Freedom at last

The battles being fought out in cyberspace make Lord of the Rings look like kid's stuff.

Tiny IBM chip

Internet is having a dramatic impact on TV-broadcasters. Regardless of whether they are public service broadcasters like BBC or subscription-driven like BskyB and Virgin Media, they are preparing for stormy weather. The internet revolution has already started and it's gaining momentum.

In the future people will expect to watch what they want when they want. No more organising around TV-schedules or pre-setting videos to record programs. Due to internet and internet-based TV people will have the freedom to watch news, soaps and documentaries whenever they are in the mood for one or the other.

From broadcasters to content providers
Web-based TV-on-demand is already being provided, just as Google's popular YouTube offers video clips on the computer. In the future broadcasters won't be the power bases they are today. Instead we will see power transferred to content providers. Those with popular content will be in great demand, have power and gain their earnings from advertising.

IPlayer, Joost and an Apple sync
BBC's media strategy with their iPlayer providing TV-on-demand is already before its launch being accused of being outmoded. BBC has spent four years and millions of pounds in development funding.

Instead other initiatives seem to be winning the race. One of them is Janus Friis, the creator of the internet telephone service, Skype. His product called Joost is a website where viewers will be able to watch quality TV funded by advertising rather than subscription fees. Joost is being beta-tested at the moment and the Joost team are busy gathering content to show. They have already signed content distribution deals with Viacom and National Geographic.

Another initiative is from Apple, the company behind the iPod. They have released a device that can synchronize what customers have downloaded from their iTune's software with their TV. So once British viewers start paying to download movies, then they will be able to watch them anytime using the Apple TV box.

Also IBM has developed a of prototype optical transceiver chipset together with the American Ministry of Defence. It will allow people to download movies or share online data eight times faster than current technology allows. Or to put it another way, this chip can download a feature-length movie in a single second.

Win-win for viewers
Although internet television is still in its infancy, changes are bound to come within a very short period of time. Just like power is shifting from TV broadcasters to content providers, so are advertising revenues quickly moving from newspapers to the internet. Viewers can start getting used to not having to check TV schedules or set the video. Instead they can concentrate on their work, their golf and other hobbies without having to think about getting back in time to watch the news. Freedom at last.

Related Information
Apple TV
IBM optical chipl