While ABC, NBC, and CBS have been quick to offer up shows on their websites and in iTunes, FOX has been mysteriously
silent about the whole online
video craze. It's surprising, since FOX tends to take more chances and be more cutting-edge than its competitors.
Now we know why. Rupert Murdoch recently told
Newsweek he's not convinced that putting television shows online is a good idea (I think NBC would disagree).Said Murdoch, "We're not knocked out by iPod so far. We've talked to them, to Google and others. But how many people really want to get video on a tiny screen when they already have TiVo or a similar service from their cable company or DirecTV?"
He goes on to talk about how people all over the world will be able to download key scenes from 24 and jokes from Family Guy on their telephones. Right. Because those screens aren't tiny at all.
To me, it sounds like a guy who's trying to act like he didn't get caught by surprise when the competition went nuts with online video. Interestingly, our friends over at PVRWire agree with Rupert's assertion that the deals with Disney and iTunes are very "small-time".
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-20-2006 @ 8:19PM
roberto said...
I love how Murdoch (and plenty of others) totally miss the point of the video iPod. People, listen up: it's NOT about us all watching video on tiny screens.
What it's about is Steve Jobs introducing the world to the concept of downloading video in an incredibly simple, incredibly easy (and, oh by the way, legal) way. It's easier than setting th clock on your antique VCR.
The video iPod is just the practice round, the stalking horse.
The real deal is coming when the Mac Mini sits on top of your TV. Then we all use what we've learned with our iPods to download anything we want into out TVs. It's called Front Row.
And for that group of people who DO want portable video, the next generation iPods with please. But future iPods will look a lot different, with a larger screen and elegantly out-of-the-way controls. And you'll also be able to load your iPod up at a next generation video store (i.e. Blockbuster, 20/20, Hollywood) and bring the vid home to plug into that Mac Mini.
Steve Jobs gave us the current simple model for ONE reason: So Apple would be the FIRST to the marketplace with yet another cool way of entertaining and informing ourselves. At this moment, everyone associates Apple with video downloads. Just like Steve planned.
Stay tuned, kids. This is gonna be great!
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2-20-2006 @ 8:44PM
doc said...
You leave out the part where Steve locks everyone in to his system. I don't know how they manage it. They must have the best PR people ever. If Microsoft tried to pull the same crap that Apple is they would be crucified. They are doing interesting things, but to leave out any discussion of the DRM and vendor lockin part of this makes it incomplete.
I also don't think the 'oh, by the way legal' part should just be a closed issue at this point either. Why is it ok for someone to record the new episode of programX on their VCR, DVR, or PC, yet if they download it via bit-torrent it is suddenly arrrrrrgh piracy? At the end of the day they end up with the episode either way.
Of course, I suppose we have HDCP coming to take care of all of that and add yet another level of useless technology for consumers to deal with.
There is potential for it to be great. However, having multiple companies all developing their own protection schemes that are not compatible with each other isn't the road to great. Neither is adding extra layers of crud to the electronics we purchase.
The road to great is paved with high quality files that you can play in a variety of programs, on a variety of devices, using a variety of operating systems.
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2-20-2006 @ 11:20PM
fp said...
I agree with Murdoch. I hate ipod, and I hate watching something on a 5 inch screen. What's the point of that?
I just download 'illegally'...about as illegal as tivo is, IMO.
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2-21-2006 @ 7:52AM
Elliott said...
When Murdoch dies (probably of shock after learning it's 2006), Fox will beg Apple to be part of their iStore. I will laugh and CBS will cry (CBS is so emotional).
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2-21-2006 @ 5:18PM
Zach said...
I'm not an iPodder (it's a damn expensive fashion statement) but I think the point isn't watching things on a tiny screen. It's a pocket-sized device that allows people to take any kind of media anywhere they please. With the influx of internet video, producers get a cheap, easily accessible medium with no set time schedule, and it's only a matter of time before a TV is indistinguishable from a computer.
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