Web TV vs. YouTube takes new heights...

Nowadays, we are so dependent with new technology and new forms of media. Most of us would agree that most of our time is spent and glued on to the screen. According to Nielsen's research online shows from the TV to PC, on the average internet user spent 13.7 hours a week online in 2007.

Both Web TV and YouTube are streaming videos that are downloaded from the internet. Although both are competing with one another and aimed at reaching new audiences as well as increasing their revenue by advertising but this are not the only streaming videos application there is. This concept somehow relates to Naughton's (2006) 'personalization and interactivity'.

Web TV

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Web TV is launching a new online TV channel called 'AdConion TV' aims to move internet TV shows out of the portal environment and on to the hundreds of niche websites across which sells advertising through the use of expandable video player (The Australian Business, 2008).

The idea of web tv is interesting but has its disadvantages. Among these disadvantages is the screen size of a web tv is smaller that shows very limited information compared to a normal screen in a PC/Laptop (Nielsen, 1997). In my opinion, I have never experienced web tv and to me, I would not get a web tv cause watching videos on PC/ Laptop is way better and there are applications such YouTube that is free and easy access to watch movies, etc.

YouTube

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The files on YouTube can be shared or either downloaded using a software that is mainly for YouTube. I'm a major fan of YouTube. And the good part of YouTube is that you can upload any videos that you want.

According to The Australian Business (2008), YouTube will be offering full-length television shows such as "The Young and the restless", "90210" and many more. In addition to its shorter video offerings and during the run of these videos, they plan to sell commercial slots for advertisements.

Considering YouTube a popular site among us, its been facing issues of copyright infringement. Viacom, an organization, sued YouTube for more than $ 1 billion dollars. The reason is due to its users action of uploading its own videos without any authorization from its companies such as MTV and Nickelodeon. Viacom won the case.

And due to issues that have been faced by YouTube recently, would regulate users from uploading videos that are owned by media companies. So beware readers, do not upload videos that are not owned by you!





References:

The Australian Newspaper 2008, TV to PC: the great migration, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23400162-26077,00.html>

Naughton J 2006, guardian.co.uk: The Observer 'The age of permanent net revolution', viewed 10 November 2008, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/mar/05/newmedia.broadcasting>

Wikipedia 2008, Web TV, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_TV>

The Australian Business 2008, Web TV group takes on net publishers, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,24590796-7582,00.html>

Nielsen J 1997, WebTV usability Review, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9702a.html>

The Australian Business 2008, YouTube to offer full tv shows, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24484006-36375,00.html>

Wikipedia 2008, YouTube, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube>

Mashable 2008, Viacom sues YouTube for $ 1 billion... The end of the Tube?, viewed 10 November 2008, <http://mashable.com/2007/03/13/viacom-youtube/>