It has been proclaimed that web based video will replace broadcast TV in the next decade. But will it? There are many different ways in which web video and traditional TV are merging. They range from:

• Broadcast TV via the internet, AKA IPTV (internet protocol television). Used as a transport medium just like free air, satellite and cable. The content comes from the large national and international broadcasters through your the same broadband internet connection that your computer uses.

• TV shows and segments via the internet. Typically news items are available in this form but more and more mainstream TV shows – sitcoms, dramas, variety shows – are now available from their websites, specialized video sites or YouTube as whole episodes or broken into segments.

• Web only content or webisodes. This is the growing and future of entertainment videos. And radio for that matter. Due to it’s relatively low cost and broad audience reach, creative talent is using this format to bring their new ideas to viewers. Going beyond just a one-off video these are typically episodic and produced semi-regularly.

• Web content available on traditional TV. Usually in the form of ‘the best of YouTube’ type shows but there are some shows which start on the web, build an audience and then move onto cable TV. This is a new trend and may become more popular as it gives an opportunity for content creators

Like any new endeavor there are spokespeople from each area who claim they are the one and only true medium and predict that all others will fail. A blend of the above forms is more likely to survive. Many years ago in Megatrends, author John Naisbett identified future technology trends but made a key observation that the human factor can radically change the predicted path of technology. This human intervention in many cases is totally unpredictable and can turn a trend around in a short period of time and take it in a direction that no one could foresee.

In any case it can’t be denied – we are in the early days of a revolution in creating, publishing and viewing entertainment content. What is really needed now is a web based ‘program guide’ that will tie together all of the content available on the web and bring it to the viewer to manage. There is so much out there now that browser bookmarks are just not enough. Does anyone know of such a portal or if anyone is working on one? If you’re using something that works for you, drop a line in our comments and tell us why it works for you.

Talk with you later . . .

Dean