Well, like all pushed media, I "choose" content from what is being pushed at me -- it all flows thru the receiver and into the computer and onto the HD, but then the filtering choices I've put into place tell the software to only show me the things I'm interested in. I'd guess that's how much of wavetop's content selection will work.
As far as why they're lining up free advertisers (if they are; I don't think I'd specifically heard that), I'd guess they have to prove the technology & at least some sort of viewership before they're going to get advertisers to pay for it -- there are so many "online" outlets fighting for advertising dollars that it'll be an uphill battle for them (wavetop) unless/until they can show the network's catching on. Which, IMHO, will take compelling reasons that I have yet to see for a one-to-many broadcast like VBI stuff (look at the killer apps of other 'online' media: email, chat, games, and web browsing on way too many divergent paths to ever be covered by a 150mb disk cache).
I'm also a little concerned about regulatory issues that will face VBI broadcasters in general (or rather, lack of regulations) -- according to a post I saw on a multicast mailing list from a telecommunications attorney (and subsequently confirmed by WAVO investor relations), CATV companies, being the last link in the chain between the content provider and the consumer, are legally within their rights to not carry VBI content (i.e., delete it from the program signal) if it's not "program related" (like, for instance, that copy of Time Interactive that's being streamed to your HD in the middle of Barney and Friends) -- it would appear that the CATV operators are in a very strong position to hold the content providers at ransom in each market -- i.e., pay a per-subscriber charge, or we strip your content.
Of course, PBS is probably in the strongest position to not be affected by this: 1) it's a public network, and to hold them for ransom would be terrible PR for the cable operators (not that that would stop them), and if they do, 2) PBS can probably be received with 'rabbit ears' in most markets, tho' only time will tell what marginal reception will do to data thruput rates, and, probably more importantly, what consumers will think of the crappy, snowy tv picture they get on their new computer because they have to use rabbit ears to receive wavetop. I think they'd vote for clear pictures and no wavetop in that case. But that's just my guess.
hrm. slightly more long-winded than I'd intended. can you tell I've been thinking about this?
I'm slowly collecting some info on the technology into one place: brooklyn.com |
