trees are people too

As heard and discussed many times during our media studies, internet presents a significant threat to the traditional broadcast channels of print, television and radio. Many of these media have started to adopt a multimedia approach to the problem, with organisations such as the Nine Network and its affiliates already establishing themselves with a strong online presence in addition to their various print, television and radio productions.

But now the death of tv, long predicted by the rising popularity of the internet, may have come a little step closer. Japanese developers have created television technology that will allow viewers to access broadband internet through their television set, working with telecommunications companies to develop a technological standard for televised browsing.

Now, none of this is really new. It has been possible to view the internet on your television for some time, and many people are also more than happy to watch television shows on their computers. But this new technology, available as early as mid march and similar to some sort of inbuilt Tivo, will inevitably change the current media production landscape. As pointed out by Akihiro Utada, an internet analyst from Japan, “when it becomes standard for TVs to be connected to broadband services and for viewers to watch on-demand movies and programs (through the internet), it is inevitable for terrestrial TV stations offering real-time broadcasting to lose their importance.” Even more interesting is that the technology has the power to bring UGC directly to our television screens – anyone could use the internet to broadcast directly to peoples TVs. An interesting concept.

Of course, as media students this is all :yawn: glaringly obvious, but perhaps it is happening faster than we think.