How Internet Has Reshaped What We Watch on TV?

The internet has completely changed the way we all watch TV

15:14 21 September 2015

A few years ago, the whole family would gather around a TV set, sift through channels and watch a football game or a prime time TV show. But thanks to the internet, people now tune in to their favourite TV shows and movies on their smart phones, tablet devices and laptops. Streaming services such as Netflix, iPlayer and YouTube also allow viewers to see the content whenever they find it convenient, and social media facilitates lovely discussions to take place around trending shows. 

 

Up to now, however, the web has had negligible impact on the way TV content is produced. As a matter of fact, the internet is mainly used as a platform for distributing traditional TV content that are designed to be watched in a conventional fashion. This is not much surprising, given that internet streaming is still a fairly new kid on the block. But just as television sets took shape as radio with pictures and evolved into intelligent devices, media companies and broadcasters are no able to look into the creative prospects that the web presents- especially when it boils down to offering a platform where viewer interaction takes centre stage.

 

The main advantage of a having a broadcasting system on the internet is that producers are not limited by capacity, and also that they need not stick to the customary telecasting schedule. In simple terms, they can include chunks of data in addition to usual video and audio signals, and offer viewers a more enjoyable experience. At present, we are merely watching TV on the internet, and we’re not actually making the most of the fact that internet is a spectacular platform where everyone is connected. It also has a unique flexibility that allows it to carry any data signal, and the talkback signal, timing, and control. For instance, someone watching a football match could opt to switch on a graphical interface that shows players’ details right above their heads as they cover the field, add help text to indicate how fast a player is sprinting or highlight a ball to help viewers that have poor eyesight. Other simple examples include showing recipes during a cookery show, and providing historical information about valuable artefacts in a museum tour.