Where is online TV headed?

As cable TV watchers migrate towards online content, the future of traditional TV looks uncertain. Network bigwigs are capitalizing on the growing trend around online viewing, or rather filtering it as much as possible to assert greater control over their content, while keeping a bigger piece of the ad revenue pie.

On the other side of the fence, the Internet TV space is gaining popularity, but not without its own challenges. The mission of bringing interactivity to the TV set should consist in allowing more content freedom and accessibility to users, with the choice to pay or sit through highly targeted ads in exchange for premium content. This so-called freedom is not yet a reality, with geo-blocking still prevailing, not to mention alliances of monstrously scary proportions between networks and cable providers threatening to dictate the future of video media, if not swallow it whole…

Until content providers unclench their rears… uh, start allowing the distribution of their content across borders at reasonable costs through partners, mainstream media consumers will continue expressing their discontent via illegal downloading and P2P sharing. Rights owners are bound to give way at some point, as they are now opting to give up their profits in favour of piracy rather than share and expand revenue with distribution partners.

From Moovida’s perspective, we think the best way to achieve connected tv’s mission is to strike a balance between what users want without undermining copyright laws, which is probably the most sustainable solution anyway. Let’s just hope media dictators come to their senses relatively soon to make this a reality.

3 Comments »

1. [...] Where is online TV headed? [...]

   Pingback by What’s Piracy to Us? « Moovida Blog — April 19, 2010 @ 16:11

2. 

   Re: “unclench their rears…”
   I like this comment… and its the make or break of a ‘big’ future of online TV. Sure it will have a future but big is subject to some factors. Continental USA is a big market and in Europe (for example) could benefit and yes, it would work.

   However in South Africa we don’t have broadband (yet). We have stuff that looks like and smells like it but the government strangleholds on the public provider make this an issue for the regular home user… and until affordable and real broadband is available… online TV is a dream (for now).

   (A Linux user of Moovida in Zululand)

   Comment by Errol Atterbury — April 20, 2010 @ 07:09

3. 

   Thanks for the comment Errol. It’s easy for us to complain in Europe or in Canada about content geo blocking when we get fairly fast Internet connection, the type of infrastructure subject to even greater monopolies. I can imagine your frustration…

   I just checked out this article about uncapped broadband packages making their way to South Africa: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/general/11883.html

   Maybe the online TV dream isn’t so far off for you?

   Comment by Vober — April 20, 2010 @ 09:59

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