OMG! Did Internet Just Kill T.V.?

I remember when I was a child. I use to visit my grandparents in my home town Racine Wisconsin. What i remember most was their television. A big box with no remote and only three channels...gawd! i love that T.V.lol. I'm sure most of you can relate to this story but lets fast forward twenty years later. Times have definitely changed. Instead of having a big hunky box for a television now you can have a sleek plasma flat screen; and instead of three channels to choose from, your selection has increase to 800. WOW! Now couch potatoes can indulge in the many flavors that T.V has to offer. Allot of this is possible due to the digital convergence of television and Internet. Major networks are teaming up with Internet sites in order for their viewers to enjoy popular shows off the web and on to their laptop or television screen. Not all major network are participating. HBO and other movie channel have decided not to participate. They believe their viewer should pay to see the final episode of the " Sopranos" or the first season of "True Blood." Besides the movie channels, other individuals believe the merger is not the best idea for the public. View the debate panel:

One may ask. "How can i get free Internet television in my home ?" Providers such as Playon, provides Internet content on your television. In other words Internet viewers can watch YouTube, Hulu, Amazon VOD, along with other related sites on their television screen. In order to access this technology one must have a Xbox, Wii, Playstation3, or another service supported box. With that one can have vast amount of viewing pleasure without having to pay $60 a month. Check out this commercial from the new HULU, an Internet television company.

This will definitely change they way we watch TV. Now we have the luxury of choosing what we watch and when. Viewers will no longer have to wait for their favorite shows to come on at their regularly schedule time, and forget about paying a monthly bill, it's free and legal. So I guess you can say viewers are taking control of what they watch and when without the help of TV stations such as CBS, NBC, or even FOX. Well it just so happens that some of these major cable networks have partnered with Internet sites, offering shows such as Lost, Ugly Betty, NipTuck, Family Guy, and so on to Internet television viewers. These cable networks are beginning to recognize the importance and advantage of the Internet, and they want in. So how much control are they really losing when it comes to supplying their shows over the Internet? Not much I say. Although the viewer is picking and choosing when and how they watch these shows, the shows are still governed by the networks. These big wigs is the hand that feeds us. Now if we consider sites like YouTube, which provides major TV shows but also independent content produced by individuals that are not affiliated with major networks, then that hand that was feeding is no longer the TV networks but our own. Sites like these can give opportunities of exposure to independent film makers, producer, writers, and so forth to an even wider audience. In other words one can watch a music video from creative commons Josh Woodward on their television or a Greenovation TV show without it being distributed by a major TV network. Therefore the control that CBS, NBC, and FOX once had would not exist because viewers can watch content for the people and by the people. In this case control will no longer exist for these networks.
Overall I believe Internet television can be very useful for those who are independently creating their own content with out the help of distributor. As many are doing now, one can broadcast their own political opinions through film, or one could expose harsh combat across seas on their camera phone for it to be displayed on 48 inch flat screen. Under these circumstances, Internet television is a very useful too. Yet on the other hand, I rather pay for my cable than use a program like HULU. Yea its convenient and free, but we must also consider advertising. Marketing firms rely off of paid networks to sell their client's products and services. Without commercials, company can not sell, if they don't sell they don't make money, and if they don't make money, people loose their job. Therefore people should continue to be mindful of the possible outcomes. When products and services becomes easier and cheaper, someone becomes unemployed because they are no longer needed. Everything has a cost and at the end of it all...we are all paying for it one way or another. As you go forth continue to maintain prosperity for all men. TO INFINITY & BEYOOOOOOOND!!!!!!!!!!


Source:
Homeless TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDKQVoVlo7k

T.V. vs Internet Debat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJOFJWoR8wg

Hulu Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CMWkesiVD4