Scenario 2: Internet TV dominantion
With the increase of internet accessibility, increasing age span of internet user, more and more people have access to internet and also know how to use internet. Due to these driving forces and the changing expectation of user/consumer, more and more people use the internet to watch TV shows. Up till now, only few TV channels put their program on their websites. Estimation is that within 2 years TV channels begin to put their programs online. However, we don’t expect that these programs are up-to-date and only very recent programs can be downloaded. To watch these TV shows, users need to download it from the internet and probably have to pay for it.
In 2008, Government regulation of content and distribution become less strict. Most TV channels will put their programs on their websites with increasing web-service and functionality. Users get more up-to-date programs as well as past programs (for example all movies, news, cooking shows etc of the last week). To attract more viewers, some TV station may even let users download their programs without charging.
Due to the improvement of technology and the trend of convergence of media-mix, where several devices are being developed into 1 single device, we expect it to be the case for TV. TV in 2010 may still look as an ordinary TV, but it can also connect to the internet and browse the web as well. It will become a sort of personal computer, which mainly focuses on watching movies and browsing internet for old or missed TV shows. At the same time, United States of America pass the law of network neutrality, underlining three principles of neutrality: non-discrimination, interconnection and access . Because of the principle of non-discrimination, Internet provider cannot charge different fee based on content, which boost the Internet TV even further. Also because of the access principle, Internet TV provider, can based on the users profile of their choice of programs, select the appropriate advertisement and send to the user. Not long after the network neutrality law, in the US, many countries soon follow. Because of the possibility of interaction between users and Internet TV, advertisements enter a new phase. Internet TV offer interactive commercials where “TV viewers” get present/gifts/reward if they watch the commercials and give the correct answers, for example every 1000 replier gets a gift. By doing so, Internet TV provider earns from the commercials and offer the TV shows and programs for free.
2012, Internet TV enters again another phase, a step closer to the maturity of Internet TV. Programs of TV channels are mostly online and free to be downloaded and watched by users. The movies are sponsored by advertisers all over the world, and users from all over the world can watch the programs put online. Advertisements now have a much broader audience. Based on the countries, government control is becoming looser and looser. Few government control in content as well as distribution. The numbers of Internet TV providers are growing continuously. In this year, mayor Internet TV provider, like Google TV, Yahoo TV , which buys the TV-shows and programs from local TV stations and broadcast it all over the world.
Year 2015 is a year of true revolution. Internet TV finally becomes mature. User can watch Internet TV now real time! TV station will never be the same as before. Role of TV station degraded to become contend supplier to Internet TV providers for example to Google TV, Yahoo TV or other Internet TV provider. These Internet TV providers buy from the producer and put it online. User can watch TV shows across the world in real time every place, everywhere!
