Bijan Sabet

More thoughts about the web and pay television

Just last week I wrote about internet & pay television (cable & satellite).

A couple of follow up points:

1 - Live online video is just starting to emerge as I pointed out in that post.

Even since my earlier post on the subject I’ve seen new technologies that will deliver high quality, live online video at a low cost and faster than I thought. That’s huge.

The day I can watch live sports online in good/great quality is the day that my cable tv bill becomes endangered. And that day is getting closer. Already I’m addicted to MLB video (by the way, my yankees are now tied for first place. oh yeah). Next, I want basketball, football and golf.

2 - We are discovering over and over again that the younger generation values the internet over pay tv. My kids would rather play games online then watch tv. They would rather do lots of things online than watch tv. Current television (with dvr, vod, hidef, etc) isn’t as important as it used to be. Check out this video of these 14 year old girls talking this very subject. It’s striking.

3 - Today the WSJ has an article titled “More Households Cut The Cord On Cable”. Here’s the money quote:

“The reality is, we’re starting to see the beginnings of cord cutting where people, particularly young people, are saying all I need is broadband,” said Glenn Brit, president and chief executive of Time Warner Cable

We are going to see more choices on our big screen. And powered by the open web.