For some time now my television consumption has been minimal. I just didn’t feel that the time I spent watching television was well spent on the trash that passes for entertainment. So, like many others, my general entertainment has come from the internet.
But then there was Lost. A show I actually liked! So, for a few weeks, I watched it the good old fashioned way, the boob tube. And then I discovered that Lost was available for viewing online via ABC.com (and starting now with Season 4, in HD!!!). Much fewer commercials than you would catch in a standard broadcast, and the best part is the convenient viewing. Many of ABC’s more popular shows are available for viewing online, but not all. Sadly, most networks didn’t offer ANY full episodes online.
Today, I stumbled upon Hulu.com. It seems that these guys were savvy enough to start working with the show providers to do much of what ABC has done, but without the limitations of a network. While all shows are not available on this site, many are. So far, the site isn’t whored out with advertisement. While I can agree that advertisement will be necessary to generate revenue, we all know it will at some point become obsessive. For now, its the good stuff, and I’m living it up.
TV executives, take note: Today’s viewer wants content NOW. Full episodes online is the only way to go, so start making it happen.
