By: Matt Howard

Matt Howard — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:37:57 +0000

Hi Mike. Thanks for the excellent post. I actually saw this a while back when you first posted it. However, since then i’ve begun a similar experiement on my own and with my 9 year old daughter. We’ve seen that it’s absolutely possible to save money on one’s cable bill becuase the content there online. I’ve gone ahead and cut the premium package entirely — but the one thing that keeps me paying basic is the combination of HD / sports / DVR. Any idea when is the NFL going to broadcast live on online???

Matt Howard

By: Mike Boland

Mike Boland — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:45:30 +0000

Hi Caitlin. Thanks for the comments and great points.

By: Caitlin G.

Caitlin G. — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:54:22 +0000

Thank you, Mr. Boland, for your thoughts on the world of online video! As I read your post, I was suddenly struck by the realization that my situation is similar to your own, namely that nearly all of the programs I watch can be viewed on the web; indeed, I have come to prefer watching shows on my laptop as it allows me to access entertainment at my leisure instead of rushing desperately about to make sure that I am in front of the TV at the correct time. In addition, the quality of streaming video seems to be improving and the image is often better than the low reception my television gets on basic channels. While the clarity of picture does not, as you point out, equal that of HD, I am hesitant to agree that this handicap alone will stem the tide of those favoring online viewing over cable. It seems to me to be a small price to pay for fewer interruptions and more flexibility, and I believe that the number of people watching television on the Internet can only increase, especially given the trend of studios making content legally available, like MGM’s recent deal with YouTube. Based on this, I was interested in your thoughts on the future of advertising in this medium. I have read Part II of your post and your discussion of Hulu’s “limited commercial interruption” tactic. Do you think the five-minute ad break on regular TV will eventually become a thing of the past, in favor of these shorter, simpler marketing campaigns? Even if cable television remains active, this seems a likely scenario. Since DVRs make it easy to fast-forward commercials, stations may find it necessary to negotiate for “mandatory” advertising, in a similar fashion to web-based players, which suspend the ability to skip ahead until one thirty-second announcement finishes playing. Also, the practice of one company sponsoring an entire TV show is not an entirely new concept; programming decades ago used to be dedicated to the promotion of one product. Soap operas, for instance, got their start from detergent companies trying to take advantage of a target audience. I find it slightly amusing that the industry seems to have come full circle and is taking a page from the early days of its existence.

Comments on: Online Experiment: Losing the Remote

By: Matt Howard

By: Mike Boland

By: Caitlin G.