Are we quickly moving to the day when the TV will become like other media platforms that have been rendered obsolete and insignificant?
A Nielsen survey identified the rapid growth of online video websites as leading to the demise of the TV. I grew up in the pre-internet world when television was the media platform that provided information and entertainment in a creative, new way. And that was in addition to the daily newspaper that was delivered to our home in paper form! I am even old enough to remember when the first color TVs started arriving!
So will the growth of the internet eventually destroy the power of TV and drop viewership? Take a look at this interesting information on the number of hours people spend on TV viewing vs. online activity as we move forward in the 21st century.
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the road ahead 
Yes, it will be the demise of tv as we know it. As on-demand online programming and DVR technology continue to reshape viewing patterns, traditional “seasons” of a show and the scheduling will change. I know of several people who have now cancelled their cable tv and just hooked up a mac mini to stream to their tv. I may not be far behind.
Comment by Steve May 7, 2009 @ 6:37 amPeople thought home video players would keep people away from the movie theaters and that didn’t happen. I’m inclined to say online viewing will become a popular option but will not replace TV. Ask me again in five years.
Comment by Becky May 7, 2009 @ 8:45 ampart of the appeal of online viewing of tv programs is that it’s free. many in the younger generation are opting for a cheaper way to watch the shows they love. as more shows are available online the need for a dvr could become less because of the on demand nature of the internet. another factor is the high quality of the video that you can watch on the web and the faster connection that allow seamless streaming. online viewing could bring back the power of advertising because of the captive audience with no ability to fast forward. this is definitely a trend to watch!
Comment by julie May 7, 2009 @ 3:11 pm“TV” will always have a place. How the “TV” is delivered will be the issue. Over the air broadcasting will probably level off and other video delivery methods will increase. It all depends on what you mean by TV.
Comment by Lauren Libby May 8, 2009 @ 4:30 amAs long as J.J. Abrams keeps writing shows like Lost I’m going to keep watching TV 🙂
Comment by Renee Johnson May 8, 2009 @ 7:20 pmRBR/TVBR Publisher Jim Carnegie and Executive Editor Jack Messmer interviewed Bob Pittman about the television business.
Pittman is known as “The Father of MTV,” and he was COO of AOL Time Warner. He currently has investment interests in television and Double O Radio.
Pittman said he still believes in the power and effectiveness of the medium.
If you’re interested in what he said, you can read the transcripts, or listen to the interview here:
http://www.rbr.com/media-news/14552.html
Comment by Gordon Marcy May 13, 2009 @ 8:56 amI am not very technical, but I have to choose between the internet (facebook, twitter, e-mail, etc.) and TV. We just got cable and it is hard to be discriminating when you don’t even know what these shows are about. It takes TIME! So, I have spent more time on the TV, but that could easily change, since most TV shows are really not in my best interests to watch.
Comment by Roseanna Sanders May 13, 2009 @ 12:16 pmWhen I think of TV in the context of it being a dinosaur I think of a black box that receive an analog signal from 3-4 major networks. The days when choices were more limited but still embraced because it was what it was… the best entertainment option around. Fast forward… I don’t think TV, as the black box in our homes, will die but the choice option has blown the traditional TV premise out of the water. TV converting to digital, cable, satellite, DVR, etc. It’s an on-demand world. I think TV will stay but it will all become internet based. Our TV’s will integrate with our computers or become our computers and we’ll have instant access to the programming and shows we want, whenever we want.
Comment by Daniel Decker May 13, 2009 @ 9:14 pm