YouTube and Hulu home in on landmark UK deals | News | Broadcast

YouTube and Hulu home in on landmark UK deals | News | Broadcast

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Digital Britain- a storm in broadcasting?

The digital switchover is already happening. Government’s plan to move out from the analog to digital transmission by 2012 will enable broadband access to all Britain.

In the global society connected though the web this step means a milestone for many people living in the rural areas without broadband services or slow speed of the internet.

The digital switchover brings faster connection over 40 MB (in contrast to a norm of 8MB today).

The speed is also one of the main challenges of online broadcasting. Slow internet not only lowers the quality of videos but also it causes disruptions.

With faster connection for all, this challenge can be met. 

What it means for broadcasting?

As we see today, most of us rely on computers at work as well as in our pass time while researching or communicating with others online. The internet became an education as well as entertaining source. Moreover, it is interactive, thus more attractive to its users.

The wide range of tools which our computers offer made many users to think about it as a universal gadget enabling to have everything in one place. So why not television?

Especially students who are short of money appreciate and exploit the TV online. They have plenty of choices. From watching their favourite programmes on BBC’s, ITV’s or Channel 4’s web sites through the only-web-based broadcasters to channels available on one platform, such as Freeview. Even though having all this in one often requires purchasing a TV tuner. However, most of the new computers have tuner already built in.

Today’s students are the future consumers. Their habits created during the school years often follow them to the adulthood. I would not be surprised if most of the teens generation now would not think about wasting money for TV screens when their computer can provide the same service.

With the Digital Britain switchover the online world becomes more flexible. It will be interesting to see for what the majority will decide – watching TV on the computer or  keeping the TV receiver separately?

On the other hand, the digital transmission will widen the possibilities of the TV screen, bringing with more interactivity and enlarge the number of channels available.

The competition heats up as the TV manufacturers and online programme makers are trying to beat each other up with innovations filling the pages of high-tech magazines every month.

Who will be the winner?

With 2012 approaching it will be an interesting race to watch.

Bolivia does not stay behind

Although with the help of You Tube, people in Bolivia, are exploiting the immense opportunities online.

The TV channel BOLIVISION took on the competition in the Spanish media world.

Bolivison.tv serves as a prove, that even poor countries, such as Bolivia, are not restrained by financial issues and embrace the broadcasting and video streaming online.

“TV everywhere” in favour of cable and TV manufacturers

Many may wonder how would watching all TV content online affect advertising. Personal computers are mostly used by one consumer enabling customised adds targeted to a one person.

However, the advantage of costly ads reaching a wider audience via traditional TV receivers is popular not only between advertisers but also TV manufacturers and cable TV networks. They prefer TV screens to the small and individual ones on computers.

The advertisements on TV are more profitable than the online ads. They as well as cable TV providers welcome the innovative step of TV manufacturers such as Philips, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic etc. introducing new high-end models with an in-built internet connection.

In an interview for Advertising Age Time Warner CEO J. Bewkes said: “The networks love it if five people are watching TV in a household; I think the same is true in this world.” The way of transition while staying profitable is further discussed as Bernstein Research cable analyst Craig Moffett said: “At the end of the day, the cable operators are going to be fine because they will charge for the service they provide, which is access to the ones and the zeroes whether that service takes the form of linear video or broadband,” said .

Mr. Bewkes added: “The goal is to keep households from dumping pay-TV subscriptions, while expanding a nascent business, which benefits from scale.

What we can make out from all of this? It looks as  the transition reversed – TV is not coming to our computers, but the internet is coming to our TVs!

An interesting look into the future of media and our lives

Difficult to forecast the future of media…however…inspiring and creative

YouTube’s leap

YOUTUBE commenced broadcasting of television shows and full-length movies as it went life last Thursday.

Quality of videos is close to a classical Tv receivers and choice from different categories is useful tool.    
Youtube.com/shows enables watching programmes from BBC Worldwide, CBS, Discovery Networks, Lionsgate, Metro Goldwin Mayer, National Geographic and PBS.
Whereas Youtube.com/movies brings into our computers films from Lionsgate, MGM, Starz and others.
The current owner of YouTube Google is planning to expand YouTube into as many regions as possible so this can be a start up of something revolutionary.
The revenue will generate Google TV Ads Online showing advertising during the breaks in the shows and movies on YouTube.
This step is challenging for other online video platforms and secures YouTube’s dominance on the online video market.
What will be its next move is being discussed by many media moguls and may stir a competition in online broadcasting.

Erik Huggers, director of future media and technology, BBC:

“The internet has touched the Pc, it’s touched mobile phones. The last bastion is the living room.”

Webcasting- further step to online broadcasting

Times online enabled Clive James to save his and his interviewees time by streaming his interviews in a podcast form on their web site.

Clive James’ life interviews Talking in the Library are published on his web site www.clivejames.com as well as on the Times online pages.

James, a writer, poet and TV host sees many advantages of webcasting, he said: “It is more like real conversation than anything that happens on ordinary television. the absence of hoo-ha translates directly into natural ease.” 

Additionally, the “pre-interview” conducted before the real one for the television falls out. This makes many interviewees to be more themselves and thus natural.

For example for people like Tom Stoppard the pre interview spoils everything. James said: ” he is so fastidious about language that he won’t say the same thing twice in the same way.”

Webcasting offers also the opportunity to experiment more with the interviewing tactics. James himself  explored that sometimes indirection works better that direct interrogation. In the interview with Germaine Greer, who is usually interviewed about feminism, he asked her about high art but along the way she turned the conversation herself into feminism in different way than she often does.

The significantly lower cost of production plays into the cards of webcasting. No need to pay the backstage audience as well as renting of studio etc. Conducting the interviews from ones house without any complicated preparation means a breakthrough in the world of interviews.

Look here at part his interview with Stephen Fry:

Battlefront-gets you campaigning

A new web site battlefront.co.uk gives an opportunity for young passionate activists to mediate their mission to the world.

Inspired by historical campaigns such as Martin Luther King’s I have a dream for Equal Rights, Live Aid ‘85 as well as today’s PETA, Burma Campaign, Gaza Campaign and many others, battlefront engages young people in campaigning.

 

The site introduces projects chosen by participants, lets you comment on them and vote on your favourite. A winner of the competition will have the opportunity to develop his campaign and broadcast it on Channel 4. 

Battlefront supports its mission by statements of wise historical figures encouraging people to make a difference. As Goethe puts it, “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Limitations of broadcasting time on the major channels could be exceeded by projects like this. More videos and inspiring ideas can be published online and the best of these then chosen by big media players such as the Channel 4 in the U.K. 

This cross-platform project sets an example for further expansion of online opportunities to make a difference.
Battlefront video 

Is the Internet freeing us?

Blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, online TV and radio is flooding the internet. How do we know whether to trust it.

Journalists and others involved with media are aware of this. In a debate held on Monday at the City University in London five experts discussed the current situation and tried to draw some conclusions for the nearest future. 

Pete Clifton, head of editorial development, BBC multimedia has no doubts: He said: “It is a fantastic opportunity to get up to date information and it simplifies research for stories for journalists.”

Source for journalists

Twitter as well as Facebook have been widely accepted as sources of instant information for many journalists. Even the highbrow BBC is using these online tools for their Breaking News. 

Nevertheless, the question of how to filter the information and distinguish reliable story from fantasy troubles many journalists as well as readers. Jemima Kiss, a blogger and reporter for the Guardian, explained the journalist’s viewpoint: “You have to use only your own judgement and logic to sort it out.”

The internet became a space for the people. Everyone can participate and express his/her opinion without any restrictions on some web sites.

This casts even more serious doubt about the reliability of this source. Can a citizen without any knowledge and obligation to a journalistic codes of conduct have the same power to form the opinions of whole nations.

Media conversion

Journalists these days face the transition from the traditional media online.                                      

Anthony Thorton, editor in chief for IPC Ignite! Digital stressed that, “the media have to go where the audience is.” 

The audience is being empowered by the internet and consequently by the media themselves. Pete Clifton confirmed this, he said: “To fight the accusations of the media being discoursed, politicised and sensationalists we try to engage our audience to comment on the stories.”

Fighting for freedom

In some countries the internet conveys the only opportunity to voice opinions to the world. Places such as Egypt, Venezuela and China are reluctant towards the internet. They have their reason. The censorship imposed in these countries can be eluded online.

In Egypt oppressed woman fight through blogs and recently they even launched a radio station online.

It is more accessible and cheaper then printing leaflets or publishing illegal books or newspapers. Stations such as Banat wa Bas or “Girls only”, Horytna “Our Freedom” and Teet meaning “a beep” are platforms for Muslim woman where they can express their concerns about discriminative rules of this Islamic country.

Not only the online radio or blogs gave them the sense of freedom but as an anonymous blogger said to the BBC Arabic Service: “My blog is a way to remind myself that I am not alone.”

Venezuelan censorship of Hugo Chávez is being challenged by Radionexx.com, an online radio station broadcasting from a small town of Doran located in the Southern Florida, US. 

After the government of Venezuela shut down nation’s most popular TV station RCTV by not renewing its broadcast license in May 27, 2007, this is one of the only hopes of some Venezuelans to express their opinions and disagreement with the leftist government.

Tool for celebrities

The UK celebrities such as Stephen Fry, an actor and TV host, are using these new tools of the internet to reduce a chore of being interviewed by press or PR agents. Now they can have more time for themselves. 

In an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Analysis he announced: “I’m not going to do an interview, I’m not going to sit in the Dorchester for seven days having one interviewer after another come to me, I’m just going to “tweet it, and point them to my website and forget the press.”

Evolution of democracy?

Another discussion held this week at the Channel 4’s headquarters at the Horseferry Road in London today went even further.

The question whether the internet is a further step of democracy was raised there. 

In a documentary screened during this inspiring event was interviewed George Osborne, who said: “Internet will shake the British government.” Citizens are becoming a part of a government through the internet. 

A respectable professor at the New York University confided to the documentary makers as he said, that: “More people can have their say more then ever in the history.” 

Nevertheless the online world is new and still unexplored space. He added: “It is a revolution, and there can be a chaos as at the beginning of many revolutions.” Bringing in the issue of a revolution he cast stunned faces of the audience at the Channel 4’s event.

Campaigning teenagers

Engaging teenagers in online activities is the initiative of the online Raw TV. Its project Battle Front is getting young people into campaigning. Adolescents are motivated to create their own documentaries about their campaign projects. The most successful ones are then broadcasted on the Battlefront.co.uk. 

Lucy Willis, executive producer at Raw TV pointed out that, the channel [Raw TV online] is a valuable and educative cross-platform programme, which motivates the vulnerable teenagers to use productively their passions for a good cause.

In the ocean of the online world there can be found thousands of examples where spreading of freedom and giving the opportunity became a mission.