The future: HDTV and broadband

Submitted by wccatv on July 21, 2008 - 12:13am.

A nice essay + podcast in which Robert X. Cringely explains some of the factors behind the convergence of Internet and television:

I'm not saying here that you shouldn't buy that new DTV, because it will fit into most any emerging system. But I am telling you that the era of the television programmer, where some guy at the network or down at your local station thinks he knows in what order and on what days the audience really wants to watch TV, well that era will be gone forever, seven years from today.

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True but not entirely a complete picture

Submitted by Anonymous on July 21, 2008 - 8:47am.

People may be slowly migrating to the web. We had broadcast, then cable, now Internet video. I think of it as the web appearing to be become the new venue for TV only with some interactive bells and whistles. One of those B&W's the on demand opportunity. There will be a need for the traditional approach to TV programming for a long time. People had on demand options for year with the advent of the video rental business for example. Locally, the cable franchise license that
supports PEG should still apply, unless we fail in the fight to preserve
it. In my opinion, contrary to broadband policies evolving in different areas of this country, Worcester's new franchise ran very short in terms of
broadband and digital provisions to support a strong future for PEG. I
seen no evidence of anything that resonates with the recent NATOA's
adoption of broadband principals( Not a good precedent for the rest of
Mass ). At any rate, some may like the interactive opportunities the web based medium brings, however, not everyone is interested in producing video and posting it on line or to even go online to search for entertainment. There are actually communities of people who are not interested in the do it yourself production and posting video on-line process. Cost will also become a consideration. However, we at WCCA are increasingly finding ourselves besieged with request to facilitate coverage of events and programs and or to post video on line. This is an important part of what public access can do, in addition to providing and outlet for distribution, production tools, and instruction for the do-it- yourselfers. We are looking into ways to better accommodate request which includes
facilitating production, video taping press conferences, shooting TV shows, films,
uploading video at the request of our community members. These are
community collaborative projects and partnerships. This is an area where
Public Access can be at it's strongest and excel at. in addition to our
typical tradition treatment to public access service. MD

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