[opendtv] Re: Shifting Online, Netflix Faces New Competition

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:41:47 -0400

At 4:45 PM -0400 9/27/10, John Shutt wrote:

No, really.  In this Brave New World, how do I watch the Superbowl?
There is some television that by it's very nature is appointment TV. We all know that the "cloud" doesn't cope very well with everybody trying to get the same thing at the same time. In other contexts, it's called a "denial of service attack." 

So, how do I watch the Superbowl?


Good points John.
Broadcast TV in the U.S. is driven heavily today by live event coverage, especially sports. But there are a few entertainment shows like American Idol that have tapped into the "live," gotta watch to see the outcome appeal of events.
My daughter and her fiancee just re-subscribed to cable. The reason was FOOTBALL, especially ESPN.
As long as the broadcast networks are willing to lose money on sports, they will probably survive, although this is just another form of suicide. Eventually they will be outbid for the NFL and they will finally disappear form the TV landscape.
As for the limitations of the Internet to deliver events to mass audiences, I think the problem is overstated. The problem is when everyone wants to watch something different, not when millions want to watch the same program. As we have seen over the past decade, if there is a real opportunity to develop services via the Internet, the investments are made to make it work. I think we are now going to see this happen in the TV white spaces.
Companies like Apple, Netflix and Google are investing billions in the infrastructure to make this work. The real issue remains how content distributors can gain access to the compelling content... 

Like the Superbowl.

Regards
Craig


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