisers are happier because their money is not wasted on selling baby forumla to single men.
There is a downside - everything is delivered through the internet. Which is almost fast enough, but not quite. And currently the technology is not nearly simple enough for Mom and Pop. But Apple are good at making technology accessible. Imagine controlling all this stuff with a five-button remote.
Of course there is money to be made being the distributor of such content. In the future, owning the actual mechanism is going to be very valuable. And it is this future which Apple hopes to build with iTV.
And in this version of the future. Firefly and Futurama would be safe.
C.