Is Internet TV Killing Cable? - By: Paddy Chang

For more information please check : http://top-liveinternet-tv.com/

A noticeable change is occuring within the the tv and video industry as studios such as Lionsgate sell shows online prior to their release on DVD format. Lionsgate are selling full episodes/seasons of popular tv shows such as Weeds and Mad Men on iTunes and Amazon Video several months before they are available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Many TV networks release new episodes through online services the day after airing but seldom release complete packages ahead of time.

Lionsgate Shows Online First
Both seasons aired on TV this summer, Weeds on Showtime and Mad Men on AMC, and episodes were available for download the following day. Users also could sign up for season passes of the show, essentially buying a digital season at the time the TV show aired, common for TV shows offered through iTunes and digital competitors.
A Lionsgate spokeswoman said the strategy is nothing new and all network series follow the same release pattern. The Wall Street Journal highlighted it as an example in a story Monday on Hollywood’s move to the digital side.
Whilst its not unusual for seasons of TV shows to be available digitally months before their disc release but these developments represent a sudden shift away from DVD, which has been a staple of the video industry for roughly a decade. In November which is traditionally a high selling time for DVD sales they dropped around 8% but to counter, Blu-ray, and digital downloads gained.
Analysts believe their alternate focuses on image quality and convenience have become greater factors in video purchasing habits, particularly for the latter. As more movies are made available online and broadband connections are fast enough to download full length shows and movies, viewers are expected to actually shy away from physical copies in favor of digital. The sudden rush of Internet-connected Blu-ray players, televisiona and networked media devices like the Apple TV and Xbox 360 have opened up the audience for internet streams straight to tv.

In the past, the music industry was shaken to the core by the internet, the newspaper industry is going through a similar thing. And now the cable companies have been getting a little tightness in the pants which are turning to frequent toilet visites. In a NY Times article there was talk of a rising anti-cable group, viewers have been cancelling cable subscriptions and using the internet instead.
The reasons? Free is a good start, and choice is another. Hulu for example is already, at a young age, the second largest provider of video content on the net, they provide a massive choice all (currently) for free. Even if the rumors of a subscription service being rolled out for premium content, it still kind of looks better (and cheaper) than cable.

Internet tv Killing Cable
Rumors are also abound that YouTube is getting into the cable market and has been researching different monetary solutions. Choices include a number of subscription models and an plan modeled after iTunes charging a fee per episode, sort of a rental business. Google’s also looking to get into the act, wanting to offer a streaming alternative.
Of course the cable companies are starting to fight back. Comcast have renamed the beta ‘TV Everywhere’ as Fancast Xfinity TV, a catch up tv on-demand service that has around 2000 hours of content. The content is being provided by 30 cable networks, and includes full episodes hit tv shows and movies. They have modelled it around iTunes with a limited number of authorized computers to view the service on.
At present, you need to be a subscriber of both Comcast’s cable and internet service to access the service. There’s no extra charge for the service. Comcast hopes to expand Xfinity to mobile devices, but it’s unlikely that will take place any time soon. This is a smart move by cable, but it still doesn’t address the question of high subscription fees. The main reason people are flocking to online tv is down to costs. If we can see a full episode of a show on Hulu for free, why pay extortionate fees to Comcast and other cable companies. Even if Hulu and YouTube to start to charge, you can bet the price will be low and that cable will continue to lose subscribers at a massive rate.
It may well be that cable needs to go through the same painful lessons of the music industry. CD’s can be purchased now at a much lower price than ten years ago. The lesson of iTunes – Sell it cheap and sell it big may be a route that cable reluctantly must follow.

About the Author

Live Internet TV | Online TV technology allows you to watch over 4,500 HD channels right on your PC. http://top-liveinternet-tv.com/

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Paddy-Chang/84203

Additional Articles From - Home | Computers | Software