How many channels do you watch on TV? If you're like me, probably just a handful out of the hundreds of them that come with your cable package each month. But cable providers don't give you the option of selecting which channels you really want to see as part of your package, so you're forced to pay for content you're never going to watch. So what do people do if they don't want to waste money on cable channels they don't care about? Watch TV on Hulu for free instead.
A recent post on Mashable argues that with more and more viewers opting for TV-viewing through Hulu, cable providers may be more amenable to content distribution partnerships with Apple, and the new generation of non-traditional advertising streams, unlike in the past, when they were reluctant to jeopardize the traditional advertising model used by TV for years. But now, with Hulu changing the landscape, providers may be changing their tune, which could be great for consumers.
The Mashable article asks who'd be interested in paying $30 per month to get "TV content through Apple and iTunes?" Er, well, I would. A monthly subscription that would give me unlimited movies, popular TV programs, access to Discovery and History channels that I select, at any time I wanted, would be great. Add to that the option of viewing the most recent 11pm newscast from any major city on demand and you've got one very happy customer right here.
If I were a cable company, I would stop worrying about what will happen to TV because of the internet and start making the device that will take over where Apple and the PS3 have started. Think about it: the cable companies already have the subscribers, the technicians to install the device and service it, so why not own the device and the distribution channel?
It's not a question of whether the delivery of TV content will change, but when that change will take place. Content owners will be getting on board with those who have the desire and the ability to deliver programming fastest, so the time to innovate is now. Will it be Hulu? Apple? PS3? The cable companies? We'll have to wait and find out.
