The BIG QUESTION with:
“Has the Internet killed TV?”
The Internet vs. TV debate is particularly
complicated in Australia.
In Australia we’ve got a bit of a raw deal. Our
Internet is slow-w-w-w-w. According to
Netindex.com we’re behind New Zealand by more
than a few lengths in the pool – way down the list at
number 52 in the world. But that hasn’t stopped us
from being a world leader in piracy.
The Pay TV packages available to Australians
are expensive. A month’s subscription in Australia
is equal to a year’s package with some providers in
the US. Australian subscriptions also offer fewer
channels than the US, leaving us with a glorified
version of Free-To-Air. So where do we turn? The
I’m old enough to remember ICQ, Dial-up
and mobile phones before SMS was even a feature!
It really wasn’t all that long ago, and yet, since
then technology has advanced rapidly, and with it
the entertainment industry has had to re-evaluate its
position and the way in which it communicates
stories to audiences.
The Internet in most ways has been a blessing,
opening up doors for creators to share their work
and be discovered. But it has also opened the
floodgates for piracy, negatively affecting smaller
markets and putting a noticeable enough dent in
larger ones.
Internet.
Unsurprisingly our online options are limited.
We are yet to see an Australian Hulu or Netflix
launch, and before you shout at your screen
“iView!” or “Quickflix” let me clarify. I am talking
of an independent online platform that invests in the
industry by creating original content at a
competitive price.
As an advocate for Digital entertainment and
someone who dreams (non-stop) of producing their
own high-budget, TV-worthy, online series, I’m led
to believe this won’t and can’t happen in Australia
until the networks, providers and producers
recognize Digital isn’t the future – it’s already here.