Satellite Television for Cars...Is This a Good Thing?

First there was the radio, then the DVD player, now the TV!? What will car companies think of next? According to Digital Music News, Sirius recently unveiled a television option to its satellite service; no longer will Sirius be associated with simply satellite radio. This service, "Sirius Backseat TV", will be offered exclusively in 2008 with video packages of DaimlerChrysler vehicles. After the first year, this Sirius service will be offered in models of other car manufacturers.

What does this mean for consumers? Sirius' goal with Backseat TV is to entertain those sitting in the backseat, which most of the time are children. As a result, the Sirius Backseat TV service will feature programming from stations like Comedy Central, The Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon. This is part of Sirius' goal to accommodate the driver by allowing family friendly programming to quiet down and entertain children so that the driver is not distracted.





On the contrary, such a service may cause even more distraction for drivers. Lawyer Aaron Larson published an article about the relationship between distracted drivers and car accidents. Here, Larson lists the use of DVD players as one of the main distractions for drivers on the road. The article even directs readers to not attempt using such devices while driving because they require so much attention. Is this added distraction really worth the additional $470 it costs to install Sirius Backseat TV plus the additional $7/year + $13/month to maintain the service?

This all really depends on which way you look at it. For most consumers of the on-demand generation, including parents with little patience, this feature is very desirable. However, for those of us wanting to maintain a clean driving record, we may approach adding this feature with caution. All of this new technology is great in theory but when it really comes down to it, how willing are people to compromise their health and well-being for novelty? Well, I guess in this day and age they are quite willing.

What is Acceptable for TV?

Jack Black and Channel 101.com recently announced their attempt at monetizing user-created video content. Jack Black, along with friends Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab started Channel 101 in an effort to create an online forum for original digital shorts. Channel 101 was first introduced in 2003, serving as the predecessor of YouTube and other video hosting sites. In order to respond to the popularity of these video hosting sites, Black and Channel 101 have developed what is now known as the "Department of Acceptable Media".

Expanding on this idea, Black and the guys at Channel 101 pitched a television show to VH1 and, with no surprise, VH1 got on board. The new show "Acceptable. TV" will premiere March 23rd on VH1. "Acceptable.TV" will feature original user-created videos taken from the Department of Acceptable Media website along with original content created by the team at Channel 101.com. After each show, viewers can vote on the website for which shows should be canceled or continued for the next week.

Black, VH1, Channel 101, and the creators will be able to monetize this content in a very interesting way. The video hosting site is powered by Revver which will allow the creators of original content to retain a percentage of advertising income based on how many people view their respective videos. This will serve as an effective way to attract aspiring filmmakers to create content for the website; not only is there a chance for their work to be shown on national television, but there is a chance to make some money. The Department of Acceptable Media website is already up and running. So far, three videos are uploaded to the site for viewing...We will have to see which ones make the cut on the March 23rd premiere.

It is quite obvious that a goal of "Acceptable TV" is to re-gain the viewing audience lost to sites like YouTube. Instead of presenting the same old reality television shows created by "professionals", VH1 is, instead, accepting the changes in programming accelerated by the Internet. By cooperating with the move towards user created content, VH1 has the potential to attract a wider audience and marginally revolutionize network television. Below you will find some of the trailers for "Acceptable TV"; you are the judge of whether or not this show can be the future of television programming.

Can Wi-Fi Save Radio and Television?

Wi-Fi technology allows individuals to access the Internet without a landline connection. Currently, Wi-Fi is available on some college campuses, coffee shops like the Coffee Bean, and airports. It is predicted that very soon Wi-Fi will become available everywhere. With the introduction of Wi-Fi and WiMax into our everyday lives, we will literally be connected all of the time! With this available technology comes opportunity for both radio and television industries.

The gaming industry is already taking full advantage of wireless local area connections. Gaming consoles like Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, and Play station 3 incorporate this technology in order to create more accessibility for its consumers. Even desktop computers and laptops (PC and Macs, alike) include Wi-Fi in order for users to access the Internet whenever and wherever they need to. By far the most anticipated device for 2007 that will incorporate Wi-Fi is the new Apple iPhone. Apple's iPhone will permit Internet access wherever wireless networks exist. Additionally, the iPhone allows its users to upload files from thier iPod onto their iPhone. Here is some opportunity for the television and music industries. With Wi-Fi technology, Apple could include their iTunes Music Store as an option to access via the iPhone. Customers could purchase and download their music and television shows simultaneously from the convenience of one device---the iPhone. Individuals would be able to download music, podcasts, movies, and television programs with the click of a button. Sales would ultimately increase thanks to the hightened accessibility of downloading. However, Apple is already seeing competition with the Samsung 3GSM model, which bolsters a music-focused lineup; hopefully forever changing music's mobile market.

The opportunities wireless technology provides for mobile phones can benefit the radio and television industries. A Los Angeles-based company, Live 365, already takes advatange of Internet radio. Live 365 provides thousands of free Internet radio stations from all over the world that are categorized by musical genre. Live 365 also features a podcast section, where any registered user can create a podcast and then post that podcast to the site for others to listen to. Already some companies are taking advantage of the Live 365 software in order to create stations featuring a particular artist as means of promotion. Perhaps, sites like Live 365 are the future of radio. With wireless-capability, the iPhone and Samsung 3GSM could feature live-Internet radio streams that enable users to customize what they are listening and when they listen to it. If terrestrial radio can focus on utilizing WiFi technology for their benefit, then maybe there is a chance to revive its popularity.

iPTV...The Future of Television?

We all know how the Internet and the iPod contributed to the demise of terrestrial radio. But could both of these disruptive technologies lead to the demise of cable television? According to a report conducted by the online publication, The Nation, there is a "bright future for Internet television". In this article, Pichaya Changsorn reports on Thailand's desire to launch an iPTV service.

iPTV stands for "Internet protocol TV" and deals with streaming television in real time via the Internet. iPTV is essentially "video-on-demand" and will allow its users to subscribe to a service that streams television programs and movies from a computer. There is also a device in the works that will allow the streams on a computer to sync with a television monitor, similar to Apple's iTV. So far Sony, Fox, Intel Capital, Warner Bros., YTC Group (Singapore), Macquarie Bank group, Coote/Hayes Production, and Eros InternationalFox, are shareholders in Anytime (the company investing in this technology). These investors are offering the rights to their content for the iPTV service. By the end of the year, iPTV could grow into a "substantial business" in Thailand. After Thailand, Anytime has its sights set on launching an iPTV service in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea, and China.

What does this mean for the United States? iPTV targets the on-demand generation. If any demographic is aware of this, it's the youth of America. Even the heavy-hitters at the major networks are tapping into this technology. Currently networks like ABC and NBC are offering free streams with limited commercials for previously aired episodes. Initially, ABC offered their service for a two-month free-trial. But once it gained popularity, ABC continued to offer the service to viewers. Even television service provider Comcast offers "On-Demand", a program which allows subscribers to view previously aired episodes of their favorite shows on networks such as MTV, E!, VH1, HBO, and Showtime, whenever they want.

It seems as though American television corporations are taking the right steps toward incorporating an iPTV-like service into their daily lives. Clearly, Americans are expressing an interest in having what they want and when they want it. An iPTV service will offer just this--but in real-time, a thing American technology has yet to take full-advantage of. If implemented correctly in the United States, a very profitable business could result. I guess we will just have to wait and see how successful iPTV is abroad.