Streaming Into the Future: TV Surfing and Web Watching

If you’re one of the millions of Americans writing a hefty check each month to cable providers, change may be coming more quickly than you think. The depth and quality of programming has undergone a sea of change in the past few decades, as networks expanded to reach new audiences. Now, the Internet is poised to permeate more than just your computer and phone— it’s coming to a TV near you.

Current State of Internet TV

Major technology corporations— Apple, Google, Netflix, Amazon— are jostling to become the strongest providers of Internet television content. According to Internetserviceproviders.com, you can watch regular TV programs streaming online with Internet television. This may take the form of a special TV set that permits users to stream Internet content, or a device such as a Roku that enables you to view your favorite shows from Netflix, Hulu and other online providers.

How Internet and TV are Changing Now

According to a report by the Washington Post, Netflix now has more than 30 million subscribers in the United States and generated more than $1 billion over the first quarter of 2013. Meanwhile, cable giant Comcast lags behind with just 21 million subscribers nationwide. This shift from traditional cable companies to online content is continuing in households across the country.

One of the largest reasons that Internet TV is on the rise is its ease and simplicity. The online universe penetrates nearly every aspect of our lives. Smart phones are ubiquitous in many markets, the majority of homes have at least one personal computer, and tablet use is rising. With such easy access to the Internet, it makes sense that TV content will follow. Rather than having to sit down and watch cable television in your home, Internet TV allows you to watch your favorite shows anywhere you get an Internet signal. This accessibility is a game-changer in the broadcast television world.

What the Future Will Look Like

The shift to online content means that you can cut the cable bill without sacrificing your favorite shows. Although the start-up costs of Internet TV can be pricier (purchasing a special TV or streaming device), most online services are significantly less expensive than traditional cable. In a talk given at the “Future of Television” conference, Mark Suster noted the large disparity in cost between creating online content versus primetime television. Many popular cable TV shows cost tens of thousands of dollars per minute to produce. In contrast, professionally produced content designed for the Internet often costs just several hundred dollars per minute. Netflix’s hugely popular show “House of Cards” is a model for other Internet television companies rushing to create original content that potentially could eventually replace cable TV.

As people move toward Internet TV, cable companies will have to scramble to keep up. Some may revise their business models, adopting online television and promoting accessibility of content. Others will dwindle in importance as consumers switch to compelling, affordable, and easy-to-use methods of watching Internet TV. Whatever changes occur, the future of television is not in big subscription cable packages watched on a television screen. Internet TV is poised to become a hugely successful model for content distribution on an array of digital devices. As a result, you’ll be able to easily watch television at home, at work, in your car— anywhere the whim may strike.