Divergence in Broadcast Distribution

Letters to the COW Team Editorial at Creative COW

Article Focus:
Read Ron Lindeboom's Back 40 Column from our Divergence Issue, in which he explores the rapidly changing face and pace of broadcast television programming distribution.

Here's One Possible Future in Broadcast Programming "Divergence" The article in our Divergence Issue about ABC.com is indicative of a major shift in today's television distribution outlook -- one in which the marketplace is clearly way ahead of most of the broadcast networks and services.

In a time of declining audiences and falling ratings, ABC has elected to "go where the audience is." Maybe its ABC's third-place standing in the ratings that gives them the bravado to take the kind of chances that we do not see most other networks taking. But I think that it's more. You see, I remember when the article's author, ABC's Robert Longwell, first joined our forums team years ago. Even then, ABC was exploring things that are still on the edge, years later.

The viewing audience has moved -- at least much of the younger part of it -- and that number will only grow in the days ahead. Why? Look no further than broadband cell phones, iPads, Apple TV, ROKU and a myriad of other devices that bring the television experience to viewers anywhere, any time. Even geezers like me are on the field in this revolution, not satisfied to be on the sidelines.

The "media anywhere phenomenon," will bring huge changes in the broadcast distribution model of the future -- just as it already is today. ABC was quick to realize that if the audience moves, you better too. The audience is responding and advertisers seem to be buying. When I first began watching ABC.com when I got my iPad, each show had one commercial. Now, a few months later, there are about four commercials per episode. Not bad growth numbers.

But it isn't just ABC.com that is affecting the future landscape. Netflix is also helping fuel the rapid migration from traditional broadcast distribution channels, and even Amazon is getting into the program/movie distribution business.

Apple will soon introduce one of the largest solid-state fast RAM-based content distribution facilities in the world. Why did they build it? Think iTunes for streaming live programming to iPhones, iPads, Apple TV-wired homes and computer desktops.

Steve Jobs has never believed in Blu-ray and refuses to encourage its growth on the Apple platform. "Media anywhere, at anytime" is clearly his mantra.

Netflix has already driven a number of major movie rental chains out of business and is now streaming movies and TV shows, if you don't want to wait for the DVD in the mail. They use devices like the ROKU or the new generation of ethernetenabled networked DVD players to serve it up.

These forces are going to have a major future impact on the traditional cable distribution model, as more and more people head to Netflix, Amazon, Apple and others for their programming. Throw in HULU.com with its streaming of current network shows, and the landscape changes again.

When I canceled the $100 a month cable TV account we had had for years, they asked why. I told them we had installed a ROKU and didn't want to pay $100 a month for channels we had no interest in. I told them I was willing to pay for every show we watched but were tired of subsidizing channels we never watched -- ever.

Is it "there" yet? No, but it will only get better and better in the days ahead. It's growing fast. Like many, I got used to paying up to $100 a month to watch the shows I wanted. What I never got used to was paying for a bunch of channels I never watched.

I want my shows when and where I want them, and I'll pay for them -- all of them. Considering what I paid for years, I'd still be ahead of the game.