Help or Hindrance: How the Internet is effecting television

Since the birth of the Internet, the television industry has had to make some adjustments and adaptations in order to keep it's audience. Many changes, in not just television but in all forms of media, have occurred due to the Internet. Newspapers and other print media have either moved to online editions of their publications or shut their doors. CD sales in the music industry have plummeted as a result of download-able music and television has had to adapt as well.

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Many people have said that their biggest reason for not watching as much television as they used to is due to their desire to watch their favorite shows at their own convenience, not waiting until a program comes on in it's specific time slot. People have to work and run errands. Therefore they may not be able to catch their favorite show during the day. In one way, the invention of the DVR or Tivo has helped out with this predicament, but in another way many people state that they prefer to watch their programs on the Internet due to it's ease of use. There are many sites where one can view his or her favorite show, Hulu for example, but in trying to adapt, most television networks have created websites where individuals can stream their favorite programs from the networks' own site. Which ensures that the network still makes money if only a fraction of what they would make on the air. (Ads on websites still generate some revenue depending on how many people visit a given site, or how many 'hits' a site gets.)

Sites like Hulu offer a collection of hit shows from different networks.

Some scholars and researchers believe the newly formed link between the Internet and television has created or increased what some are calling, "tele-participation." The idea is that the role of the Internet has extended the television experience beyond the weekly or daily shows. It has given fans a place to go and interact with their favorite programs. An example would be the show Mad Men. On it's site, one can "Mad Men Yourself" in order to see what one would look like in the 60's as a cartoon. It is little things like this that really stand out to fans. Using online tools like this, researchers can better understand the impact of fandom on a specific show and how to better engage the fans.

Hit shows, such as It's Always Sunny..., generally provide bonus content on their websites for fans.

What do you think of the relationship between the Internet and television? Do you believe it to be a symbiotic bond? Bad for television?

Peter Hirshberg discussing TV and the web