On 23/06/2011, at 8:07 AM, Joe Greco <jgreco@ns.sol.net> wrote:
Be that as it may, I don't think current methods and techniques in use = will scale well to fully replace antennas, satellite and cable to = provide tv and radio signals. =20 (remembering for example the recent discussion about multicast) =20 They won't, but, that's not what consumers think about when they decide = where to get their content.
Consumers look at convenience, cost, and availability. In some cases, = quality also enters the picture.
It's interesting in an "Innovator's Dilemma" sort of way. Consumers are moving from time-based consumption to time-shifted consumption. As (we) technologists finds ways to bring the market what it wants in a cost-effective manner the old methods to deliver content are eclipsed. If we can scale to deliver the majority of content from the big hard drive in the sky the market for cable and television's linear programming signals goes away. It's hard for me to think that radio will be eclipsed (but with LTE and iCloud, perhaps even that is possible). As the methods to deliver content change so will the paradigms and the descriptive language. How many kids know what an LP is? How many of their kids will understand what a "time-slot" is? How many will lose their favorite program because it was "cancelled" by the "network" -- will programs vie for real eyeballs rather than places in a "fall lineup"? Will "blanket ads" be replaced by the household's "Google Profile" and what was a Neilsen rating anyway? Our jobs are going to depend on finding ways to scale infrastructure for the convenience of others. I don't think the Internet is "screwed up" it's just reached the point of inflection after which it will scale based on convenience. Broadcast and multicast are much more efficient ways of video delivery than unicast IP, but then the PSTN was a perfectly good system, who needs cellular or VoIP? jy