Many consumers are dropping their cable and satellite service and switching to other sources of media. Below is a list of sites that stream content. Contact me, reply, add a comment to share your favorite.
Hulu – this is the most popular in the mainstream, but you don’t always get all the content. This might be a pay service soon.
MyEasyTV – A directory of live streamed programming from all genres (Business, Reality, Shopping, to Porn).
FanCast – Similar to Hulu. Not everything but much variety of shows.
CastTV – They index shows from other sources. They also have an online TV guide.
TV Land – watch classic and original show.
Comedy Central – Just like the cable channel.
Let Me Watch This – random listings of shows and movies.
Joost – somewhat limited and very little from the mainstream.
This list is no way the final or best list of online programming. This method of viewing is growing and thus more players will enter the game.
How we consume content has been changing and like other types of media it will continue to evolve into something we won’t recognize.
We are totally changing the concept of what used to be called television. And how we consume content now is, for some, completely different than 5 years ago. We are at a point where having to turn on a show at a certain time and being tied to that time to watch something engaging, interesting and worth spending our limited “entertainment” time doesn’t make sense any more. The idea that shows have to be programmed, have to be on at a certain time, have to be of a certain length or even be popular now has and will soon become a distant idea/memory.
Examples, someone who hasn’t watched a single show of “Lost” could conceivably start now, watch every episode, every season and be caught up with what is happening within a couple of weeks. (They don’t sleep, have kids or a life but it could be done.) Are the makers of that show losing anything or are they gaining another set of eyeballs? What does it mean to compress a 6 season series into a couple of months? (This is where I step a side and explain that I am only speaking of consumption side and not the monetization of the content. Something for another post.)
Another example, because I have netflix and stream content to a TV totally without cable, antenna but with a connection to the internet via a little box (Roku). I have a chance to consume a series I would never have the time or expend the effort to seek out. I can watch it when I have a free moment it empowers one and provides us with a chance to
Thinking a head, there could be shows that are created, consumed near real-time and then left undiscovered for years. Another example are shows that go off the air because of various reasons and then be resurrect. Take Futurama, whether you enjoy or appreciate the show it is amazing that a show that ran for 2.5 season was able to be kept alive and now be brought back to life after more years than it previously existed.
How many shows are now being produced but you’re not watching. I can think of several, but one example would be “The Office”, no time to get involved in it now. Some from the past, “The Wire”, “Sopranos”, “Dead Like Me” all of which were excellent shows but at the time keeping up with and consuming them was too much effort.
This leads me to my point. If this content exists and is created it will continue to have a life of it’s own and one way to continue to make a living from this content will be to change the business models as they need to evolve, change and die out. We don’t know what the future will be but we can see the signs. All media will be stored in the cloud, subscriptions and access will be granted. We will see the rise of personal channels of entertainment that are built for the family, yourself and based upon your viewing habits and suggesting valid content. Software will need to be written and created to “guess/suggest”, I don’t think it exists yet, apps lack an understanding of what and why we consume what we consume. Someone who can figure that piece out will be line to totally change and disrupt the current models and continue to evolve how and what we watch.
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