Within the last two years there has been a large amount of debate concerning the future of television on the web. Here is just a sample of articles, blogs and videos:
- Future of Television & Living Room (Fast Company)
- Futurist Conversations: Thoughts on the Future of Television (Video from futurists Ross Dawson & Gerd Leonhard)
- Future of Television Special Report (Businessweek)
- The Future of TV: No Networks, Remotes…or TVs? (PC World)
- Future of Television (Wall St. Journal Blog)
- The future TV: Dead man walking or looking bigger than ever? (Venture Beat Blog)
- EMMYS: Looking far into the future of TV (Deadline NewYork Blog)
For this blog, I would like you to offer your own impression of what the future of television will look like say ten years from now. Reflect upon and incorporate what you have learned this semester concerning technology (including digital and the Internet), structure and business operations of stations, networks and cable systems as well as what we are covering now in terms of programming and ratings. Of course you may also review the links above and comment on any points you finding compelling, problematic or interesting. In addition, please feel free to share any material and links that you uncover.
Please make your comment before class on April 26.
Intro to Telecommunications RTV 3001 Spring '12 
The discussion in class today about our generation if offered online streaming vs. cable subscription would choose online streaming mostly because it’s much cheaper and you can watch what you want without very long commercials. I also believe that cable networks need to find other means to appeal to a younger demographic to increase their revenue and potential capabilities.
In ten years from now I believe that the cable industry will still continue to offer cable and internet services, but I think that online streaming from an internet site like Netflix or Hulu will become the major source from where people get their shows and movies they want to watch. I also believe that cable providers should offer a la carte programming because 75 percent of what is offered on TV, most people do not watch. I have cable, but it is included in my monthly rent, otherwise I do not think I would pay for cable in my apartment. Also, I have the Apple TV and I am subscribed to Netflix (only streaming) and I would not trade that up for cable anytime. At least once a month Netflix updates their queue for the online streaming and new and updated shows and series have the newest content. I also firmly believe that this concept of just having Netflix and waiting for your show to come online is a way to have more patience, at times it can be troubling if you want to watch a show but you don’t have it on your Netflix account, but just waiting a few weeks to watch a television series can save you like 80 dollars than buying a cable subscription. I do believe that this shift in online streaming and a la carte programming offers trouble for stations and networks. All of their shows that they were previously broadcasting would no longer be needed for the majority of customers if you did not subscribe to that channel. Also, I was reading on one of the articles that Google wants to become a cable company which I think is a great idea on their part. I think that if they would incorporate streaming and internet on their services they would greatly increase their revenue, also using Google and internet capabilities on your TV set just by subscribing to their services would make people join their cause. I think that TV will last in ten years, but I don’t know how successful the cable networks will be if some type of incentive by having their services (internet, cable and home phone bundles) is not offered.
From the articles given for this blog, I must say that internet will have a major impact on the cable industry. For the most part, a lot of my friends use Netflix or Hulu to watch their shows instead of turning on their televisions. One reason I believe this is happening is because there are less commercials and you’re able to watch exactly what you want rather than waiting for your show to come on every Monday at a certain time.
I don’t think televisions and cable will disappear all together in the next few years, but the cable industry needs to find a better way to keep their customers from going a different direction. I live with my parents and we have Verizon which connect the phone, cable and internet bill together. From my point of view, the only thing I use is the internet and cable tv every now and then when I’m at home. I think half of the stations we have are useless. The only tv stations I tune in to are ABC, MTV, ABC Family and the Disney channel whenever my nieces and nephew are over at the house. All of the other channels I don’t even know what they are because we don’t watch them.
From what I’ve learned in class, it’s that our technology has grown and is still growing into something we aren’t even sure yet what will happen. From newspapers to using computers, technology within our phones and creating newer equipment such as the iPad, not a lot of what is provided for us now will be around in the near future if we allow all of this growth of technology to keep going the way it is.
As for televisions, I don’t think they will be going anywhere anytime soon but it may go a different way if the cable networks do not do something about the pricing and service given within their packages. I don’t even answer my house phone anymore but my parents still pay to have a land line for certain family members and usually solicitors to call the house instead of our cell phones. It all depends on us if we want this newer technology to take over or change it.
Since I don’t have a crystal ball in front of me right now, I cautiously tread into looking ahead ten years for the future of television. In order to speak about what may be around in 2022, it’s important to talk about the past. Dating back to 2002, I would not have correctly predicted how television would have changed over the course of a decade. In the aftermath of 9/11, we lived in a world of cathode ray TV sets with mostly analog presentation. Terms like ‘high definition’ and ‘smart TV’ were not in our society’s lexicon yet; it was with the advent of social networking that television became HD ready, and flat screen plasmas were all the rave. Within the next few years, wireless high def became more prevalent with liquid crystal displays and light-emitting diodes (LED) become more popular in every household. I would’ve never guessed that television would be carried on mobile devices like iPhones or high-speed tablets like the iPad; Hulu and Google TV were not even at its infancy either. With all that being said, moving into the second decade of the 21st century, I envision that the internet will be the most common viewing outlet for television. Television sets as well as cable or DBS satellite technology will slowly fade and may even become obsolete by 2050. For those who are still watching TV on their fully digital HD sets, Smart technology will allow the viewer to interact more with features like voice recognition and internet usage without the need of Blu Ray players or other digital devices. Corning’s glass implementation will offer mobile TV around the house, in the car, and ubiquitously in everyday life. Television may also move from flat screens to laptop-sized entities that anyone will be able to carry in a small case. Despite all of these possible outcomes, one thing is true: no one is 100% certain of just how great and refined television will be as we move into a completely digital and paperless world.
If I had to make a prediction for the advancement of television in the year 2022, I would say it would be much more advance then it is currently. Maybe we will all be required to buy 3D TV’s and be required to subscribe to a certain type of cable service. I cannot say what will or won’t happen but I believe that as technology gets more complicated as will television. If I stop to think about where we came from as far as analog TV’s with an antenna to where we are today, technology has come a long way in a short amount of time. I agree with the authors of the article, The Future of Television when they say that as a society we are very connected social with the internet and It could be possible that in the future television and the internet could inter-operate. In my opinion, I think we will see a lot more content bundling as well. It would be easier to operate my electronics with my iPad as I can also play games, take pictures and videos, connect to the Internet and create documents. I have to agree with the Wall Street Journal Blog when they say the future of television will inevitably follow the money. Cable companies like BrightHouse are introducing TV everywhere by using a password system that allows the subscribers to watch shows from the channels they pay for on their computers, essentially keeping their business and making their services exclusive to their customers. However, just as other students have commented, no one can be 100% sure where the future of television will travel.
There’s no telling where television will be in the next ten years, but in my opinion it hasn’t even begun to evolve into what it can be. It wasn’t even that long ago that the television first came out, and I’m sure people looked at the inventor like he was absolutely nuts. Hey guys I want to create this big black box with moving sounds and pictures and put it in your living room, it sounded crazy, but it totally worked! Then came color, the big screen, plasma, HD, TiVo, LED, Digital, 3D, now here we are on the verge of Internet TV. That is most obviously the next step in the television media convergence. The Internet is amazing because we tell it what we want and BaM, there are fifty different sites containing the thing you want. I think television is extremely eager to have this sort of power. Our lives today are so incredible busy and now we’re “connected” 24/7 so the work never really stops, of course it’s going to be completely out of the question for us to sit down at a certain day and time to watch the show we like, much less sit through the commercials. I think that’s why we’ve seen such a surge in people watching what they like through Netflix or Hulu. This is of course killing advertisers. They want to know everything! What we listen to, what shows we watch, who we like and dislike, and of course what we buy. You can’t shop anywhere today without providing an e-mail address, then comes temptation right in your inbox! By connecting TV to Internet they can better monitor what the masses really want. I personally think it’s a good thing. I already don’t have time to watch my shows, much less go channel surfing. It would be nice if my TV knew what I liked and just provided it for me. Listen to me, spoiled by technology. Although, I’m sure 30 years from now I’ll be saying, yeah kids I used to have to press buttons on a little rectangle to get the TV to come on in my day. If I let my imagination run wild I could see television being voice controlled, taking phone calls, holding my daily schedule, interactive Facebook, automatically downloading my photos and home movies, and of course I’m a food network fan, I want smell-o-vision! Well minus a couple of those things, I’ve just completely described the Ipad. There you have it ladies and gents complete media convergence. I want my TV to be my computer, and my computer to be my TV. Lastly, with that type of convergence, I can imagine the TV having the picture quality of the new Ipad, if not an entirely new amazing way to see television perfectly. I can’t say exactly what will happen to television in ten years, but I’m looking forward to what the future has to offer.
The future of television is…there will be no television. I mean it won’t be called television anymore. Over the past decade the “television” or video industry has evolved from a TV with a cable box or satellite dish –to watching video on multiple platforms. The development of the Internet produced an extremely broad horizon of video watching platform; in addition, the internet and technological advancements have changed what society demands (such as watching books or playing games on television). So what exactly is television going to be like in ten years?
Many futurists have made some farfetched predictions about TV but if you consider how fast technology advances; I think just about anything is possible. I am not too much of a futurist, but here are my predictions.
First, TV will be a la carte. Like many, I subscribe to multiple platforms like Netflix and I have an Apple TV that allows me to rent movies and watch TV shows as I choose. Although the argument against a la carte is strong, I believe that the masses of people will ultimately have their way.
Second, TV will not be called TV. The name is destined to change just like the technology will. Now we watch TV on an assortment of light projectors, such as LED TV’s, computer monitors, projectors, mobile devices, and tablets. My guess for the next 10 years is everything will be wireless. I think a single device will be able to connect, interact, and project any medium without any additional wiring or equipment.
Third, TV will be integrated. The world has already been penetrated by social media integration into live TV shows, like American Idol. When you watch these shows they provide you with a hashtag and viewers can live comment about the show. Like I said at the beginning I am not much of a futurist but I can only imagine that the rise of consumer-integrated media will fuel the “next TV” industry.
In conclusion, I think TV is the next ten years will be a la carte, interactive, and it will not be called TV anymore. Here is what I imagine in ten years: I will be jogging wearing some type of lightweight device that will enable me to watch a live show and virtually interact with my own “circle” of friends or a community I choose.
For this blog, I would like you to offer your own impression of what the future of television will look like say ten years from now. Reflect upon and incorporate what you have learned this semester concerning technology (including digital and the Internet), structure and business operations of stations, networks and cable systems as well as what we are covering now in terms of programming and ratings. Of course you may also review the links above and comment on any points you finding compelling, problematic or interesting. In addition, please feel free to share any material and links that you uncover.
The possibilities about the future of TV are many and varied. No one can accurately guarantee what direction television might go in, but they can guess what avenues it may take and what changes could possibly happen over the next five to ten years.
I for one would guess that television is the next technology, which will be looked at next and updated similarly to cell phones, computers, ipads etc. The invention of ipods, ipads, wiis, etc has opened up the possibilities for innovation that could be transferred to television. The idea of Apple television could change the idea of television technology. No one really knows what features it will have, but in my mind I simply imagine an extremely large ipad. I believe the future will lead us to have television sets that will allow for the ability to combine the features of TV, computers, music devices, gaming systems and online applications.
I believe we will eventually get to a point of a certain type of vertical integration where a few companies will control every part of their brand. Similar to how Time Warner can make, produce, promote, and sell a movie, I believe that companies will eventually innovate, create, produce, distribute, and sell television sets and possibly programming. I do not see the companies who create the physical product and those who produce the programming combining any time soon as they each garner enough revenue on their own, but they may combine in the future, but no one could confirm or deny this theory. Some do theorize that companies such as youtube, google, hulu, etc will eventually make deals with major companies to create their own original content and for these sites to then play the networks programming in return.
This theory might be a possibility if television takes a turn away from channels into an online library where viewers could simply check out what they would like to watch or possibly order a series that would automatically update with each weeks newest episode. Without the need for channels there would no need for affiliates of networks and without channels there would be no set daily programming, which would lead to no money gained from ad sales. Although, I do see the possibilities of ads being played similarly to how they work on youtube and hulu; a few quick ads, running back to back that get the point across, and then back to the show.
Thanks to the invention of gaming devices I certainly see the idea of the remote falling by the wayside with either a touch screen like an ipad, body control like gaming systems, or voice control such as with current iphone.
I believe Verizon could become one of the top companies with this new age. Already a major phone network, innovator of fios and a distributor of Apple products, Verizon could be first in line to gain the most from future television. Distributing Apple televisions, due to their contract with Apple iPhones, along with bringing fios to millions of consumers, they could have the capability of earning millions upon millions of dollars. Bring wireless internet to homes would also allow for these television to be hooked up to internet and allow for individuals to have hulu, youtube, netflix, etc played directly on their televisions screens.
I believe this will definitely turn television into more a public medium. If youtube and google are going to be innovators of original content and then be transformed into television channels or networks, then it won’t necessarily be the job of major companies to come up with programming. Private individuals could create shows, sitcoms, movies, etc and play them on youtube and then eventually make deals with broadcast or major network companies or major advertisers, which would help continue to fund the show. Therefore, the allusive Hollywood would become much more tangible to the average person. Creativity and innovation in programming would become much more open rather than only major companies holding the monopoly if television took this route.
Combining internet and television will catapult us into an entirely new and advanced era. We are looking at a future of instantaneous focus groups via hashtags and twitter. Networks, stations, etc are going to know immediately if something is a hit or a flop, therefore they will know what they should spend their money on. Not only will they know the success of a show but also the demographic it appeals to which will help with target advertising so advertisers feel as though they are getting the most bang for their buck.
Where is television heading?
Well I think the first thing to look at are the streaming programs. The two main streaming machines right now are Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. Both of these however have their drawbacks. Netflix does have a wide array of video, however they lack more current shows/movies, movies such as batman begins, and the dark knight have yet to be added, these movies at this point are well over the necessary years to be streamed (my opinion). Amazon prime video is a fairly new service. Like Netflix prime video allows streaming of tv shows and movies for a monthly fee. This service is almost the opposite of netflix in that it keeps a current set of shows and movies to be streamed, but after a while actually deletes clips that are deemed no longer current. So finding classic shows and movies is nigh impossible.
Until the television industry can figure out a way to create a program that can stream all video content there will never be a clear path. In fact there are many streaming sites on the internet (not sure about the legalities of these sites though) that offer streaming of television shows and movies. Even shows that came out the previous night.
So what will programming be like in the future? Well presently a lot of the television ratings go towards reality television shows, shows like jersey shore. If we are lucky ten years from now, people will have developed a better taste and there will be more thought provoking shows.
News of course will always have its spot, if not on television, there will surely be a news channel app for your smart phone that will be constantly streaming programming to the phone. This is actually probably a good idea anyways, and there is already a lot of streaming services for the phone presently.
Overall I think television will try its share of gags, i.e. 3D, Motion control, voice command, but the real way to go is streaming services.
I believe that the future of television, or any technology actually, is going to be absolutely ridiculous. Technology is going to get to the point of the old television show “The Jetsons.” The world will eventually have robots and hovercraft for vehicles. But television specifically has come a long way already and could still improve a lot within the near future and far future. I would say in about ten years, TV is going to be all wireless and completely personal. Remotes will probably not be around anymore either. I think television is almost going to turn into a video game or Internet type deal, where you can choose exactly what you watch at what time since you are paying for it. I think networks and different stations are going to slowly lose all of their viewers because technology is going to get to the point where television won’t even be set to where you have to have the channels you don’t watch. They will probably eventually let you just buy access to certain channels. Technology is going to butt heads with the world pretty soon, because it will eventually have a love/hate relationship. The reason why I think this is because as the technology gets better, the world will be easier to live in for people who keep up to date with it, but for people who cannot keep up with all the changes, they are going to start hating certain things, especially television. It has already changed so much over the years, from black and white analog channels to cable networks, and now to satellite boxes. What’s next?
I think that television will focus less and less on traditional broadcasting paradigms and become a much more choice-orientated, on-demand service much like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
With an overwhelming amount of today’s younger demographics watching their television programming online through sites like Hulu and other means, it’s clear that the new generation of television watchers are becoming accustomed to choice. Not only choice in what they watch, but when they watch it.
I see television becoming a much more interactive experience with networks producing and distributing shows online or through cable boxes instead of broadcasting them in pre-designated airtimes. It will be a completely on-demand experience with a layout probably very similar to what Netflix looks like today.
This new format will pose a new challenge to advertisers. Advertisements will still be part of the programming but it will hopefully be more subtlety integrated as opposed to the jarringly inserted ads on Hulu.
I also see social media playing a much greater role on programming. Twitter and Facebook may be directly integrated into whatever tool is used to select programming. This could add a whole new level of interaction to the shows, perhaps giving the networks (or what remains of the major networks) a more direct way to gauge the level of discussion around a particular show.
This new format can also usher in a whole new generation of user-created content. With a possible overhaul of the traditional network system, new windows will open for independently produced content and give its makers a little more wiggle room to get their content a wider audience.
Choice is the watchword for the future of television with a much larger emphasis on viewers’ individual tastes and less on the whims of a network managing its programming slots. The Internet and television will become indistinguishable.
That video by the futurists make a great point of fragmentation and how people just don’t want the same television shows at the same time anymore. From the ’60s to late ’90s people cared about the actual television and the box that supplied the programming. Now, in my opinion it’s all about on demand, and the internet allows that on demand feature. There are some cable providers like Brighthouse that offer an on demand service for a lot of its programming, but no one can take their box set and TV everywhere they go, so that’s why the internet is becoming so popular. No longer are the majority of jobs taking place between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. where people come home from and are able to sit down with their children and watch prime time TV. To me, there is no such thing as prime time anymore. People today are always in a rush, with school, and work, and other extra-curricular activities that only allow for most to be able to get their television entertainment when they can find the time. Sure, the DVR is good for this as people can record their shows and watch them later, but like I said, some people don’t have the time to even sit down on their own couch for the length of some shows. In my opinion people will turn to these Hulu and Youtube sites a lot more as they are much more convenient and offer the most accessible on-demand service.
Along with this idea of on-demand and the use of the internet as the main television source, I just see cable networks or broadcast networks getting rid of the service providers we use today and installing a new “access fee” style of programming where people either pay for certain shows or whole station through the internet site instead of through a cable or satellite provider. This is kind of like that al-a-cart programming we discussed in class, except without the middle man. Televisions are already being made with full web browsers included in them, so why not only offer access to programming through the internet. Sure, people still haven’t gotten newer TVs to do this yet, but the way cable is dwindling and the internet is exploding, in the next ten years, I feel this is going to be the only way to view television. Just take this class for example. Pretty much everyone that is in it is a telecommunications major, yet almost no one actually watches television; especially for broadcasting purposes.
Also, when it comes to ratings, there won’t need to be any anymore. These stations will solely broadcast through internet access that has fees applied to them, and they will keep shows on for how many people buy into them. The first episode for each new show could be free and then if people want to keep watching they will buy it, and the show will last, or people won’t buy into it and it will get cancelled. The process could be more complicated, but I think it sounds rational at the same time.
To begin this blog, I would like to offer an opinion. I feel that television, in its primary form, will never be extinct. DVR, Hulu, Netflix, etc. are changing the way we watch television, but one thing remains the same; we are still watching television.
Many may disagree with this hypothesis. Mark Hachman, author of “The Future of TV”, believes that the standard TV network will be done away with in the future. He believes that channels will no longer be universal, but customized to your likes and tastes- similar to the Netflix model. This is an interesting theory. I agree that in the future, we will have more control over what we watch. But I feel that the network will always play some part in the television watching experience. In class, we have learned how much networks control and how much they provide to the audience. They have too much at stake to completely vanish. I predict that many will merge, leaving us with fewer networks.
Hulu, the new way to watch television, relies on networks to provide their programming. Hulu makes it very clear what network, or channel, the show you are watching is from. Networks are becoming digitally friendly in order to stay relevant and in the minds of their audiences.
Rob Levine provides a different view concerning the television in “The Future of Television.” Levine believes that the future lies in the money, which is a trend that will never become extinct. Levine suggests that the money comes from cable. Cable charges for their programming and does not rely on advertising to make money. Cable does earn more money, but both networks and cable are facing the changes to digital. Both are in jeopardy if they don’t follow the digital trends.
I feel that the short-term future of television will remain safe. TV’s are becoming ‘smart’ and more powerful, but the outcome is the same. Television will rely on advertising (in some form) and subscription fees (whether for cable, Hulu, or some new program) to make money. The experience may change but principles will remain the same.
This post is by Vanessa Rao. For some reason, it won’t allow me to logon using my other wordpress name.
When I began writing this post, I started by saying that although television is clearly changing; I think that some of the aspects that we use today will remain the same. While brainstorming about what to write, I was going to start by saying that I, unlike most people my age, enjoy watching television in its classic form. I don’t subscribe to Netflix, I have never been on Hulu, and I do not own an Apple TV. Then I realized that even I do not watch TV the same way I did even four years ago. I have a DVR, and I record six or seven shows—even Jeopardy because 7:30 is too early to start watching TV, and I am a 90-year-old on the inside. So even though I still subscribe to cable, I only watch what I record. I have a two-year-old son, as well, and he doesn’t watch very much TV, but when he does, it is Sprout OnDemand so I can control what programs he is watching. Although no one knows for sure, this made me think—maybe TV, as we know it, won’t exist in ten years.
When considering how much television has changed in the recent years, it only makes sense that it will continue to change in the future. I predict that on-demand Internet streaming media sites like Netflix and Hulu will be much more popular than they are today, even though they are very prevalent in today’s world. In addition to the streaming sites, devices like Apple TV will overshadow the television market. I believe the increasing popularity of Internet file hosting services, like MegaUpload, will play a role in television’s position in the future, as well. Mark Suster, the expert blogger, discussed the “over the top” video distribution of Apple TV, and commented that like all Apple products before it, it will create a new group of competitors trying to create a better “media ecosystem.” I agree with almost every point that Suster made—from the “second screen” discussion about the increasing movement toward user interaction and social network connections, to the demise of content bundling and packages offered by cable companies.
The topic of cable providers offering customers specific packages that include particular channels that the customer watches often and not including channels that are not watched frequently in the household is one that has been brought up a lot in class. Even though this idea has been shot down multiple times, the growing number of customers canceling their cable subscriptions keeps pushing the providers toward implementing this option. Like several of the posters before me, I believe that for cable networks to remain in business, they will have to start catering to consumers. Consumers want choices, and so I think this will drive cable companies to not only offer a la carte programming, but it will force them to offer an on-demand option for all programs.
Like others have said before me, we have learned in class that networks play a huge role in the industry. They have already made several moves toward digital, like providing content for Hulu. I believe that this is only the beginning. Television networks may eventually join together to become larger networks, but they will continue to move where their viewers go. If they don’t, they will lose advertising revenue, because companies will stop advertising on traditional television and will move toward more product placements, or different formats, like on YouTube and mobile phone applications. Like networks, television manufacturers will most likely start developing TVs with more capabilities, as well.
Whatever the future of television, I am anxious and nervous to see what the next 10 to 20 years will hold.
[I had to leave a comment with my GMail account, not my school account, if I wanted to use my name instead of my blog username that I am using for another course.]
I think that in the next 10 years TV will still be TV. People will still have the news in the background while they cook dinner and tune in for sports games, but I think that shows that people watch for pure entertainment will be on a network that they subscribe to and watch On Demand at their leisure. TV will run on a more of a pick and choose what you want to watch and when you want to watch it system, then the routine time system that TV programs run on now.
I think that Mark Hachman’s article, The Future of TV: No Networks, Remotes…or TVs?, was very interesting. Mark presented 10 predictions about where the future of TV will go and some I agreed with, like the disappearance of channels, but others I thought were a little far fetched, like the disappearance of the remote. From personal experience I can tell that I am less interested in sitting down and watching a television program than I used to be. This change could have just been a change in my personal preference, but I really think that it has something to do with the advances in technology and creation of On Demand programming, Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. I don’t like to sit down and watch a program at a certain time that might not be the most convenient for me when I know that I can just watch it on Hulu later at my own convenience.
I also think that regular programming is not the same and as intriguing as it once was. I find myself being interested in shows that are aired on HBO or other networks where I must subscribe. The nice things about HBO or AMC is that they are not only available on TV, but they’re available online and On Demand as well. I think that in the future, if a network wants to succeed, they must make their programs easily accessible on other mediums like the Internet or on demand.
No one knows what the future of television really holds, we can only guess, assume and research but unless someone can see into the future, we do not fully know. Lately, I have only been watching television shows on Netflix, although they are not new episodes, it is much easier to watch old shows on Netflix rather than the television itself because there are no ads. With saying that I only watch television when there is a new episode of my favorite program on or if there is really nothing else to watch on the internet. I also watch episodes that I have misses on Hulu, and occasionally movies. When I think about it I do not watch T.V like I use to, even in the last few years I have depended less and less on T.V and more and more on internet sites such as Netflix and Hulu. My roommate has PlayStation and we watch new movies on that during the weekend. Although I subscribe to cable I really only watch it on certain days when my programs are on. Perhaps, T.V will not exist in ten years.
After reading the articles, I think online-streaming sites will be more popular than they are today and devices such as Apple T.V will dominate the cable industry. As technology grows the people around it grow and adapt, and the faster and the easier the access is to the media the quicker the public will change their means of media delivery. In “The Future of Television: Dead Man Walking or bigger than ever ?”, YouTube and Google are pushing to become a part of television, YouTube is hoping to have full T.V shows on their website and recently Google has made Google TV for the Super bowl 2012.
Television itself is changing, now you can have an interactive T.V with cable, Netflix, Internet, all in one and many people are using that now, although it does cost an arm and a leg. In a few years classic T.V will no longer be around.
The future of television is about to drastically change. Evidently, this change has already begun to unfold. It is no surprise that many television stations and networks are concerned with the future of their business. With other forms of media like the iPhone, iPod, and internet, it is clear that there is some emerging competition for cable subscriptions. While many Americans still subscribe to cable, I believe that this number will continually go down until many networks are out of business. I recently discovered that there is now a way to surf the internet on your large home television set. This means that viewers could potentially be watching their shows online with the advantage of a large set. This technology also opens the door for many more interactive things that could be done online with family members who can all gather around the T.V.
Over all, I see a drastic model change. I can picture that eventually there will be a time when everything will be done through the internet. Instead of paying for a cable subscription, viewers would pay for an account to watch particular channels online. The more channels you add, the more your subscription fee. As we learned in class, the cost of laying cables and maintaining them can be costly and this system would eliminate this expense. I believe we are coming into an age where everything can be done on everything else, meaning that there is no longer a huge need for multiple services. My thought is that television will be presented solely on internet (not sure about satellite) and that cable as we know it will not exist.
So I’ve read through a few of my peers’ responses as to the future of what television will become, and it’s clear that we agree on a couple of keys points. They are as follows:
-Television in the future will be significantly less traditional. With the advent of digital video recording services, the concept of traditional live TV is altogether dead. Used to be, DVRs weren’t the easiest to manage or subscribe to. Now, every major television company offers DVR service on the relative cheap. This will produce a future that has “a la carte” subscription services, where customers can subscribe to only the channels they desire, rather than the channels that are packaged together forcibly by the company.
-The rise of “on demand” services is unstoppable, but fluctuates. For example: Netflix. Too often from my peers I hear “I’m all over Netflix right now” because it’s cheap and easy to use. Not too long after that, I often hear “I canceled my Netflix subscription” because of varying reasons: stagnation, boredom, etc. Netflix doesn’t update their content as often as they should is the reason I hear most often. This will continue to be the way that we receive content, because…
-Original programming. It is, in my opinion, the only reason that some premium subscription channels are still float. Were it not for original movies and series, I don’t think channels like Showtime could continue to remain a viable option in the face of services like Netflix and Hulu. Next year, Netflix will be the exclusive provider of the final season of the cult comedy hit “Arrested Development”. All episodes will not be aired on network television, but rather, entirely available through Netflix, and the whole season will be available from day one. The latter portion (all episodes releasing at the same time), I don’t think will become the norm. As far as a Netflix-type entity being the exclusive home of a series? Absolutely the future.
-Interactivity. This I believe will be one of those “Oh, that’s really cool!” things initially that will dwindle in actual usage over time. But then again, I could be wrong. Who knows if we will always have to Minority Report our way through television viewing rather than using a traditional remote. Voice control has never been 100% accurate, so I don’t think that’s the future either, until it becomes universally accepted and used. I don’t think the “interaction” we have with television would be anything more than novelty. When most people sit down to watch TV, they sit down to watch TV. They don’t sit down to play a game with characters from Friends, or answer pop-up trivia questions.
-Internet-based. Definitely the future. SmarTVs already have internet connectivity built-in. If Apple brings out their TV this year, the elegance of their products will finally extend to TVs, always viewed as cumbersome because of wiring. If Wi-Fi access is available in a home, everything will be streamed, and physical media will die. BluRay will already be irrelevant. No more will we need to keep bookcases and shelves full of DVDs in order to watch what we want to watch. I like modern design and cleanliness, order, organization and no clutter. This idea is a designer’s dream. No longer will we have to have cumbersome and unruly wires to deal with.
-Lastly, we have the “second screen” theory. I have an iPad and can use it as a remote for my television. What if, as an example, for a game show, I could utilize my iPad to play along? I already watch my Twitter feed on iPad for sporting events to see what everyone has to say about the games, etc. Tablets will become infinitely more affordable in the next few years, and I don’t doubt that the “second screen” will act, for example in sporting events, as an alternate angle to view on-screen content. Ever been frustrated when an event cuts away from an angle at the seemingly perfect moment, just when you were going to see that.. thing you really wanted to see? Dedicated angles are the future. If I wanted to watch the camera from inside a hockey goal the whole time, I could do that. That’s gonna be awesome.
Finally, I wanted to touch on how the future of television will affect the advertisements we currently view/ignore. The information I’ve reviewed is from Ross Dawson’s blog and the “Futurist conversations” list of points he brings up. How will the future of broadcasting and television as we know it affect how we receive advertising? We’re seeing the first step of it right now. With product placement, we’re subtly prodded by companies to buy their products because the characters on the shows we like use them.
Two other Dawson points that I found interesting:
-“Globally $650 billion is spent on advertising, among a total of $1 trillion on marketing and promotion. Advertisers are not going to keep on putting money into a dumb box that doesn’t know what its audience is or what it is doing.” This makes a lot of sense for advertisers but it is going to force marketing folks to get extremely creative.
-“Targeted advertising is becoming possible, allowing brands to reach who are interesting, but it does require a different infrastructure and different attitude.” Again, thinking outside the box will be all the more important.
Dawson posits a shocking, albeit unstoppable impending premise: “Ten years from now we’ll be happy to reach 1% of a national audience, a fraction of what mass media reach used to be.” This paradigm shift will, I think, extend even into major sporting events. Isn’t it wild to think that no longer will companies pay $2 million for a 30 second ad on the Super Bowl? Is that the only television entity per year that will continue to be viewed as quote/unquote “traditional”?
Traditional television as we know it is quickly drying up. There will always be a need for content, but the medium in which we receive it may change drastically and SOON. Can’t wait to see what the future holds.
The future of television is unlimited. It is unlimited because cable providers and Internet service providers need to stay at the top of their game in this ever-changing market. With alternatives such as Hulu, Netflix, along with peer-to-peer downloading, television seems to be behind the pack. It is simple. If cable providers do not continue to enhance their programming to help target those who have ventured off to other services; the cable industry will suffer. However, the question is how many people would rather have the other alternatives than pay for cable. According to Nielsen, Americans watch 147 hours of cable television per month. The only difference is now 4.5 hours of online video are watched per month.
Cable networks have tried to combat the changing times with online streaming of their shows and movies. If you are a cable subscriber, many times you can watch “On-Demand” shows and movies. This helps combat against a program like Netflix because it allows for a similar yet more specialized viewing. Cable providers have also found success in combining multiple utilities. For example, Verizon Fios offers a plan that includes cable, Internet, and telephone. This makes it more affordable and someone is more likely to buy cable when it is combined with the other bills they are paying anyway. Although cable providers are constantly working to keep their ratings, it will be hard for them as alternative programs become more popular.
Americans have become impatient. Due to advanced technologies and the ability to obtain information at an extremely fast rate, most of us want everything right now. Cable doesn’t do this for us. If we want to see a movie, there is no need to wait and watch it on your cable network. With Netflix, Hulu, or Apple TV movies can be streamed right now. Even though cable subscribers offer various programming, it does not cater directly to you. Other services due just that. If you only like to watch a certain genre, the alternative sources provide you with better personalization. Instead of channel surfing, you can easily watch your favorite shows immediately.
Cable usually has programming before a system like Netflix does. However, a Netflix user can wait and save a lot of money. This immediacy is what is going to become a large obstacle for cable providers. Ten years from now television will be completely different. There will no longer be a remote or a wait. Cable providers will soon have to offer similar programming as Netflix. Cable providers will also have to make television more interactive, and they have started doing that with Smart TV’s. In the coming years cable will have to make a decision. They will either have to lower the cost of the subscription, or start offering streaming capabilities.
In ten years cable and television will be completely transformed, but it will still survive. Cable will survive because they will have to change in order to endure. Natural selection will take place in the telecommunications world. Features that do not work will be discarded and features such as instant streaming, and multiple utilities will be exploited. Yet, with the rise of devices that allow you to stream content from basically anywhere it will be interesting to see what happens. There will be those who buy an Ipad and a Netflix subscription instead of paying for cable. Others will stream from their computer and even illegally download content before coughing up to 80 dollars to the cable subscriber. Change is inevitable, but with great marketing strategies and better program development, cable television will withstand the test of time.
For some reason, when I imagine television in 10 years from now, I do not picture
it being vastly different. I picture the majority of citizens owning a system like TiVo or
televisions being manufactured with TiVo already installed. I do not think VHS will still
be around in television sets, it will strictly be DVD. I also do not think the Blu-ray
system will catch on to being a popular trend, I think another technology will supersede
it and Blu-ray will die out. I do not think it is possible for the internet to take the place of
television. I believe the internet has dominated television as much as it already can
with Youtube, Channel 131, iTunes, etc. I do not think local television is going to be
threatened in 10 years either. Citizens rely on their news being delivered to them and
believe it or not, the news industry has already been affected by rapidly changing
technologies; for example, a limited amount of people working at the stations.
People are already using televisions as computer screens due to the size of the
screen and I only see this trend continuing to grow in the future. The article entitled,
The Future of Television and the Digital Living Room, calls this phenomena the
“second screen”. This article, written by Fast Company, also stated that Google TV and
Apple TV will be developed and I fully agree. I can see these services offering
television shows to the public for free or for a small fee, yet being very popular. I
believe that video games will adapt with the advancement of television due to their
combined qualities.
For some reason, when I imagine television in 10 years from now, I do not picture it being vastly different. I picture the majority of citizens owning a system like TiVo or televisions being manufactured with TiVo already installed. I do not think VHS will still be around in television sets, it will strictly be DVD. I also do not think the Blu-ray system will catch on to being a popular trend, I think another technology will supersede it and Blu-ray will die out. I do not think it is possible for the internet to take the place of television. I believe the internet has dominated television as much as it already can with Youtube, Channel 131, iTunes, etc. I do not think local television is going to be threatened in 10 years either. Citizens rely on their news being delivered to them and believe it or not, the news industry has already been affected by rapidly changing technologies; for example, a limited amount of people working at the stations.
People are already using televisions as computer screens due to the size of the screen and I only see this trend continuing to grow in the future. The article entitled, The Future of Television and the Digital Living Room, calls this phenomena the “second screen”. This article, written by Fast Company, also stated that Google TV and Apple TV will be developed and I fully agree. I can see these services offering television shows to the public for free or for a small fee, yet being very popular. I believe that video games will adapt with the advancement of television due to their combined qualities.
I feel even though it may be hard to believe that television like mediums of the past (radio, newspapers) will slowly fade by the wayside. The availability of programming that used to make television a differentiated medium will lead to the decline of this media venue. I am not predicting that television as a whole will become obsolete, but I am suggesting a fate similar to the aforementioned mediums. This increased availability of television programming on demand is accredited to companies like Netflix and Hulu, who have essentially outlined the path for Internet television. No longer are series and movies limited to tv sets with cable boxes. They are a quick and easy to use application away, and with some venues only an Internet connection away. The future for advertising on television programming is not as effective as it was in the past. People are more likely to use venues that include the least amount of advertisements and more time of the actual show or movie that is desired. With the loss of television advertising and the shift of this advertising to internet venues logically the only fate there is for television as we know it today would be one with little potential for growth.
At the same time there is a possibility for television networks and programs to adapt to what we now call user generated content. If there is a willingness to adapt to consumers needs in order to save the industry then there might be life left in this medium. The actual object, the television set, is something that I do not see falling off for awhile. Although it may be enhanced I believe the screen will be something that will be around for quite sometime in our technological age. The next step would seem to be holographic forms of display, which might not be as far off in the future as we may think.
I feel very confident in saying that in ten years from now I highly doubt that the TV will be around. In the world we live in today, the technology is booming. Inventors are also looking for something bigger and better. For example, it wasn’t that long ago we didn’t even know what a cell phone was; and now people are almost lost with out one. They hold everything from contacts, schedules, work files, etc. on these little devices. In today’s world we are “on the go”; always striving to be better, work harder, and our lives are very complex and busy. With such busy lifestyles, when TiVo came out and now Netflixs and Hulu, it makes it easier for people to enjoy their shows and movies upon their demand. Also with Internet TV, I know many young families and college students are turning to that way of watching shows because it saves them money and plus is very convenient. Last year, I moved into an apartment and it was my first time not living with a roommate. I worked around 50 hours a week and took 5 classes, so needless to say I was one of those college students who didn’t feel it was important to waste an extra 95 dollars a month for a basic cable and internet package. I wasn’t home enough and had to do my school work in the library between classes so that I was finished before I had to go to work. Then I moved to Phoenix for a semester and that was where I discovered Hulu. I was still working a lot and honestly only watch a few shows. Hulu was easier for me. Not only did it save me money but I wasn’t worried if I had missed the show, I could just watch it through Hulu. Internet TV will be huge. People will be able to watch shows and movies, through their phones, computers, iPads, and all. Overall, TV as we know it will be dead. In ten years we will be able to pick and choose what we want when we want with an interactive setting. I wouldn’t be surprised if ten years from now people will be able to watch shows and be able to interact with their friends through the “TV”, pulling clips and sending them to their friends. With the fast pace lifestyles people live in today, the technology of the TV will be to be more convenient and serve for multiple purposes to keep up with us.
Jennifer L. Newton
At first, I was going to say that I don’t believe the future of television will change that much in 10 years. I mean, let’s face it- I thought we would have flying cars by now, and that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. However, I have changed my mind somewhat after reflecting upon the people of this generation. I would describe my generation as fast-paced, impatient and able to multi-task effortlessly. We’ve had to adapt to a million new changes within our life span including cassette tapes to cds to mp3s and we’ve adapted from VHS to DVD to now BluRay. I’m only two decades and some change old… these are HUGE leaps! With all of this being said, I think that the future of television is directly proportionate to the generation it will be serving as well as the generation who will be creating it. First and second grade children have cell phones now, and in 10 years, I’m certain they will be the ones creating the new technology. Television will be faster paced, the “wait” for things will be eliminated indefinitely. I believe that cable providers will take on a “Netflix” type approach, however, I think Netflix will radically change their services to remain competitive. Cable providers will provide more “on demand” features, and the next generation will buy into this because they simply cannot wait for a show. However, I think programming itself, like local news broadcasts and unique television shows will escape relatively unscathed. When you look at television line ups, that’s remained along the same format since the creation of television. I’m curious as to how advertisements will change however. Cable companies will have to think of even more original ways to drill advertisements into viewers because they have to make money. Product placement is already being used, I wonder if it will become even more obnoxious and less subtle? Or what about scrolling ads at the bottom while a program is on?
My first thought before reading any of the blogs was that I already use the internet to watch television shows. Our generation is always on the go and usually very busy, so sitting down to watch primetime television during the week and in the living room is a highly unlikely occurrence for most. There are only a handful of shows that I watch, and I hardly ever catch them when they air on television. I usually watch them on the computer the day after or whenever I get an hour of free time. This is why it is so important for companies to utilize the internet and to make sure all of their services are available on their websites.
I agree with points made in the blog posted by PC World. I believe that eventually, and possibly ten years from now, networks will be on the decline. More sites like Netflix and HBO GO will be available which offer high speed streaming whenever you want and limited commercials, if any. The blog suggests that the networks will be replaced with a system of computerized content that will be modeled to your own personal preferences, something that Netflix already incorporates.
In most cases, you can visit a network’s website and there will be additional information about a show and more videos to watch. Networks are gradually trying to get their viewers to be more interactive through the use of the internet. The last point made in the PC World blog is about how audiences will be able to contribute ideas or give input as to where the direction of the show will venture. This is a concept that I have already thought about and believe will occur as well.
The internet, without a doubt, will have a vast impact on the future of the television industry. What I and many of my peers foresee, is a conglomeration of shows, movies, interactivity, personalization and convenience. I think the most prevalent example given has been Netflix and Hulu’s streaming abilities. It is truly the most common convenience that has not only taken the internet by storm, but has become a feature of many television brands after purchasing a TV set, as well. Piggybacking off of this, on-demand programming has also reached new heights in its popularity. I can’t remember the last time I channel surfed, because all I ever need to do (or have time for) is find my on-demand channels, watch my preferred shows, and carry on with my day’s tasks. It is so very simple, that accessing on-demand from one’s I-pad is going to take on commonality as well, in the near future. Certain network’s website’s offer episodes from different seasons of different programs online that is also available for one’s use whenever they please, which is pretty much like on-demand as well.
Unlike many of my fellow students, I do not believe TV will die. There will always be a need for news reporting and networks to produce shows. There will always be television, but in MANY MANY MANY other facets and accessibilities. I think that there will certainly come a time when TV faces many economic and ratings challenges, but it will never completely cease to exist.
In ten years, I believe the television we know today will be that of video rental stores, virtually extinct. Just as the internet has destroyed the video rental industry, so will it put an end to the television we are now accustomed to. With the increasing popularity of Hulu.com, Justin.tv, and up-to-the-minute piracy of TV series and movies, today’s television does not stand a chance against the wave of the future. As stated in the article I read, shows such as: Friends, E.R., Mad Men, The Desperate Housewives, and etc. are just too costly to maintain. These series can cost upwards of millions of dollars per episode. With decreasing profits, the shift in programming will lean heavily on reality TV. Reality TV operates at a fraction of the cost compared to the tradition television series. The one plus I do see coming in the future; will be the increased coverage of sporting events. As the television series become non-existent, television companies will need to fill the time slots with some type of programming. This will allow for more coverage of sports, and not just the traditional sports. Golf, bowling, darts, hunting, and extreme sports will all get the chance to finally be seen on a consistent, professional level.
Combining all the factors of services similar to Hulu.com, piracy, and the increased popularity and love of reality television programming, I believe television in the future will consist primarily of reality television. The days of great television series that you could look forward to on a weekly basis, will only be a distant memory. Just like it was for the dinosaurs, I believe extinction may be in television’s future.
In my opinion, television will still be relevant in ten years. A lot of other telecommunications industries have transitioned to the internet and television is no exception. I do believe that television will boom on the internet, but people will still watch television on their sets. There are so many upcoming technologies regarding television sets, for television not to be relevant in ten years. For example, industries are trying to perfect 3D television; this is an exciting new advancement that will keep people at interested in television. Even technologies such as blu-ray and HD DVD’s will require the use of television sets. Perhaps, cable will have a harder time staying relevant because now a day’s people watch television programs on the internet. Personally I prefer to watch shows on my television set, but I also appreciate the fact that I can catch up on missed shows online. I’m fortunate that I live in a student apartment that includes utilities, cable and internet. If I didn’t have cable, I would have to rely on the internet to watch programs. I can understand why many viewers may choose to not buy cable because they have the internet.
In all honesty, I am more upset about video stores closing. I don’t want to jump on the Netflix bandwagon because I get a thrill from renting movies from the blockbuster and other video stores. These stores are slowly disappearing and I don’t like it. If cable becomes irrelevant, these companies will most likely find a way to charge viewers through the internet. Cable will create a Netflix-type of account in order to make revenues. Cable companies such as Brighthouse may not be negatively impacted because they also provide cable and phone services. Perhaps I’m a bit old school, but I have a preference for the older way of doing things. I enjoy going to the video store, I buy CD’s and I watch television on an old box television set. I hope that technology is not too much different in the future, or that I will at least be able to keep up with it without it being a huge shock to me.
Having everything transition to the internet could be a problem. The internet is full of scams, junk and other undesirable things. If everything is online, it will be hard to take a break from the internet. At time when I need to get off the internet, I sit and watch television. I do not want to have to rely on the internet for both work and all forms of entertainment. I feel that all telecommunication industries moving to the internet will open doors for more people to fall victim to scams and identity theft.
I think that television will change in many different ways over the next 10 years, both aesthetically and technologically. In the short time that television has existed it has developed in so many different ways. The future of television is sure to be drastic! I predict that televisions will become even thinner and that eventually all homes will install televisions into the wall or maybe even use projection screens for an experience similar to being in a movie theater. The screens can be many different sizes depending on preference or the size of the room. I also think that eventually, it will be normal for televisions and computers to combine to become a dual system that can be used simultaneously to watch shows and surf the internet. Maybe cable will even be completely offered through the internet. It would be a lot more accessible for consumers. However, it would make a lot of internet traffic. I also think that there will be less commercials and more product placement during television programs. I think that businesses like Netflix and Hulu will also stream from television as well as from the internet to make more revenue. I also think that companies will expand upon 3D technology for television programs and maybe even create 3D smell and touch, along with enhanced sights and sounds. I agree that Apple will take over much of the TV and internet industry single-handedly in the near future. It has already grown so much and has become such a popular brand. They’ve introduced many technology firsts and are sure to come up with many creative new firsts for the future of television. There are so many possibilities for the future of television. It’s hard to say just what to expect.
The future of television is in store for a lot of changes. The Internet is becoming an increasingly popular way for people to view their favorite television shows. The immediacy of the Internet is a great feature. But the greatest feature the Internet offers is there are no commercials. Many students, like myself, cannot afford features such as DVR. Due to this, I watch my shows on the computer to avoid commercials.
I believe TV will take aspects of the Internet to improve and increase viewership. Customization and recommendation features will be prominent. There will not be channels, but rather personalized TV show line-ups. With features like this, television will become more interactive. Advertisements will likely become interactive; in the sense viewers will be able to choose the type of advertisement they will watch.
Another exciting feature specialists foresee becoming popular is consumer involvement. Viewers will be able to voice their opinions via social networking sites. Then producers from television shows can see these opinions and ideas and use this to change the direction of the show. If viewers can help dictate the future of the show, then they might be more excited to watch it.
With all these new features, I don’t believe cable will be able to prosper. The need for cables to connect viewers to their television is not necessary. The cloud is an increasingly popular way to share information wirelessly. Studies show that young people that are willing to pay for cable is declining. Therefore, the future of cable is not looking bright. The younger generation is turning to sites such as Netflix and Hulu. This supports the idea that the internet will take over cable television. (http://gigaom.com/video/the-future-of-tv-is-not-on-cable/)
Reading through these articles and listening to the class answer questions about their non-television watching habits seem to point to the ultimate demise of the television in the near future. I however don’t see the complete death of TV happening, but instead a great shift in how TV works and what is available. Some of these changes are already taken place and will only grow with time.
I see the future of television as an all encompassing technology that is watched on the large television screens that we love, connected to the internet that we use daily, and integrated with the streaming and communication programs that have been growing in popularity lately. Think of it as an even closer-knit way of bundling your television and Internet services, like certain companies do today.
Every television set will be connected to the Internet, where you can surf the web, purchase things, go on Facebook, check Twitter, and watch videos; just like you do now. Computer monitors are getting larger and larger, and the HDTVs of today can already be hooked up to your computer to be used as a monitor, so this is a logical step. You’ll use your television as your computer monitor. It will also integrate the use of programs like Netflix, Hulu, and Pandora to stream movies, TV shows, and music to your television set. Things like Youtube and Skype will also be available to use through your TV. So you will have all of that content available to you through your television set, much like you can use an Apple TV or video game system to do this today. Not a huge difference from what we have in 2012, but just taken a step closer to being one thing instead of a bunch of things.
Remotes will most likely disappear and we will instead use apps on our phones and tablets or even voice and hand signals to change the channels and control our TVs. Tablets will also be used as a second screen, to surf the web or chat with friends, while we watch TV. Or they may be used to give us more information on what we are watching, much like some BluRay discs have available for viewing special features and interacting with movies while we watch them.
I don’t think that television networks and programmers will disappear completely but, will instead buy out or merge with things like Hulu and Netflix, and begin showing their programing that way. I also think that while Internet and TV will be bundled, the bundling of channels will die out. With the connectivity with the Internet and the many different choices we’ll have for things to watch, we will choose what we have available to us to watch and it will be unique to everyone. I also think that a use of profiles on your televisions might also come into play. It’s already done on video game systems, with each person signing in to their account with their personal settings. The same could be done on TV, with people having certain programs on their profile and when multiple people are watching TV together and all signing in, more and more programs will become available to watch at that time.
So, while I don’t think that television is going to die out completely, there are definitely going to be some major changes and developments in it’s future. It’s going to have to adapt to the growing applications like Netflix and Youtube and how they handle programming, in order to survive.
In the future I believe that television will continue on the path that it is now and immerse itself into the mobile and tablet culture. Currently television is mainly viewable on two different platforms, either on the television via cable or satellite subscription or on the internet via Hulu or other similar streaming services. I believe that television will start to work itself towards more interactive television. We are beginning to see televisions that connect to the internet, but what if television were to give viewers the opportunity to interactively get involved with programs? Perhaps people watching programs can scroll over the screen and buy different items in the show from an online store. Wouldn’t this add a great deal to the television watching experience? I already know that it would aide in adding more twitter conversations about shows if individuals can tweet directly from their televisions. As far as consuming shows, I think that production and televisions companies will press on to get into the tablet and phones in an easier fashion. Currently it is very difficult to get live television on your iPAD or iPHONE without an illegal internet site or the Slingbox application. I believe that if television companies can get into the movie scene, they can be much more successful. But as Alfred Muente said in his post, it is hard to know without a crystal ball. All I know is that I will be sitting on the couch, waiting for whatever comes with my popcorn.
Ten years from now, I can see television evolving into something huge. Right now we are in a major transition. More people are starting to watch online distribution sources instead of regular cable television. In my opinion cable television really need to find new ways of gathering viewers and giving news. This applies mainly to the youth in today’s time. More youth are going to social networks suck as YouTube and Hulu to watch their favorite episodes and television broadcasts. With the rise of there networks, I believe television is in danger. More people can go to their favorite sites to view their favorites shows whenever they want to. No longer do they new to look forward to a certain time when certain shows are aired on television and shown to the public. With today’s technological advances, people are able to watch what they want whenever they want to. In my opinion, this will prove to be vital in the transition from television to online site that offer live streaming and late viewings of certain sitcoms and entertainment shows. Many forms of communications are changing drastically over time. For an example, the telephone. Many people communicate though texts and emails instead of phone calls and face to face communication. Technology is changing at a rapid pace and we must embrace this change with open arms. With time comes dramatic changes and technology is one of the major transitions that we must take. Everyday a new component of technology is added to effect the way we communicate. Things will only continue to change from here on out. Technology is ever-growing and ever-changing. I still believe that we are currently in a transition phase. Soon we will only communicate by computer generated electronics and instead of television, people will look to social networking sites and other mediums of communications to communicate. The world is steadily evolving and we must take advantage of it so that we are not left behind.
I think that in 10 years, television will still be going strong, but it will probably be headed out of vogue by then. In today’s society, the internet and social media are kings, and unless television can adapt to the times and find a way to counter these new mediums, it will slowly die out within the next 30 years. The thing about television is that for the most part, it is not a mobile medium. The majority of people watch television at home on their sets. This is certainly an advantage for the newer mediums, since their mobility allows for use practically anywhere. However, other than sports programs, mobility is something television will probably never be associated with. It seems to me that if mobile television was something feasible, it would have already spread and become commonplace: clearly people want to watch television in places where they can be stationary and unwind. With that in mind, television cannot hope to win in this area. The other big thing television has going against it is the fact that it is not very interactive. Media in this age appeals to the multitasker, the consumer who wants to be entertained and have their mind stimulated at all times. Interaction makes this goal a reality, and television just cannot compete. Even if interactivity can be greatly and successfully incorporated into television to the point where it can be competitive, it loses its identity somewhat. Then again, an identity change might just be the only way for television to stay alive.
When pondering the future of television, I find myself agreeing with the intricate details laid out in Fast Company’s article “The Future of Television and the Digital Living Room.” As we have learned in class, television over the years has gone through many revolutionary changes, from simply broadcasting news in color, to the advent of cable, to the broadcast of programs in HD. I think certain aspects of the internet and social media will revolutionize television over the course of the next decade.
User interface and how they control tv will be key. As Ipods and Ipads have proven, touchscreen technology is popular because it gives users a sense of control at their fingertips. Technology wise, television is already heading in this direction where as in the next few years, viewers will be able to control the channels they watch with one swipe of the hand.
As Fast Company has already mentioned, sites like Netflix and Hulu have given viewers the option to pick and choose their own content instead of accepting everything in “bundles”. I know many people who barely watch cable anymore because they are on Netflix most of the time. In spite of ratings systems and how show selection processes work today, cable and network stations will have to focus on interactive ways in which they can allow viewers to pick and choose their own content. For instance, maybe at a certain time of the day on ESPN, instead of watching the previous night’s Sportscenter for the 500th time, they’ll have the option of watching the previous day’s episode of Around the Horn or First Take instead. It’s all about giving the viewers options.
Finally, I feel interaction through social media for live programming is key. I’ve noticed in recent months, the WWE has really utilized Twitter during its live shows. During broadcasts on Monday nights, they’ll mention what from the WWE is trending at that moment and show fan tweets throughout the show. The key is for viewers to always feel like they are part of the program. ESPN and the WWE have done great jobs at doing this and could be very beneficial for network and cable shows to follow suit. Perhaps even setting up promotions for whoever is tweeting and watching shows live. With television in general, the future is all about interactivity with viewers.
Although technology is rapidly advancing, I do not believe that there will be a huge change when it comes to certain components of TV. For instance, there is so much (under)groundwork that has already been laid out for cable and fiber-optic networks. I’m positive that cable companies will not let all the time, money, and manpower that went into setting the underground network of cables go to waste. I do think that cable won’t be used after a certain amount of time, but I feel that ten years is still too soon.
Since everything is going mobile and online, I think that networks will begin to offer more shows online. Similar to Netflix, I believe there will be some sort of an online service where you pay a monthly subscription fee and networks will air their own shows online. The shows will have commercial breaks, just like they do on TV. Another possibility is that you subscribe to certain shows only, that way subscribers aren’t paying a flat rate for access to 100 shows they probably won’t watch. As it stands, consumers are picking and choosing what shows they watch, rather than aimlessly watching TV for hours. Shows will air at a certain time and customers will have the option to watch the live airing or come back to it later. In other words, I think that both live and on-demand options will be available to customers since people are watching less and less “live” TV. TV will have to adapt to the consumers’ wants, and consumers want to watch what they want, how they want, when they want.
Jasmine Paulino
Let’s face it, nowadays everyone wants to get things that are free and fast. In the case of the advancements of televisions, it seems that people are steering away from actually flipping through channels and rather watching shows online. Our time is far too precious for such foolishness, like commercials. By the time the year 2022 hits, I predict that television will be a lot like some of the televisions that we currently have in upscale hotels. For example, when I spent the night at a Hyatt Suite a couple of weeks ago, the things that were accessible through the television were amazing. Not only were you able to watch TV shows on them, but it also had Netflix, a shopping channel where you have your debit or credit card preinstalled to the TV and you can make purchases at nearby or online stores. There was also a food channel that showed vivid moving images of certain meals and how they are cooked and it allows you the option to have it ordered to your room. And if that wasn’t enough, the TV also had an option for internet; which would explain why the remote control looked more like a mini tablet and had so many keys on it. It was so futuristic yet convenient all at the same time. I predict that people will begin to realize that TVs like that—although the room cost a fortune because of that specific TV—but it was everything you could possible want right at your fingertips without even having to get out of bed. The only thing it was missing was a “Bathe or Shower me” option. Then people could LITERALLY stay in bed all day. In class, we’ve discussed how the internet already has a major impact in the television industry and how more people are streaming online. “The Future of TV: No Networks, Remotes…or TVs? article by Mark Hachman makes good points when it says that even living rooms are going away; which is true! I often times don’t even remember what my living room in my apartment looks like unless I have guests over. Society is far too spoiled to have to walk to a separate room for entertainment. It needs to be within our vicinity. They also stated that channels will fade away as well. I can see that happening sooner rather than later. It will be a difficult process to do but I can still see it happening nonetheless. Television will become somewhat of a Pandora. It will play shows according your preferences and have maybe a few ads in between every few shows. Television as we know it will be morphed into something far more than any of us have every imagined. Something tells me that it may not even take ten years for this to happen and it will happen sooner rather than later.
The best word I can use to describe the future of television is decentralized. Decentralization of television has been evolving over the last decade. The power of who produces content and when people watch content has shifted to the users themselves. YouTube has played a large role in this allowing people to easily upload their own videos, create their own channels and even monetize and make money off of their videos. Technology and devices allow us to have a screen and streaming content anywhere. Soon everything will be a screen. This does not bode well for traditional television stations. They are losing their tried and true model of business that allows them to dictate what we watch and when we watch it. They are having to try to adapt to new technologies like DVR and streaming. It doesn’t appear that large networks are that quick to move on new technologies or to be trailblazers in the new realm of media online. YouTube is preparing for a new era in television by creating premium channels and hoping to produce on demand content for viewers that is premium quality. The old model of television is quickly disappearing with the decentralization of power from the major networks to the user. As the two futurists in the video said, everything is a screen and we are seeing a convergence of media. The trend is moving to participatory television and co-created media.
I think television will easily adapt to the age of the internet. It has already shown signs of doing just this with websites like Hulu and Netflix. The one big worry is that this will damage the advertising dollars beyond repair, which is one that I believe is justified. When watching a program on television, unless it is a program we recorded using a DVR or an “on-demand” program, we’re forced to watch advertisements. A few of them end up having a catchy jingle or something along those lines that gets stuck in our heads. If I’m watching a show online, I am much more inclined to mute the volume of the 15-30 second commercials in order to listen to my iTunes until the show actually begins. If television networks can find a way to capitalize on the new digital age by finding ways for advertisers to still get what they want from them, then there’s no reason for TV to not succeed in the next ten years. Will it be the center of entertainment like it has been in the past? No. It is inevitable that with new technology, new forms of entertainment will continue to pop up. The internet is here to stay. It will be our main source of news and entertainment for years on end. What television needs is to find a place inside the web medium and adapt. It’s what radio is beginning to do with online stations and streaming content, and it is what television will have to continue to do to stay relevant in people’s every day life.
As technology evolves, the televisions will evolve with it. We’ve seen new developments in televisions already, such as the 3D television and the HD TV. However, because of the internet, I don’t think television will be able to keep up.
In ten years’ time, TV ratings will be significantly worse than they are now. Newer generations are savvier and know how to use technology. Although the idea of a screen will remain constant, viewing shows only via television will change drastically. Internet will become the new TV, and TVs will fulfill the role of a monitor.
However, I don’t think that TV will be gone for good for a very, very long time because it does fulfill specific roles that other technology does not: it offers local news. Although the internet is vast and information is endless, the same characteristics that make the internet so valuable are the characteristics that will save TV to some extent. People will always need news, and even though it is possible to get that news from sources other than local TV, I’m certain that medium will not go away for a long time. However, some people are already starting to fear change in television. This website advocates for less regulation on local TV: http://www.thefutureoftv.org/
The article “EMMY’s: Looking far into the future” makes an interesting point—advertising will have a big part in shaping the future of the television industry. Because a vast portion of television’s revenue comes from advertising, TV has even less of a chance of surviving. Online advertising has become more popular and more useful for advertisers with the ability to profile one’s interests.
However, I still believe that local news will not disappear for a very long period of time—so television won’t go completely extinct.
As far as television is concerned, I do not think it’s going to change too significantly in ten years. Sure a lot of people want to get there news from the internet and mobile devices, but the ease of just turning the television on and letting the information come to you is something I’m sure many people are too used to. I know that my parents only really get any info from the news on the television, as they watch it daily. I think there willll always be live programs to watch like sports and reality television. If anything, I think television will integrate with the computer more so than it has already. Televisions already have Wi-Fi capabilities, and with computers getting smaller, I think they may soon turn into one. Where you can watch live television and write a paper on the same screen. The only thing television has to work on is on-demand programming, especially with the rise of Netflix and Hulu. Eventually the cable operators will have to either supply all there shows on demand or people will look elsewhere to watch them. That to me is the biggest problem facing television. I personally have a Netflix account and am so used to watching episode after episode of the same show that I am slowly starting to watch television less and less. So if television wants to stay a top viable source for programming, I think station owners need to rethink a few things.
The internet and streaming programs have already started to take over traditional television. With television, at any given moment, there may be nothing on that you would like to watch. It’s quite a frustrating “phenomenon.” However, with Netflix, Hulu and other services like Crunchyroll (for anime), the need for traditional cable television is falling.
I myself almost never turn on my TV anymore. If I do want to watch a program, I use one of the mentioned services, or I watch an online-only show on YouTube. The only reason I ever use the TV is if I’m at my friend’s house. They have a DVR there, which records shows. So, just like Netflix, we can watch what we want, when we want and we can even skip commercials. It’s convenient. I’d rather watch TV in my free time than make time for TV – I’m sure it’s the same for many others. Today’s lifestyle is a busy one and you never know when you will be able to sit down with nothing better to do than watch a program. When you do, you want to be able to watch exactly what you want so you don’t feel you have wasted your time.
We discussed in class how the industry is concerned by DVR’s because people can and usually do skip at least 50 percent of commercials during a taped show. The advertisers don’t like this and their dislike is warranted. They’re paying top-dollar to advertise during prime-time shows. According to an article I read, by 2014, 48 percent of all television watchers will have DVR’s. Advertisers must ask themselves: Should we be advertising with TV stations or internet streaming providers? Advertisements on Hulu get immediate feedback, plus they can more easily pinpoint target customers. On top of that, it’s cheaper to advertise online than during actual television shows.
I remember having options of which commercial I would like to watch and if I would prefer a few short commercials or one long one when I was using Hulu. Not only does this make the consumer feel more in control, but because they feel more in control they will feel more compelled to actually watch a commercial.
I think cable is dying out. It used to be a hassle to stream (you needed to use a computer) but now game systems and even stereo systems have built in Wi-Fi capabilities and Netflix, Hulu and other streaming apps. The future doesn’t look good for traditional TV. Channels need to find a way to compete with on-demand streaming services by offering on-demand services themselves – and more than just a limited number of shows. I know I would watch TV much, much more often with this option.
Looking back on the history of telecommunications, alarmist predictions of what technology will replace another have nearly always been wrong – when radio was invented, people asked, “What will happen to radio?” When television was invented, people thought the end of radio was sure to follow. Now that the internet has once again revolutionized the way we communicate – arguably more than any technology before it. For this reason, when I hear that the internet is slowly causing the death of television, personally I can’t but take it with a grain of salt.
In the next ten years, television will find a way to adapt and survive in a variety of ways. I was especially interested to read that one of the articles mentioned video games as one of the avenues through which television is hoping to establish a strong relationship with internet consumers. However, I’m not entirely sure that digital gaming fits into this discussion – only because it seems to me that, no matter what happens in this tug-of-war between the internet and television, ten years from now I think video games will still have a place in the “digital living room.” On the other hand, I think YouTube – or future companies that follow its lead – will have a huge role to play in the next ten years: “As the Internet meets TV, YouTube will continue to be a brand to be reckoned with served up by Google TVs.”… very true.
Dominique Benjamin
[PLEASE NOTE. ORIGINAL POST WAS ACCIDENTALLY POSTED IN Blog III: Network Neutrality under POST 46 ON APRIL 27 AT 3:21 PM. THANK YOU.]
The year is 2022. You want to watch a Retro TV Show. So you plop down on your couch and as soon as you do the television comes to life without ever saying a voice command or performing a touch gesture (that’s because every television manufacture bought a license to utilize Microsoft Kinect’s people sensing technology). As the gigantic, crystal clear TV comes to life, you are met with the most minimalistic menu you have ever seen: just gigantic buttons: one that says BROWSE and one that says SEARCH. You flip over to search and start typing with your smartphone connected via Wifi to your TV Set: Mia—, and before you can finish the —mi Vice the TV Menu already has an easy-to-read menu crawling with episodes of Miami Vice. You swipe gesture down to Miami Vice: Season Three and it starts to play. Immediately.
What a citizen of 2012 must think is that this gentlemen is rocking some sort of Netflix on steroids, and yes that could be the case, Netflix could become so dominant that it becomes the de-facto choice in TV Service Providers, streamed completely with 1080p (now simply STANDARD video quality) via a fiber-optic connection provided by Verizon or Comcast.
What I want to emphasize is that Comcast or Verizon, if they are extraordinarily innovative, may adopt this platform of content providing as well. It would mean, however, a radical shift in the way they do business and offer their services.
First off, whether or not your TV Shows are coming from Netflix or Comcast, EVERYTHING, READ: EVERYTHING is on demand. New seasons of TV Shows are heavily marketed like they are now but they are simply dumped into the bank of searchable, immediately viewable television shows. This of course means a dramatic shift in the way all content providers do business. They CHOSE the on-demand platform for one reason: increasing competition. Increasing competition from the ever more powerful on-demand services like Netflix and Hulu-Plus, competition from DVRs allowing viewers to simply skip commercials, and competition from online pirating. Their only solution was to beat the piraters at their own game: simply offering EVERYTHING, the entire kit and ka-bootable, all shows from all ‘channels’ instantly available to watch whenever a viewer wishes (so long as the providers have the rights to the TV show, of course.)
This dramatic change also meant another dramatic change in the pricing tiers for subscribers. Instead of charging subscribers for the amount of channels they want, they instead decided to move over to a pricing tier much more similar to phone contracts. That’s right, you sign up for a ‘number’ of single viewings of shows per month, the bargain basement is about one TV Show a day, 30 single video views, or a bigger 75 single video views a month, or a very pricey unlimited option that lets everyone view as many as they wish.
The goal of on-demand video adoption was to make DVR’s and Pirating Obsolete, and maintain that precious advertising revenue stream. Now Content Providers REQUIRE 4 Commercials viewings per commercial break, no DVR’s allowed. But if it is no commercials you want, and you are more than willing to pay for it, be prepared to pay for it through the nose.
I believe these changes will happen in the industry so long as major Cable Companies like Comcast and Verizon are willing to innovate and take chances to combat piracy in a positive and lucrative way. That was the best case scenario. The worst case is that online services like Netflix become rulers of the roost, (so-long as anti-net-neutrality legislation doesn’t throttle the service out of existence), piracy remains rampant (unless Cable Companies and Hollywood pass more severe bits of legislation like SOPA and CISPA to legally choke online piracy to death), and more people choose to watch television straight from their computers, which, by then will already be hooked up to large High-Definition monitors.
In short, the future of television is reliant on whether major content providers like Comcast and Verizon are willing to innovate to rise above and beyond what the competition provides or whether they will support draconian legislation that favors only their own business practices in order to ‘play it safe’. Because after all, the major goal of a Cable Company isn’t to provide incredible content in an exciting new way, but rather, to make a serious profit. The future of television viewing, in my opinion, is in the hands of the major players and Corporate Cable America and Hollywood.
I have always thought about the future of television. Everything is developing and changing so fast who are we to think television wont?
As far as the technical and business aspect of television I think/hope it will be sort of like Netflix. Instead of being held down by a monthly fee and a billion channels, customers will be able to pay a smaller fee and choose certain channels for their home network. These channels would of course be able to change every month. Avid sports fans would look forward to changing out their sports packages each season. While season series junkies will be able to change out FOX for NBC depending on their favorite shows for that season.
This might hold a problem for the cable companies because this is of course hard to control and it will be cheaper for users to just choose the few channels instead of charging a larger fee for all channels. I could see them trying to fix this by maybe making different channels cost different amounts. This would hold competition for advertisers and ratings would control these costs.
I think this system would beneficial for research purposes.
Of course, this is just all thought up in my head, so I can only dream.
A lot of people are talking about three dimensional television, saying I will be party of the future. But I am not sure if this will happen. While people do enjoy going to the movies and watching a featured film in 3D every now and then, I don not see it becoming extremely popular for television. #D televisions have not been exactly flying off the shelves. It has already taken a lot of studios a while to now get HD cameras and equipment in order to view television and news shows in HD, but getting those people to convert to 3D will take a lot of convincing. Unless, they find out an easier way for people to view 3D shows without those annoying glasses, I’m not sure I would put my money on 3D television breaking through anytime soon.
I also think new technology will change the way we view commercials on television. I like the way Hulu allows me to view what commercials I want to watch and how I want to view them. It sometimes allows me to watch a very long preview in the beginning and the rest of my show commercial free. It also allows me to tell them if a commercial is relevant to me or not. This is going to be extremely important to marketers. Product placement is already pretty big and I don’t see that getting any smaller.
A concern I have for the future of television is concerning the control in which large media markets will have and the problematic educational development it will hinder in generations to come. First I will address my concern of large markets. I recently did a report on NBC and discovered the entities it owned. The fact that one company contained a large about of vertical and horizontal integration frightened me. They have the ability to influence the mass population and people being unaware. Political, moral and social movements are shaped into what we watch day to day. If one company controls the production, distribution etc they then have a control over everyone.
The next thing that concerns me is the development and television and how it will influence upcoming generations. Television today has developed to the point where interaction can occur. Technology has made huge advancements in the past few years. Children now watch too much TV and with ‘educational programming’ parents will be more willing to place children in front of the TV set. After conducting research on my project on tablets and the effects on children, I am concerned with what the future of tv will do. People believe that the technology is helping children learn but studies have shown that it deteriorates attention span and retention rate.
I think that tv will be a completely HD, 3D interactive experience in 10 years.