| Get ready because "there's going to be television | | | | studios over the rights to broadcast |
| out the wazoo!" This | | | | movie content online. Will the cable industry |
| according to Jonathan Klein, the president of CNN | | | | continue to provide the |
| - U.S. operations in a USA Today story on the | | | | cable modem broadband services that allow |
| merger of the Internet and television. Major | | | | web-surfers to get movies from their |
| broadcast networks, cable networks, and | | | | competitors? |
| content providers are gearing up for the 'mother | | | | Stephen Burke, COO of Comcast believes that |
| of all media battles' in staking out territory on the | | | | web video watchers only want short |
| new and rising medium called "Internet TV". | | | | clips and doesn't see any threat to their core |
| Basically it's video online, which | | | | business by people downloading |
| is not new, but what is new is that the major | | | | movies. Ned Peabody, a blacksmith in 1890, also |
| networks are now getting fully involved. Klein | | | | said that the horseless |
| continued, "It will be pausable, | | | | carriage was a noisy smoky bucket of bolts and |
| searchable, with all the customizable 'on demand' | | | | would never replace the |
| advantages of the Internet. It's a future that's not | | | | dependable horse. OK, I made that up, but I bet |
| very far away" Klein did not elaborate on how | | | | there was a blacksmith who |
| long it will take, what a 'wazoo' is, or how a | | | | said something like that. Anyway, you get my |
| television would fit through it.CNN has recently | | | | point. If movies can be |
| changed it's Internet news business model by | | | | purchased for a reasonable price, downloaded |
| trashing the $5.00 per month subscription price for | | | | quickly, with good quality, and |
| video, in favor of a pure advertising model. The | | | | played on a large monitor, how will that not take |
| coverage is more extensive, and finally it's for | | | | a big bite out of the "Movies |
| free. The way they previously baited news | | | | On-Demand", and Pay Movie Channels of |
| junkies was unconscionable.CNN Online: "Breaking | | | | Comcast, Time-Warner and other cable |
| Story: A reporter was caught with his 'camera on' | | | | providers?Yes, we're heading right into the |
| as Marines repelled a surprise attack by al Queda | | | | perfect storm of four major influences |
| in Afghanistan ... click here to see video."Me: | | | | conflagrating simultaneously creating ripe |
| "click"CNN Online: "First we need you to fill out this | | | | conditions for a world wide sea |
| form and sign this contract!"Me: "Oh...shoot me | | | | change!1) Video imaging technology is coming of |
| now...!"I prefer being slowly brainwashed with | | | | age. The picture is reasonably clear now on a |
| banners and branding ads, than being harassed to | | | | computer or TV monitor without squinting and |
| cough up a credit card, don't you?CBS News | | | | migraine headaches.2) Broadband use reached 35 |
| which sat on the sidelines while its competitors ran | | | | million users and is rising rapidly. That means that |
| the table with 24 hour cable news will not be | | | | there are 40% less computer keyboards being |
| trumped again. They recently opened up | | | | smashed in frustration, ripped out of the |
| and is investing big bucks in beefing up the video. | | | | computer, thrown against the wall and then |
| You can even pick the reports to customize your | | | | kicked while the person waits endlessly for |
| own newscast.Nippon TV in Japan is a step ahead | | | | choppy video streams. (That stat may be just in |
| in Internet TV and will be offering pay-per-view | | | | my household)3) Online advertisers are paying big |
| services by the end of the year. Their marketing | | | | time, spending 11.2 billion this year alone. |
| department has also come up with a brilliant and | | | | Entrepreneurs like that "B" word.4) Most |
| creative name: "The Second Nippon Television | | | | importantly, video storage and streaming is now |
| Network".Major | | | | cost effective and will make a lot people rich. Or |
| broadcasters like ABC, ESPN, Foxnews, Major | | | | should I say, a lot of rich people, richer.So lets |
| League Baseball, MTV, BBC, Telemundo | | | | review: ...the mother of all media battles...the chain |
| and others already offer video online with a | | | | link fence channel...horseless carriages...and a |
| TV-ish feel but a tidal surge of | | | | perfect storm. "It's On!"Maybe one day we'll each |
| new programming is just on the horizon.Cable TV | | | | have our own channel. But if there's 6 billion |
| made room for specialty | | | | channels and still nothing on, what then? Maybe |
| channels targeting smaller audiences such as the | | | | we can go outside, take a hike and get some |
| Golf Channel, and the 4-hanky | | | | exercise? Or we can get on our treadmills and |
| super-drama "Bassmaster", now we can expect | | | | watch "The Walking Channel." Hey, that sounds |
| Internet TV to diversify even more. | | | | like a good idea! Here's the slogan, "Where do you |
| For example, the parent company of HGTV and | | | | want to walk today?" It's video and sound on |
| The Food Channel will launch 10 Internet | | | | serene paths from all around the world. Trust me, |
| channels by 2006, the first one being "The | | | | if it's not available now, it will be. Maybe you're the |
| Kitchen Remodel Channel." | | | | one to do it. Send me a percentage!Rick David |
| I kid you not. Maybe the first spinoff show will | | | | writes a feature column entitled, |
| be "The Linoleum Channel". I'm hoping for the | | | | "Don't Laugh, It Could Happen To You" for |
| "The Chain Link Fence Channel."Netflix, the online | | | | San Diego Merchant America. |
| movie rental company, is in negotiations with the | | | | |