Tivo, the popular maker of American digital video recorders, announced an agreement with YouTube that will deliver millions of Web videos directly to users’ TV screens. This agreement will allow users to watch their playlisted YouTube items on their TV screens. What strikes me about this information is will this be a stepping to the eventual position where small, lowly-funded websites being able to compete with Multi-national, billion dollar companies? We are well aware that the internet can produce worldwide success for companies on a very small budget? But will these companies not only be able to compete with other Media companies in general, but also outside of their comfort: on the television screen.
Before we can see a website such as YouTube become a truly independent television channel, I feel it is essential for it create a new style specific to Television. At present, You Tube is very oriented around interactivity; after all it is you that decides which clips you would like to watch. For YouTube to become a television channel or even a television program, it needs to take away that direct interactivity (clicking onto links etc), whilst keeping some sense of interactivity. Perhaps, a half-hour show could be the answer. Your most watched videos on the internet could be shown, with the ability to vote for your favourite. This way a television program available to all can be produced whilst it keeps the essence of YouTube alive.
Finally, now that have seen YouTube take the television “plunge”, will we see other websites doing the same? If so, will this create even more of an opportunity to spill-over success to small internet-based companies? If we were to see other Internet websites convert to television, which websites would they be? A good example may MySpace. With the Media baron, Rupert Murdoch (who owns BSkyB amongst many other television sources) having recently purchased the social network, could he invent a new and exciting way to interact with MySpace. Only time will tell how this will develop, but it is very interesting time for the internet and television alike.
March 18, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I feel a bit sceptical about Youtube as TV… I think for it to work they would have to find a way of transmitting it to actual television sets, or if you could conect your computer to your tv and watch clips. Personally I don’t like watching movies or video clips on the computer – the quality of the sound and images are worse and it’s just more comfortable watching tv from the sofa. Also, with all those flat screens out there, who would want to switch from that to a tiny, blurred computer frame?