TV Going Online – Google Plans to Sell TV Shows on YouTube?
WAA WAA... foul.. foul ~ Print Media!
It is kind of amazing to see the disruption digitalization is causing to so many industries. Advent of internet has almost shattered some industries and is on its way to gulp a lot many of them in another decade. Some of the industries are accepting the fact that their old business model is almost dead. They are innovating and evolving their way along with the web, example being Music Industry (with iTunes) and TV Networks (with iTunes and Hulu). Others like Print Media are crying out foul but deep within they also know that their old way of doing business is taking its last breath. Wait till the launch of Apple Tablet and I will add a couple of more industries here.
It is just a matter of time when every thing right from Print Media to TV networks will vanish in thin air of clouds!
Let us talk about the TV Networks today. First let me explain why TV Networks face a threat from Internet. By nature the whole TV Network system is a one to many phenomenon i.e. at any point of time there is one show that is getting broadcasted and many of people are watching it. This situation was slightly improved when Cable Networks came along. Now there were ‘n’ channels that broadcasted ‘n’ shows to ‘many users’ at any given point of time. But now the internet gives an infinitely better solution – many to many approach or may I call that infinity to infinity model? Any user can watch any show at any point of time. In a layman term number of TV channels on the internet are infinite (or close to infinite) and even better – you can select both, the show you want to watch and when you want to watch. No more worries about missing your favorite show!
YouTube TV
Now if rumors are to be believed then YouTube is in talks with major TV Networks of US to sign a pay per episode deal. TV networks already have similar deals with iTunes and Hulu by which they are able to stream TV shows (with out Ads) over the Internet. The subscription chargers per episode are $ 1.99. According the reports YouTube is offering a similar deal to the TV Networks. The only difference is that with You Tube you wont able retain a copy of the show i.e. once you have watched it you are done. It might be difficult for YouTube to attract people when iTunes and Hulu offer same subscription price plus a free download.
What really matters is YouTube’s entry might help making online TV main stream. It might not bring about a major difference in the US (primarily because other major players are already present) but this can help in the marriage of TV Networks with the Internet in other counties like India where YouTube has a very strong presence.
Good night!
While I agree with the question raised but still I am sure we will have the traditional model of TV until we have free(almost) and fast Internet lines. I don’t intend to watch shows day and night on my 1mbps line with each gig adding to my bill.
As for the apple tablet: It will be beyond my reach and many others’.
(Twitter: @ mayank25may )
says:
Well that is perfectly right… I don’t mean that this will happen now… it will take its own time. What I really say is It will happen. May the traditional model of TV will still be there just like the radio is still there after the advent of walkman, mp3 player and then the iPod. But it will be as insignificant as radio is now.
Yes Apple Tablet will be out of reach for many in India just like laptop was out of reach some 7 yrs ago. But one can not ignore the disruption it might cause to many industries.
(Twitter: @ ksantani )
says:
@expressions definelty this is not going to cause any serious disruptions to TV industry in the near future. As this is in fact helping TV channels to earn more money by using suscriptions with no additional cost. I can’t understand why Apple Tablet will be out of reach? Price?
Yes price (which I don’t know about but can guess from Apple’s previous record barring iPod-remember iMac and Air) will be one of the factors as majority will be taking tablets only when we will have specific applications that we we cant use without tablets.
New software like 7 and Leopard can be tried easily by the tech-lovers as they can be had as trials or pirated copies but the same doesn’t go for the hardware. Though I know that tablets will be immensely helpful for day to day computing it might take people some time to see the virtues and accept the product.
Moreover the hardest part is to change peoples habit. Except for technology enthusiasts I don’t see many people switching soon to devices which will dramatically change their way of working. It might take some time.
(Twitter: @ ksantani )
says:
Apple Tablet is for your luxary needs but laptops are neccesity, tablets will be used often for entertaintment like listening to music, reading ebook and for light browsing. It will be perfect for the above concept. You are not going to buy a tablet in order to dump your laptop. It will be an additional device which is lighter and easy to carry than laptop, so that you can use it siting in your couch. As far as prices are concerned ,it can’t be more than $700 as Macbook costs around $1000. Whats your take?
(Twitter: @ mayank25may )
says:
It is too optimistic to say tablet will only cost $700. I don’t think it will any way less than $1500. May be the price gets cut down (at some point in time) to $1000 like the iPhone.
and… we are talking about the price in the US.
India? No less than INR 2 to 2.5 lakhs.
I think yeah.. For starters Tablet will be out of reach for many in India.
Thought I agree that Tablet is not meant to replace laptops.
@ksantani
Yes Tablets are not to replace laptops.
From what I see graphic artists and prototype designers might be the first to use the Apple Tablets. The concept has nothing new as an idea, remember Wacom and hp have done similar(almost) things in the past. The implementation will be the factor that will(/not) keep Apple Tablets a hit. I am simply sceptical because touch-screen did not accomplish feats that it promised some 6-7 years back except on mobile devices. Most of their bigger counterparts have been a usability mess.
Having said all this I am one who is eagerly waiting to see Apple Tablets.
(Twitter: @ ksantani )
says:
@Mayank, $1500 is way to high and anyways it will also launch with subscription model with any of the Wi-Fi providers, same formula as iPhone (I am not saying it will be AT$T). And that will reduce the price drastically.
@expression
From what I have heard till now (nothing is sure), it looks to me the best attempt in making the tablet…
Me too waiting eagerly
From what I see on Internet forums I take my words back on affordability. They are expected to hit the market @ USD700-900. But again that is only a guess.
(Twitter: @ mayank25may )
says:
@ksantani & expressions :
This is actually very confusing… Every day you get contradictory reports.
rumors also say that it is coming with OLED scree… now if that is the case then it is got to very expensive.
Latest report @ Apple Insider quotes almost all price ranges.
“Price predictions for the tablet have been all over the map. Some feel it will be priced low, around $500, to compete with the low-cost netbook market. Others have predicted its price would be comparable to a MacBook at around $1,000. Another recent rumor placed a supposed OLED screen equipped version of the hardware at $2,000 retail.”
Kinda of funny…
I some how still feel.. starting price will be a lot more than $700. Why would they start with a low price range when it is such an awaited gadget? It is got to be quite high like the iPhone.