BuddeBlog

Broadband TVs – a game changing moment?

We have heard a great deal about convergence over the last two decades but not a lot has actually happened.

Broadcasting has largely remained broadcasting and the new Internet and digital media developments are mainly broadband-based; and, for the foreseeable future at least, they will develop in parallel with, and not as a substitute for, each other.

While to a certain extent this will remain the case from both a media and a consumer perspective, customers are rapidly becoming multi-taskers. They are able to navigate all these old and new media and use them in ways that suit them best.

And the new broadband TV sets are going to make that situation significantly more user-friendly for these customers. They no longer have to juggle cables, PCs, modems and TVs if they want to watch YouTube or a catch-up TV program from one of the broadcaster’s websites. They now can enjoy all the advantages of TV screens – when they want to have a Skype video conference with family and friends this can now be enjoyed, hassle-free, on these new TV sets.

This is one of those game-altering moments. Broadband has become an entertainment channel, and entertainment is best enjoyed on a TV screen in the lounge room. And the skill and knowledge of the consumer industry is needed to make this a great experience for the users – the computer industry is not renowned for its capabilities in this area.

Conversely, broadband will have many other features that will be best enjoyed at a PC. But now that they have a choice consumers will have no problem whatsoever in selecting the best device for their purposes.