As forecast - Big Media Comes Looking for Little Media Content

Not to sound smug... no I take that back. I am a bit smug on this one.
Your content matters and you should become your own broadcast media company.  
I have been advocating this for some time now, advising my clients that the time to begin broadcasting online is now!  Get a jump on the learning curve.  Perfect your production techniques, work on better lighting and audio.  Try different camera angles, etc.  As you do this, you will be considerably ahead of others who are surely to follow.  The logic I have used and claimed was based on the trends that were and still are clearly evident.  Internet and Television are melding.  Digital channels and 24 hour specialty networks need original content.  This has now escalated to the giants of TV, The Networks.



NBC's Owned and Operated Stations are looking to partner with nonprofit news organizations


Under the terms of the FCC order approving Comcast’s takeover of NBCU, at least half of NBC’s 10 O&Os have to find a nonprofit news center with which to work within the next year.  Will other networks follow?


While the FCC has focused on news reporting, this may be the tipping point for other content like sports, arts and entertainment and lecture series.  


In Canada, the CRTC has a major issue on their hands.  As the big Cable and Telephone companies continue to buy up television networks, radio and specialty channels, the balance of power is amalgamating in the hands of a few.  Independence in news and other community interests is being lost to corporate cost cutting and down sizing.  Will the CRTC step in and demand that Rogers, Shaw, and Bell look to independent non-profits for news?  If so, this would quickly lead to other content partnerships.


While the major networks in Canada are slow to learn, once they have a model, it becomes a game of follow the leader.  As these media giants continue to lose cord cutting customers to Internet only accounts, it will become a race for original online content even in "micro-niche" segments.  After all, eyeballs are eyeballs and if the new paradigm is to reach them any way you can, then acquiring access to the viewers of this narrow cast content will be on the agenda.


The opportunity for independent content publishers to work with networks will happen sooner than later in Canada.  The last attempt by the big three (Rogers, Bell & Shaw) to lobby the CRTC and force "usage based billing (UBB)" on Internet subscribers has blown up the CRTC's face.  As the backlash mounted the CRTC had no choice but to bow to the pressure and review the ruling before it was ordered to do so by the government.  With this issue potentially skirted, there is nothing to get in the way of the natural progression of online content becoming common place in Canadian's homes.