While it will certainly be interesting to see which owners put their content up for internet consumption, I’m far more curious about the business models they will choose. What will the role be of subscriptions? Pay-per-view? Advertising? What new models will emerge? How long will it take for the marketplace to accept video content created specifically for the internet?
Any content that delivers a good value in entertainment is likely to succeed, no matter who produces it. As much as I would like to have re-runs of Dinosaurs and Perry Mason delivered to my TV over the internet, I’m perfectly happy for now with fake commercials and videos of Steve Ballmer dancing around the stage at the Microsoft sales conference. That stuff is very entertaining . . . and it’s free.
