From traditional “linear” TV to TiVo to Netflix to streaming media and Google Glass, the world of television is changing fast, with no signs of stopping. The big question is — what does the future hold for broadcasting? Where’s this all leading? Should they begin tearing down the broadcast towers and antennas? Honestly, my crystal ball doesn’t see that far into the future, but something is definitely stirring in the near term…The direction is summed up by Netflix, in a recently published white paper called Netflix Long Term View: “Over the coming decades and across the world, Internet TV will replace linear TV. Apps will replace channels, remote controls will disappear, and screens will proliferate. As Internet TV grows from millions to billions, Netflix, HBO and ESPN are leading the way.” Stay tuned and brace yourself, people — it’s changing fast.
—From “Video World” by Paul Berliner, PLSN, Aug. 2013
