Web TV vs. classical TV

How these thoughts started

I like watching tennis matches. In France, for a couple of years, Wimbledon tournament broadcast rights have been bought by a private channel (cannal+) to which you have access only by paying a monthly subscription.Two years ago the rights where exclusive: when I tried to pay on wimbledon.org to watch the Internet video stream, the stream was blocked (based on my IP nationality, I guess...).This year it worked for me, which means that doubling classical TV exclusivity with Internet TV exclusivity has become "non necessary" from the TV classical channel point of view.

Comparing Web TV with "classical" TV

First let's agree that triple play ADSL boxes are delivering classical TV although the technology standing for information transport is IP ( to the same extend they deliver "classical" Voice on a

fully monitored network via ADSL boxes, which is different from softphones like Skype that are connecting via Internet). So what we are comparing here is Web channels to Classical channels...

Not sure what the drivers of Cannal+ have been to renounce to Internet exclusivity but here a few elements from my experience that could bring to the fact that web TV cannot really replace other means of broadcasting:

- the video quality of the IP multicast was much poorer than TV

- It costs quite a lot in terms of home LAN setup and PC investment for a silent and with a good WAFF (Wife Acceptance Form Factor)... to be able to watch Internet videos on the family TV which is THE place where you want to see and share a sports event.

So, maybe that, in the end WebTV will remain either :

1. a Geek/Fashion thing : in this case its relative success will be linked to the sale of trendy devices (smartphones, netbooks...) and to pervasive networking (= ability to stay connected everywhere and at all moments via different technologies).
2. a poor paying service for people who cannot do otherwise : in this case I guess that all low cost issues are to be addressed by the providers of such service : make sure that they reach volumes and build a scalable cheap service structure...

Different medias playing in the same advertising budgets arena

In both cases, it is important to note that Web TV is not replacing Classical TV, it is just another media, which of course will compete with classical channels by acquiring a part of the advertising budgets.

We will see where the budgets will go, depending on the respective audience market share of each of these two medias.