Thread: VOD The future for linear TV channels
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Old 03-01-2016, 18:15   #511
OLD BOY
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Re: The future for linear TV channels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris View Post
I have no doubt Netflix is reliable for most people, most of the time. After all streaming accounts for only a fraction of TV consumption in the UK. If it were ever to get to the point where the majority preferred to stream their entertainment, we would have problems - the UK is a long way short of having the necessary data-hauling capacity, and even if it did, there aren't enough power stations to run it.

At present, broadcasters pay the satellite and transmitter companies for carriage, but they do not pay for Internet transmission. If we ever get anywhere near the levels of home streaming some here have predicted, the bandwidth and power demands will be so great, a radically different (and ultimately more expensive) funding model would be required.

Just another of the many reasons why TV Content delivery will not undergo the revolutionary shift that some here have predicted, any time in the foreseeable future.
At long last, Chris, you have concluded that the broadcast linear channels would be in difficulty if sufficient numbers embraced streaming at the expense of our traditional channels.

So the only question now is, whether the trend towards streaming will, in fact, increase substantially over the years. I think it will, because streaming is so much more efficient and you can cram more programmes that you want to watch in your available viewing time.

I don't see how the broadband and power demands you mention would be a problem. Just compare Virgin's available broadband speeds now compared to just three years ago. Things change, and they are changing at a faster and faster pace.

It is a mistake to look at how things work now and to assume that current restrictions preventing progress will always be there in the future.

---------- Post added at 18:15 ---------- Previous post was at 17:46 ----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by steveh View Post
If streaming is currently reckoned to be around 10% of UK viewing (can only dig up a figure of 3.8% for 2014 but with growth that seems about right) then getting to 100% (which of course it won't ever need to) doesn't seem that big a stretch given advances in codecs, telecoms kit and more local CDN servers (which the big video delivery services do pay the ISPs for).

Interestingly, according to Ofcom the biggest decline in traditional TV viewing in any platform was when Netflix launched on the TiVo and were offering the six month free deals. That and a ton of other interesting info on viewing habits here: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/bin...ing_habits.pdf
Interesting. The report clearly shows that the number of people watching live broadcast TV has begun it's long decline. ITV's portfolio of channels has suffered a worrying decline in audience share.

The writing is on the wall. I believe that this decline will accelerate as time goes on. No reason to think it won't.
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