Last week I wrote a little bit about Internet TV and how I feel it will and currently is changing the social landscape that has been built around the television shows we have come to know and love. I found this podcast today and thought it might be an interesting follow up to where I left off last week.

I was intrigued by this episode for a couple of reasons, one being that the future of television right now is really up in the air. Technologies have emerged over the past couple of years (ie. Internet TV) that are just starting to take off, and there's still room for improvement making the future of television anyone's game. The message board¹ for this episode follows suit with a conversation which suggests several different paths television could go.

Passive Viewing v. Interactive Viewing

A theme that I saw emerge is the preference of users when choosing between the passive experience of television and the interactive experience of the internet. As I started to think about the difference between a passive experience with a television and an interactive experience with a television two things came to mind:

1. The fact that "64 percent of people between the ages of 9 and 17 aren't just glued to the couch while the TV is on—they're going online at the same time."²
2. A recent study showed that video streamed by broadcast TV websites are two times as likely to be watched by a female than by a male. At the same time videos on Consumer Generated Media websites (ie. YouTube) were twice as likely to be viewed by males than females.³

Statistics like these make me wonder if the future of television is a purely interactive experience. After all there is something to be said for kicking back with a beer and watching your favorite television show, without have to respond interactively to the content put forth by the show. That being said I have no idea how what kind of interactions might be available in regards to the TV, or what kind of interactions would add value to the traditional passive experience. As for right now I'm not willing to abandon the passive experience for an interactive one...right now I want them to co-exist.

Adaptation Obstacles

There is no doubt about the fact that the formats and distribution methods for television are going to change. These new changes however are posing several obstacles which are preventing consumers from fully adapting these new technologies.

1. "On average around one-third of consumers with broadband access said they watch less television since going online. Conversely, internet access appears to have a positive effect on radio listening..."⁴ Multi-tasking is quickly becoming a way of life, despite the fact that watching television is indeed a passive experience, it is possible that two visual experience at the same time may be too much for some consumers.
2. A lot of hype has surrounded the idea of TV on the mobile phone. The hype hasn't transitioned into anything valuable though.⁵ Multiple studies show that the idea of mobile TV just hasn't caught on quite yet. Hindrances include things such as screen size and video quality -- why watch a movie or TV show on your tiny cell phone screen when you could watch it on your 42" HD TV?
3. Image quality is a huge issue across the board with newer distribution methods. I expect this will improve quickly, especially since Adobe released a newer compression method for .flvs

Puberty Sucks

Television right now is going through a transitional period. If it were a growing human it would be at that awkward stage where their voice squeaks and they haven't quite adjusted to their growing body. But the way consumers ingest television is in fact changing and at an extremely fast pace, television networks and content providers are going to have to figure out exactly how they can become part of these new mediums so that they grow along with the consumers of today and tomorrow.

Following Madonna's Example

In truth television is in need of a re-invention. When Madonna comes out with a new record she reinvents herself, which is why after all these years...despite her age...she still is able to actually sell those records she produces. It is her new, reincarnated form that the consumer is buying...imbued with the spirit of the old Madonna, but fresher and better, more in-tune with the spirit of the current time.

Television would do well to use Madonna as a model for reinvention. I don't think consumers want to do away with the traditional passive viewing experience, but I think they would like to have the option of viewing that experience through multiple modes. As far as interactivity goes it is possible that experiences which require user input could be most successful as a supplement to the passive experience or co-exist with the passive experience to service a different kind of viewer. When it comes to new formats, distribution methods, and interactive viewing experiences one thing is for sure -- they MUST be easy to use and easily integrated into the consumers daily life.

However television is reinvented it has to offer consumers something new, something that works its self into our cultures new lifestyle of multitasking and heightened communication, making life easier and consumption of content easier. While I don't think any of what is out there has reached this mark yet, I think things such as internet TV are rapidly approaching this mark, allowing it to penetrate the consumer market before other methods...meaning more money and more attention.