Since I work for a TV station, it feels a little weird to talk about alternatives to traditional TV... but the role of the web as a growingly efficient way to deliver video is just too obvious to ignore.
That's the reason stations like NewsChannel 7 are putting more and more focus on delivering content – including video - online. We stream all of our Newscasts to our webchannel, and attach video of the stories we cover to the text versions – giving you on-demand video.
The networks certainly aren't ignoring the shift either. If you watched the Superbowl, you no doubt saw ads about NBC and Fox's joint venture called Hulu, which provides much of their content online, on demand, instantly. CBS is also quickly expanding their online TV venture – called TV.com.
And while TV networks continue to adapt, all the added content means you - the viewers - win! Both Hulu and TV.com are very well done. Shows are presented with limited commercials, and more importantly, are available on-demand. The quality is fantastic, assuming you have a high-speed internet connection. Both sites offer streaming in High Definition, which will look great on a computer monitor, and even better if you hook a computer up to your
I've also heard many singing the praises of Boxee as an online media service. I'm not a Mac or Linux user, and haven't tried the Windows alpha. But if you're looking for another option, it's worth checking out.
Even as online television becomes a more popular option, I honestly believe the demand for live, over-the-air local news will stick around for quite a while. (At least we hope it will!) But it never hurts to have great content from news stations and the networks available wherever you are, and whenever you want it.
What do you think? Are you watching more television online? Have you considered dropping pay TV with more over-the-air digital channels and online content available?
