You know how you always say you can make a better network? Well, if you have the right tools, maybe you can thanks to Broadband.
After yesterday's announcement that Time Warner is planning a free Broadband-exclusive network In2TV next year in addition to the Adult Swim block introduced a little over a month ago as well as Viacom's recent forays into Broadband entertainment courtesy of Comedy Central and MTV, it's not a question of how can one create their own network, it's a question of when.
I believe that the current broadcast television model is outmoded and ineffectual. There are only five major conglomerates with their hands in the cookie jar of entertainment in the US (Time Warner owns The WB, HBO, and the Turner networks, Disney owns ABC, ESPN, and ABC Cable, Viacom owns MTV Networks while their CBS Entertainment owns Showtime, CBS, and UPN, News Corp owns Fox, Fox Cable Networks, and a bulk of the UPN affiliates, and NBC Universal owns USA Networks, Bravo, Telemundo, a majority share in i, and a network who name escapes me). There's no competition, no variety, no choice. And what's worse, they're even syphoning off shows from the cable outlets they own, and vice-versa. True independent voices are being quieted before they can even speak. Quality shows produced by others are being cancelled in favor of cheaply-made knockoffs of knockoffs. In fact, broadcast television could be a thing of the past two decades from now in the age of HDTV.
We have (or will have) the power to create our own networks via the Internet. Believe it or not, the Internet is taking the same path that was taken when radio migrated to television. We've gone from streaming internet radio to podcasts to bit torrent to broadband cable in a little under a decade. More original, creator-owned programming is becoming available to the masses. And believe it or not, some of it is actually good. It wouldn't be out of the question if there are more original programming made exclusively for Broadband within a decade. Studios are already attempting to make Broadband networks (Viacom has three, while Sony and Time Warner are launching their own next year), so there's no excuse not to make one of your own if you have the right skills and tools.
The power to make our own network is in our hands. Now, who would be brave enough to try?
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Imagine, though, if millions had the tools (which they probably do) to execute this idea? We’d have a million channels! Unless if there were more hours in day (hell, more hrs. in a week), and unless the life expectancy is 200, that simply would be impractical.
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