www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tc-biz-tech-nettv-1205-1227-dec30,0,5899320.story
Internet on TV might come right out of a box By David Lazarus Chicago Tribune December 30, 2009 Comcast Corp. Chief Executive Brian Roberts was gushing recently about his company's impending takeover of NBC Universal, saying the deal would give consumers what they want, "which is access to all different types of content on different platforms and different times." That's not the half of it, but it may not be Comcast in the driver's seat. If federal regulators have their way, the next big thing on the tech horizon will be a brave new world of Internet-ready, work-with-any-network set-top boxes, offering consumers unprecedented multimedia options through their TVs, not just their computers. And if this plays out as the Federal Communications Commission envisions, the world as cable companies know it will change radically, making the potential synergies of the Comcast-NBC deal obsolete. "The consumer will be king," said Colin Crowell, senior counselor to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. "You'll be able to get your own set-top box that does all the whiz-bang things you want it to do, and you'll be in control." The FCC put out the official word in early December seeking input from industry players and other interested parties about changes to rules governing set-top boxes, including a requirement that these devices work with all networks, whether run by cable, satellite or phone companies. At the same time, the FCC is pushing ahead with efforts to make sure that broadband Internet access is available to virtually all households. "Computers may be in 74 percent of American homes," Crowell said, "but televisions are in 99 percent of homes. Clearly, if your television offered a way to easily switch over to the Internet, we would be providing a way for all Americans to get online." The upshot, as the FCC sees it, is that consumers should be able to buy multisystem, Internet-friendly set-top boxes in a newly energized marketplace where electronics firms vie for your business with innovative features and competitive prices. "Let's say you're in the mood to watch 'Sleepless in Seattle,' " Crowell said. "You could either get it as a movie on demand from your cable provider, or go online and see when it's going to be on Bravo and set your DVR to record it, or go to Netflix and download it." Or viewers could go online via their television and watch shows and movies at free sites such as Hulu.com. The cable industry is aware that change is coming down the pike. "The marketplace is rapidly changing," acknowledged Brian Dietz, a spokesman for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. "There are a lot of industries experimenting with how to bring content to consumers, including the cable industry." -- ================================ George Antunes, Political Science Dept University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204 Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927 Mail: antunes at uh dot edu *********************************** * POST TO [email protected] * *********************************** Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
