Re: So, it's started...

I just watched CNN tonight, the first time I dialed it in in a while. I couldn't help but notice how often and how strongly i was being guided to their various web pages. It almost seemed frantic to me. I got the feeling they were missing all the web browsers who haven't been dialing in lately and are wanting to catch them on their web site as the next best thing to having them back as viewers.

This was the hot topic at NAB 2000 (last time I was there) and every one knew it was coming then but now it seems like it is upon us.

I agree, you tube is like the Alfred E Neuman Mad Magazine of the internet news stand but there are others and they will continue to grow. Even you tube does have some serious categories you can hang in if you choose to. We will choose our sites like we choose a magazine off a news stand.

People's leisure time or should I say television time is being vastly spread out to many new venues and many of them are one man band productions or single one of a kind flash in the pan productions. Every body has something to say and somewhere to say it and a lot of this stuff is self funded by what ever justification the makers place on their efforts.

I'm no expert but it would seem people making a living in this industry are facing a diluted market. Maybe population growth will bolster the demographics and everything will stay the same or we can all do what I'm doing - chatting on the cow while watching David Suzuki-The nature of Things on tv. I seldom just watch tv these days, I'll always have the computer monitor on beside it and be doing anything from watching a dvd to googling info to youtube or converting files or burning discs while I watch the tv until something really grabs my attention that is. then I'll pause everything else and center in on it.

The other thing I do that should really boost this industry actually is: I record all my tv programing to HDD. Then when I watch it, I watch it at 2-3X speed. I will admit, commercials get 4-6X speed and the audio can be difficult to discern but If everyone did this we would consume 2-3 times as much programing and breath new life into the industry. Everyone would prosper.
Sorry folks, I just had to add this last paragraph :)

"thou can not stir a flower without crumbling a star" ......Henry Wadsworth Longfellow