The TV News Broadcaster Will Be Dead In Less Than Five Years

[Fearmonger]

The TV News Broadcaster Will Be Dead In Less Than Five Years

Bill Gates is correct. If TV newsfolks want to survive they had better get their digital cameras, laptops and VJ training. Not for TV, but for their own or someone else's news blog.

Here's the scoop! (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=businessNews&storyid=2007-01-27T160433Z_01_L27910975_RTRUKOC_0_US-DAVOS-INTERNET-TV.xml&src=rss&rpc=23)

[ January 27, 2007, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: Fearmonger ]

[Roy Hobbs]

First Deadhead post!

http://www.joecunningham.com/images/deadhead.jpg

[thenewsleader12345]

oh shut up. go spread your stupid theories elsewhere...

[Spike]

What the hell is Gates talking about?

"Certain things like elections or the Olympics really point out how TV is terrible. You have to wait for the guy to talk about the thing you care about or you miss the event and want to go back and see it," he said. You have to wait for the Olympic event or for election results you want? Well, duh! How is Internet delivery going to change that? If the Olympic games are being streamed live, will Internet streaming allow me to go forward in time and see events that haven't happened? Will I be able to see the election results before the votes are tallied?

As for going back and seeing it after it has already aired, you can aleady do that. It's called Tivo.

Now, on demand service for television shows sounds promising. But this idea that there won't be a schedule is idiotic. The networks aren't going to just release an entire season of a show all at once, so that you can download them all at the same time. They will still release them on a weekly basis, at a particular time. People who want to watch Jack become a cyborg and fight the aliens during the 11th season of 24 will still "tune in" each Monday night at 9pm to see it as it is streamed.

Yeah, they'll be able to watch it later if they want, or rewind it to watch part of it again. But here again we already have Tivo. On demand television will just make it a little more flexible.

[Arctic Man]

Cripes, 1st Heidi Cullen, now this...

[Rosenblum]

Originally posted by Spike:
What the hell is Gates talking about?

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> "Certain things like elections or the Olympics really point out how TV is terrible. You have to wait for the guy to talk about the thing you care about or you miss the event and want to go back and see it," he said. You have to wait for the Olympic event or for election results you want? Well, duh! How is Internet delivery going to change that? If the Olympic games are being streamed live, will Internet streaming allow me to go forward in time and see events that haven't happened? Will I be able to see the election results before the votes are tallied?

As for going back and seeing it after it has already aired, you can aleady do that. It's called Tivo.

Now, on demand service for television shows sounds promising. But this idea that there won't be a schedule is idiotic. The networks aren't going to just release an entire season of a show all at once, so that you can download them all at the same time. They will still release them on a weekly basis, at a particular time. People who want to watch Jack become a cyborg and fight the aliens during the 11th season of 24 will still "tune in" each Monday night at 9pm to see it as it is streamed.

Yeah, they'll be able to watch it later if they want, or rewind it to watch part of it again. But here again we already have Tivo. On demand television will just make it a little more flexible.</font>[/QUOTE]yes yes Spike. Bill Gates.. another idiot in your eyes.

[ January 27, 2007, 05:08 PM: Message edited by: Rosenblum ]

[CKMD]

They said the same thing about newspapers when radio came around...then radio when tv...
Give me a break...we're already making low wages, but owning a TV station and running local news is like prinint your own money...it will remain that way for quite a while.

[wxcaster]

I'm more open to take what Gates says over what the ppl who post here say.
Yeah, they said it with newspapers, but the net is a whole different animal.
Some broadcasters might keep their gigs, but nothing (with the exception of possibly morning news) will be live ten years from now.
Ppl don't want to sit through ads. Especially this new Myspace generation.

[upandown]

Let others sweat the methods of delivery.
It's still news, and still electronic storytelling.

[The Mockingbird]

Yeah, except Gates never said TV will be dead in 5 years.

Nice try, Hitler.

[Big Poppa Pump]

Originally posted by Fearmonger:
The TV News Broadcaster Will Be Dead In Less Than Five Years

Bill Gates is correct. If TV newsfolks want to survive they had better get their digital cameras, laptops and VJ training. Not for TV, but for their own or someone else's news blog.

Here's the scoop! (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=businessNews&storyid=2007-01-27T160433Z_01_L27910975_RTRUKOC_0_US-DAVOS-INTERNET-TV.xml&src=rss&rpc=23)Yeah, ok. If Bill Gates said it it must be true.

[Poo(h)]

Originally posted by Can't Keep Me Down:

Give me a break...we're already making low wages, but owning a TV station and running local news is like prinint your own money...it will remain that way for quite a while.Tell that to Tribune, who couldn't make money if you handed 'em the damn printing press.

[Brain Cramp]

Originally posted by happynews:
oh shut up. go spread your stupid theories elsewhere...LOL. Look at your name and then look at your post, Little Miss Optimism.

[Rosenblum]

Originally posted by I have no name:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Fearmonger:
The TV News Broadcaster Will Be Dead In Less Than Five Years

Bill Gates is correct. If TV newsfolks want to survive they had better get their digital cameras, laptops and VJ training. Not for TV, but for their own or someone else's news blog.

Here's the scoop! (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=businessNews&storyid=2007-01-27T160433Z_01_L27910975_RTRUKOC_0_US-DAVOS-INTERNET-TV.xml&src=rss&rpc=23)Yeah, ok. If Bill Gates said it it must be true.</font>[/QUOTE]with him I think you can generally take it to the bank.

[The Fedora]

Mike,

until they can develop a delivery system that can handle 1080p to every household in the country, and everyone buys a computer, this isn't going to happen.

I know people who do not have a computer at home. People in this business who DO have an expensive HD set at home. As long as people are buying those big sets they will not turn to a grainy 4 inch square as their primary source of news.

Sorry Bill, not gonna happen just yet.

[SpxGrunt]

I don't disagree with Bill's assessment, but I don't think it'll happen in the next five years. I agree broadcast television (or at least broadcast news) will change in the next decade and no one will wait until the 6pm or 11pm news to find out what happened in their city, but by 2012? Nah.

[Fearmonger]

In business the marketplace can be volatile and to keep from losing your shirt the laws of economics dictate that you diversify in the name of financial safety.

People working in news publishing or broadcasting have been getting their asses kicked for the last decade with cuts of every kind. Too many of these folks have not diversified or learned any new tricks. Instead they try to hang onto an evaporating position with blind faith things will somehow get better. Getting angry or demanding a government bailout won’t change the not so slow death of local TV news.

Some folks in Medialine will somehow invent a better news mousetrap and get rich. Others will sulk and wait for someone to help them that will never materialize.

The real question is how is the Internet going to shakeout as American’s sole news provider?

I’m wondering if the YouTube generation, will even care about news or what’s going on around them? It seems the average American no longer cares about what’s going on around them or a big news scoop.

The only news I see generating any serious new interest is TMZ.COM or Perez Hilton. Americans without computers seem to get their news from the supermarket tabloids or People Magazine.

TV will only exist for informercials or movies.

This is the only guy with a future in TV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHAG1TLoyks

[ January 28, 2007, 09:50 AM: Message edited by: Fearmonger ]

[The Fedora]

Mike... Paul,

You guys do realize that we know that the only people who are pimping this idea hard are the ones (you) who want to profit off it.

You guys don't seem to realize that the majority of Americans do NOT sit at a keyboard for most of the day, nor do they want to. This isn't going to happen until the majority of Americans have a high power computer and super-fast broadband connectivity.

I love the idea but most people just are not ready.

[Fearmonger]

I want to profit from anything I can. That's inside or outside of the Internet. I know I can't profit from wotking in local TV news because of CUTS.

How many layoffs, resource and pay cuts does it take to convimnce you TV news is terminal?

[ January 28, 2007, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: Fearmonger ]

[The Fedora]

we're hiring. hell, we're even creating new positions.

[Spike]

Originally posted by Fearmonger:
I know I can't profit from wotking in local TV news because of CUTS.No, you can't profit from working in local television because you suck. But keep telling yourself otherwise if it makes you feel better.

[Fearmonger]

Originally posted by The Fedora:
we're hiring. hell, we're even creating new positions.What country are you working in?

Spike is waiting for a federal bail out to save his position...
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[cinehead]

Biil Gates? Who cares? What does Steve Jobs think?

[Aholeindhead]

"YOUR" ALL DOOMED

[Roy Hobbs]

All your jobs are belong to us.

[DoneThatToo]

Topic: The TV News Broadcaster Will Be Dead In Less Than Five Years

Sounds like you're planning at least one murder to me. Quick, somebody call the cops!

[ewink]

Originally posted by Spike:
What the hell is Gates talking about?

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> "Certain things like elections or the Olympics really point out how TV is terrible. You have to wait for the guy to talk about the thing you care about or you miss the event and want to go back and see it," he said. You have to wait for the Olympic event or for election results you want? Well, duh! How is Internet delivery going to change that? If the Olympic games are being streamed live, will Internet streaming allow me to go forward in time and see events that haven't happened? Will I be able to see the election results before the votes are tallied?</font>[/QUOTE]I think he means more along the lines of 'you have to wait for your late, local news' to see the results of your favorite event (even if it happened several hours ago) or wait for them to get around to discuss the mayors race in Padookaville.

[Big Poppa Pump]

Originally posted by Aholeindhead:
"YOUR" ALL DOOMEDI no your right and sew does everybody else! I new you were right win I saw you're spelling and grammar tongue.gif .

[Fearmonger]

The year is 2012. A local medium market TV station begins a pre-recorded newscast with its top female anchor.

"We have breaking news for you tonight. We are all dead."
http://www.themask.nl/images/Maskers/Griezel/Oma%20spook.jpg

[ January 28, 2007, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: Fearmonger ]

[Spike]

Bill Gates is ALWAYS right:

"I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important operating system, and possibly program, of all time." --Bill Gates, 1987

"We will never make a 32-bit operating system, but I'll always love IBM." --Bill Gates, 1983

"The next generation of interesting software will be done on the Macintosh, not the IBM PC." --Bill Gates, 1984

"There are no significant bugs in our released software that any significant number of users want fixed." --Bill Gates, 1995

"We've done some good work, but all of these products become obsolete so fast... It will be some finite number of years, and I don't know the number — before our doom comes." --Bill Gates, 1997

"Spam will be a thing of the past in two years' time." Bill Gates, 2004

"Sometimes we do get taken by surprise. For example, when the Internet came along, we had it as a fifth or sixth priority." --Bill Gates, 1997

That last quote is interesting because Microsoft really did get hammered when the company missed the Internet wave the first time around. Gates himself lost over ten billion dollars as Microsoft's stock plummeted. When they realized the mistake, Gates had the company completely turn around and refocus on the Internet, which was accomplished in about nine months. It was an unprecedented retooling for a company that size and is taught in business schools today.

People tend to forget that even brilliant minds make mistakes and can't always see the future. Or maybe Gates thinks HE can see the future on his Internet television that lets him watch the news from 2012.

[Rosenblum]

Originally posted by The Fedora:
Mike... Paul,

You guys do realize that we know that the only people who are pimping this idea hard are the ones (you) who want to profit off it.

You guys don't seem to realize that the majority of Americans do NOT sit at a keyboard for most of the day, nor do they want to. This isn't going to happen until the majority of Americans have a high power computer and super-fast broadband connectivity.

I love the idea but most people just are not ready.Before this year is over we will see Apple TV and several other sets that 'take' internet feeds as easily as current sets combine cable with broadcast. The viewer does not care where it comes from and soon won't know the difference.

Meanwhile, as the web becomes more and more video active, websites will have to have video or risk seeming archaic. Pornography comes first but soon followed by advertising, singles sites, home sales, car sales, eBay on and on an on... Video will become as common as text - billboards, online, TV - all becomes a wash. As for quality video and films, you'll download 'em and watch 'em when you want to. Appointment viewing will be a thing of the past.

What does it all mean (since you think I a few of us are here to profit only from this). The demand for people who can create content in video is going to be just about unlimited. There is a bright future for anyone who can shoot, cut and deliver. Of this I am sure, regardless of the platform.

[The Fedora]

It first has to be good content Mike. And to talk about quality, even Tivo can be sketchy. Sometimes it's pretty grainy, even on the high Q setting.

I am pretty discerning when sitting in front of the TV. If something is shot or written poorly I turn the channel. That doesn't apply only to me, I have non-biz friends who do the same thing. Hell, I don't understand how idiots can sit there and watch stupid stuff on YouTube. Family member's videos maybe but some of the stuff on there is just moronic.

[The Fedora]

sorry, another thought...

anytime a big news event happens people go to the tv. they may get headlines from the internet but certainly not in an emergency. One thing you folks in new york and la forget is that not everyone is connected like you are. most cities still have a LONG way to go to be wired, and you need to be wired with fiber to carry the bandwidth we're talking about. unless big bill buys everyone a computer and installs wi-max across the land, this is still far off for most of the country. I know many places where it won't play at all, never. again you need to get outside your bubble because that's not all there is. and remember, this is coming from someone who IS computer savvy and from DC.

[Fearmonger]

The national TV news will last a lot longer than local news. I envision getting cell phone alerts and getting local stuff at Internet sites.

[Pro]

The key is who can make money delivering local news. And right now, many local broadcasters are still making a healthy profit from it. Not as many as there has been in the past, but still a substantial number.

Five years seems a short period of time for local broadcasters making a profit to NOT make a profit from local news. I would think that most still will be profiting from it in five years.

Perhaps we'll see more stations drop local news in the next five years, and many stations making significant adjustments (as in cuts) to keep it profitable. But local news on broadcast television won't be extinct, not by a long shot.

[Fearmonger]

If there was no sports or weather there would be no local TV news.

[Roy Hobbs]

Local TV news will become like local radio news.

Mostly anchors and a handful of reporters at the larger shops, a couple anchors using network feeds at the others.

vo-sot-o-rama, shot by one-man bands.

[The Mockingbird]

News mediums have a life cycle, not so different from that of a star.

Television is no different. My guess is newsrooms and news coverage will shrink to a size where supply meets demand.

It's very possible that TV news will be eliminated in a lot of places. The model for this is radio news, which used to be much more diverse than today.

Also, bear in mind, many TV stations did local non-news programming even into the 70's and 80's, but it eventually ended.

Here's the thing, though: the new medium, Internet news, is just developing. A lot of the jobs haven't transitioned yet, but they will.

What's the one thing that's been true throughout newspapers, radio, TV, and beyond?

The fundamentals of good journalism and good storytelling are important, no matter how you get your audience, or who it is.

[Signature on File]

Here's Laura Tomb Raider and the Nightly News.

http://www.lostremote.com/2006/10/03/the-news-at-seven-virtual-anchor/

[TV Dad]

Originally posted by upandown:
Let others sweat the methods of delivery.
It's still news, and still electronic storytelling.Ding, ding, ding...!! We have a winner! The only journalists who will die in the upcoming revolution are those who draw a line in the sand and refuse to cross it.

[On Air]

Originally posted by The Fedora:
Mike,

until they can develop a delivery system that can handle 1080p to every household in the country, and everyone buys a computer, this isn't going to happen.

I know people who do not have a computer at home. People in this business who DO have an expensive HD set at home. As long as people are buying those big sets they will not turn to a grainy 4 inch square as their primary source of news.

Sorry Bill, not gonna happen just yet.I gotta agree with Fedora. I may hang out on my computer plenty, and even check out video online -- but I head to the TV in the TV room for watching shows and DVDs, etc. It's more comfortable in there, and even though we just have a regular old 32 or 35 or whatever inch TV screen, it's faaaar easier on the eyes and way more relaxing than my computer screen, which is in the office, much smaller and grainy.

[News Is Broken]

In the years ahead, more and more viewers will hanker after the flexibility offered by online video and abandon conventional broadcast television, with its fixed program slots and advertisements that interrupt shows, Gates said.
Isn't this the same guy who said no one will ever need more than 640KB of memory?

I seriously doubt that everyone is going to sh!tcan all their brand new multi million dollar HDTV broadcasting gear just because Billy Gates says "The End is Near!" Pfft.

I do already see stations moving from a live broadcast to an on demand internet based distribution model, and see no reason for that trend not to continue. But there will still be signal on the airwaves to go with it, long after 5 years have passed. The newscast will become the "appetizer", enticing viewers to visit the stations' website for more information and coverage.

[The Mockingbird]

Isn't this the same guy who said no one will ever need more than 640KB of memory?
Nope, urban legend.

[Lazlo Toth]

I remember a producer telling me in the mid 1970's that because of the growing use of live trucks, news anchors would soon be a thing of the past and the newsast would be all reporters from the field.

The future is sometimes hard to predict, but it's the only thing we get to predict, so I guess we'll have to stick wtih it.

[Ralphie the buffalo]

I wish Bill Gates would concentrate more effort on releasing software that wasn't so buggy it needs weekly patches.

While he was at it he could try to make that same software more secure so we don't have to worry about hackers roaming freely.

These are just a couple thing that I think are more important than making my computer into a televison.

[News Is Broken]

You guys are blind if you don't realize that we will soon all be replaced by robots (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4714135.stm). graemlins/eusa_whistle.gif

[News Is Broken]

Originally posted by Ralphie the buffalo:

These are just a couple thing that I think are more important than making my computer into a televison.Yes, perhaps from a consumer standpoint. But from Gates standpoint, making your computer into a TV broadens his potential customer base and is a very high priority. His remarks are no more surprising than it would be to have the CEO of General Mills state that more people need to eat breakfast.

[Roy Hobbs]

Originally posted by News Is Broken:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ralphie the buffalo:

These are just a couple thing that I think are more important than making my computer into a televison.Yes, perhaps from a consumer standpoint. But from Gates standpoint, making your computer into a TV broadens his potential customer base and is a very high priority. His remarks are no more surprising than it would be to have the CEO of General Mills state that more people need to eat breakfast.</font>[/QUOTE]Yes, but the state of local news makes me want to lose my lunch.

[Fearmonger]

The guys like Spike who scream about the VJ concept need to offer another solution to save TV news as they want it.

As much as I see content quality vanishing via VJs I know I need to know how to do this as well as it can be done.

[Union Label]

If Steve Jobs said it rather than Bill Gates, I might pay a little more attention. If I were a betting man, I'd bet on TV newscasters being around longer than Microsoft.

[Union Label]

Originally posted by Arctic Man:
Cripes, 1st Heidi Cullen, now this...First Heidi Game Post!

http://www.raiders.com/images/pics/history_davidson.jpg

[Union Label]

Originally posted by Fearmonger:
The national TV news will last a lot longer than local news. I envision getting cell phone alerts and getting local stuff at Internet sites.Just found this picture of Fearmonger envisioning the future on the Drudge website:

http://www.gb.tomshardware.com/NewsImages/2004/0000811/crystal-ball.jpg

[ January 29, 2007, 09:34 PM: Message edited by: Union Label ]

[Tripe Face]

Originally posted by upandown:
Let others sweat the methods of delivery.
It's still news, and still electronic storytelling.Amen AMEN.

Now U&D if you could just learn how to tell a story. ;)

I've got a book for you to read if you think it would help. ;)

[Eeps Snorps Now]

Originally posted by Roy Hobbs:
Local TV news will become like local radio news.

Mostly anchors and a handful of reporters at the larger shops, a couple anchors using network feeds at the others.

vo-sot-o-rama, shot by one-man bands.Absolutely correct. There will still be a need for well-crafted, well-shot and well-told packaged stories though. But the days of cranking out reporter packages and live shots and meaningless standups on everything that moves are going the way of the caboose. What it comes down to is, what's your own role in the industry going to be? Will you be the VJ out there cranking out the daily VOs? Or will you be the go-to reporter who will have the luxury of time and a dedicated photog to do the compelling showcase stories which will still define each station's own newscasts & website(s)? "Grunt" VJ's will be paid at one level, "signature" reporters will be paid at another level. You can fight it and mock it, but that's your choice if you want to stay in the industry and put kibble in your bowl.

[Fake Post]

Originally posted by Gravefully Sinful:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Roy Hobbs:
Local TV news will become like local radio news.

Mostly anchors and a handful of reporters at the larger shops, a couple anchors using network feeds at the others.

vo-sot-o-rama, shot by one-man bands.Absolutely correct. There will still be a need for well-crafted, well-shot and well-told packaged stories though. But the days of cranking out reporter packages and live shots and meaningless standups on everything that moves are going the way of the caboose. What it comes down to is, what's your own role in the industry going to be? Will you be the VJ out there cranking out the daily VOs? Or will you be the go-to reporter who will have the luxury of time and a dedicated photog to do the compelling showcase stories which will still define each station's own newscasts & website(s)? "Grunt" VJ's will be paid at one level, "signature" reporters will be paid at another level. You can fight it and mock it, but that's your choice if you want to stay in the industry and put kibble in your bowl.</font>[/QUOTE]Let's take it a step further. Will there even be tv news operations or will there just be news "content providers" who pay hourly wages or small salaries to news gatherers? The day of the six figure anchors/reporters will go the way of the Edsel.

So, UandD, you may be telling stories for the love of it and the big paycheck be damned.

[ January 30, 2007, 07:05 PM: Message edited by: Fake Post ]