By silicon.com, 3 May 2007 12:47
But what does the current explosion of user-generated content and web 2.0 excitement mean for your humble television set?
The surge in content found online through user-generated content sites such as YouTube and other web 2.0 favourites is certainly pulling people away from their traditional TV dinner.
But despite this proliferation of new internet-based entertainment, research has indicated just over half of European media consumers have never even used on-demand services.
In addition, Jupiter Research has found the majority of people who do use online on-demand services still spend the majority of their 'media time' using traditional TV.
It seems people prefer the 'sit back' approach to watching TV rather than the 'lean forward' technique required to watch content on a computer.
And TV is fighting back - the rise of on-demand online services being offered by major television broadcasters is going to play an increasingly significant part as well.
This week alone, the BBC announced it had been given the go ahead for its on-demand TV service - iPlayer - while ITV.com has been relaunched with a vastly improved raft of content.
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The success of Channel 4's 4OD has undoubtedly spurred the two UK telly giants to offer a similar level of service.
TV is at a crossroads, with content accessible and viewed through computers but with the majority of people still sticking with traditional television.
And this is unlikely to change, especially when IPTV TV via broadband connection becomes a viable commercial proposition.
When this happens, the recent on-demand online services will become available through your television, so there will no longer be any need to view content on your PC.
More and more people will return to their trusty television and enjoy all the benefits of on-demand and online TV from the comfort of their sofa, preferring to sit back rather than lean forward.
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1. Nick Cole
Exactly the same issue arises through other heavily promoted internet uses. It is all very well expecting delivery of content, whatever it that may be via the internet, but that is not universally available, and in many cases where it is capacity is insufficient to allow the full 'experience'.
Few people like reading things on an energy using illuminated device restricted in size and invariably tied to a power source. That is why so much paper is still used following the so-called paper-less revolution touted some years ago as a benefit of computerisation. It is all about ergonomics and convenience, and what suits some people will not suit others.