Comparing Internet Video and TV Is Like Comparing Pears and Apple
Robert Scoble, appearing to mention the Apple TV unit as regular as clockwork, closes his latest discussion (on Apple’s email requesting everyone provide seperate video feeds dependent on quality) with this:
One other thing? Most Internet video content just is really boring. Mine included. Gotta work on that too along with the resolution.
Robert Scoble, April 2007
Thinking about this, the problem isn’t at root that the videos are boring, it’s because they’re being made by people who’s experience of audio/visual projects is mainstream television and movies. They’re failing to understand that while the delivery methods of modern media are radically different, the situatiuons where people are watching the output, their mood, and how they consume it is radically different as well.
There are new rules that need to be made and learned so that best use is made of the experience. Case in point, a music program. On the radio, you’d get a staion check at every vocal break, you;d probably get the frequency as well, maybe the time, and the weatehr or traffic depending on the show. In a podcast, you don’t need any of that. Namechecking the show at the top and the tail (and potentially after a mid show advert) is enough. Any more and you’ll upset the listener. IMO.
Lots of people love to compare podcasting to radio, and while much of the discipline is similar, there are differences all along the road. I’ve done both, and while it is hard to describe in an off-the-cuff blog, you handle things, yourslef, the music, and the percieved listener differently depending on the medium – even when they have 95% commonality.
Boring is the wrong word, Robert. Let me put some words in your mouth if I may be so bold:
One other thing? Most Internet video content just is really boring, replicating television shows. We’re not television. Must remember that.
A few more words: broadcast = watch now or never
Yeah, I know TiVo, VCR, repeats, highlights, torrents etc mean never is perhaps harsh, but many people really can’t be arsed to do the leg work, which is a sad indictment of programme quality.
Perhaps the most interesting thing I’m finding from the Joost beta is that I’m *far* more picky about what I watch when I can pick and choose to watch something later, or watch something else instead.
You don’t get this choice in the same way with traditional broadcast TV, it’s often “this is the only thing on now that’s of interest”. If you take away the time constraint, the programmes have to be far better to get my interest, you don’t have to watch something mediocre because “it’s the only thing on”.