Consumers will become new stars of Web TV

The line between entertainment and commerce will blur in future as audience members become the stars of their own Web TV shows.

Michael Teich, programming manager for Pseudo.com, which produces 50 original shows a week for web broadcasting globally, claimed at the Milia conference in Cannes this week: "Transactions will be interwoven with the content experience."

"In the same way that Geocities lets consumers build their own communities online, Web TV consumers will send in video scripts and become stars of their own stories," he added.

As a result, Teich believes that the traditional medium of TV will be forced to redefine itself and will need to become interactive to survive.

"Targeted personalised advertising will become the norm, and product placement and branding will become increasingly important," he predicted.

The current TV studio based system will also change and become decentralised with the march of Web TV, he maintained. "People will be able to create their own programmes in their bedrooms for $1,000," he attested.

Canal Web programming, part of French broadcasting company Canal Plus, also confirmed at Milia that it is furthering its expansion into Europe and will open web casting studios in the UK and Spain over the next couple of months.

See also:

Lucent boosts chip business with cable TV buy

Lucent has further beefed up its microelectronics group by paying $2.95 billion for a company with technology that it claims can turn cable television into a two-way interactive communications medium.  08 Feb 2000

Pinnacle Systems Studio PCTV USB

Watch TV on your PC with this easy to install USB TV tuner. (Originally reviewed head-to-head against the Hauppauge WinTV USB)  27 Jan 2000

Interactive TV and digital shopping are Open for business

Whether we like it or not, ecommerce has hit the ground running in 2000. The AOL/Time Warner merger is just the first of several high-profile alliances that are likely this year.  24 Jan 2000

Entertainment is the key for TV ecommerce

Insurance giant Eagle Star is to join Telewest Communication's interactive television service, which launches in March this year.  13 Jan 2000

AOL/Time Warner merger is no big deal for IT innovation

The scale of the deal is enormous. But despite all the talk of impressive synergies between AOL, the Netscape browser, and Time Warner's movies, TV and cable networks, the reality is a little less magnificent.  11 Jan 2000

AOL to go head to head against Microsoft WebTV

America Online (AOL) is set to do battle with Microsoft Web TV as it launches its own television based Internet service.  09 Jan 2000

Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below:

 del.icio.us     Digg this     reddit!