Steve, what did you do, go out and buy 3 million shares of IATV today? I take it you are watching the moves John Malone is making with his Liberty Media company. TUNE received all of the internet and interactive assets of Liberty Media and has soared the last 2 days. Well, IATV is right in the middle of this whole affair and its true value is being discovered. Over 7.2 million shares traded today so I'd say it is definitely being discovered but it's only just begun. Here's a nice article that hit the PR News today:
Interactive Video is Next Internet Battleground
>
> BOSTON, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Internet operators are shaping up
to deliver
>video-based content via broadband networks, but broadcasters are
ready to
>respond by adding interactive services in the battle for consumer
dollars.
>According to a new report, broadcasters have the edge: 14% of
households will
>have interactive TV by 2002, compared to only 7% with broadband
PC.
>
>These conclusions are described in a new Strategy Analytics report,
>"Interactive Video Emerges - Broadband PC and Interactive TV
prepare to do
>battle" -- available to subscribers to their "Interactive Home" strategic
>advisory service.
>
>A number of new and traditional players have staked their positions in
this
>new market within the past few months, including service providers
(AOL,
>@Home and Road Runner), network operators (Bell Atlantic, SBC,
Deutsche
>Telekom, US West, BT and NTL), broadcasters (DirecTV, Echostar,
BSkyB and
>BIB), and technology providers (GI, Scientific Atlanta, Philips, TiVo
and
>NCI).
>
>Video and interactivity are the catalysts bringing these players into the
>same new marketplace: Internet providers offer enhanced content while
>broadcasters add interactivity.
>
>The emerging broadband PC market is a result of increasing ownership
of cable
>and DSL modems. The analysts believe many consumers will not pay
the current
>high costs of broadband Internet, and that DSL and cable modems are
still
>unproven as far as full interactive video services are concerned.
>Nevertheless, they forecast that, by 2002, broadband modems will be in
7% of
>US households and 2% of European households.
>
>By this time, however, interactive TV services will be available in 14%
of US
>and 23% of European homes. Many of these services will arrive "by the
back
>door" as part of enhanced digital television services, allowing consumers
to
>access home shopping, video-on-demand and interactive information
services
>through their TV sets.
>
>"Interactive video will offer the Internet four great challenges," says
David
>Mercer, Strategy Analytics Interactive Home Service Director. "There
is the
>cost challenge, the usability challenge, the technology challenge and the
TV
>challenge. Internet operators may ultimately find that the challenge from
>broadcasters is the greatest obstacle to success."
>
>Detailed market forecasts regarding European and US ownership are
available
>on request.
>
>Strategy Analytics provides strategic insights to IT technology firms
around
>the globe.
>
>SOURCE Strategy Analytics |
