[opendtv] Re: a peek at MDTV business models
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:50:58 -0500
At 4:07 PM -0800 1/20/09, John Willkie wrote:
Actually, it's hard to imagine that there will be -- at least initially --
much more than simulcast. M/H is great technology, but the equipment to
send traffic maps, presentation graphics, and interactive services just
doesn't exist, not is the connections between automation, traffic and
business systems and "new media systems."
All of the required technologies exist, however, you can't buy this
stuff from traditional broadcast equipment vendors. Waiting for the
usual suspects to build the infrastructure into existing broadcast
automation, business and master control systems is a certain
prescription for faiure.
Rather, it is time for broadcasters to re-think how operations are
handled in the REAL digital world.
I say this not to muddy the waters, but rather as someone who worked
on this problem for a number of years, during which I presented a
number of papers at SMPTE conferences, describing the fundamental
requirements for controlling DTV emissions.
Broadcasters must stop thinking in terms of programming linear
channels and inserting commercials into them - that business is
dying...
Sorry Tom.
In a paper presented at the 31st SMPTE Advanced Imaging Conference in
February of 1997 I defined the problem as follows:
"The business of digital television broadcasting is the management of
the data multiplex that feeds
the 19 megabit per second channel, so as to maximize the revenue that
can be produced at any
given moment in time."
I went on to define this as a Information Technology problem; one
that will be managed not by a person sitting and verifying that the
automation/master control system functions properly, but rather as a
sophisticated bit server with multiple sources of bits that will vie
for delivery based on their value at any given moment in time.
The paper can be viewed here:
http://www.pcube.com/pdf/databcst.pdf
All kinds of input sources already exist to feed this server. There
are DOT traffic cameras, any number of web based mapping services,
and the sophisticated traffic routing systems run by GPS based
services such as Tom Tom, Garmin and OnStar. A stations web site can
be the source of all kinds of information that can be delivered via
the M/H service. The stations news department has tremendous
resources that could be used to create M/H content in addition to
traditional linear newscasts.
Then again, all of this stuff already exists and is being delivered
to my iPhone - on demand - today.
"Linear Thinking" will kill any chance for M/H to become a viable service.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts: