WebTV Is Dead

"WebTV is dead" was the catchphase from the lips of Sharon Bayley, Manager WebTV at Microsoft UK at the recent Digital People "schmooze fest" in the swanky Montegue Hotel off Russell Square. Amongst other speakers at this forum for the "Future of Interactive TV" was Steve Billinger, Director of Interactive TV at BSkyB; Paul Robinson, Vice- President at The Disney Channel and Tim Hayward, Media strategist at HHC.

The well subscribed event brought an interesting selection of VC's, head-hunters, techies, TV people and inevitable lawyers to hear what some of the main driving forces for Interactive TV had to say. And they said ... nothing new. It was actually uncomfortable how indecisive and vague they all still were on the timeframe and standards for this "new dawn" for Television. The only clear comments came from the very sharp Mr Billinger, concerning the importance of brand values is a converging market and that content is key. Hardly a revelation though.

The stinger came from "Little Miss" WebTV, who proclaimed, albeit rather nervously, that "WebTV is dead" and that Microsoft had no intention of introducing the US-product based service to the UK. Maybe they have realised that surfing the net on your TV is far from a pleasurable experience and so now are working with all the content providers to "trial" their software to try and find a use for it as they have obviously no idea.

Either way, the same arguments rebound. How are people going to make money in an advertising led business model, if the advertisers are unconvinced about "click here for more information [and so you miss the rest of the other ads]" type of technology and the broadcasters are unsure which standards support. The original "bad boy" of advertising, Tim Hayward, went on record saying that the complete advertising industry will see a "major shake-up in the next two to three years, as the consumers take-up this new technology and demand more interactive ads beyond the 30 second commercials shot on 35mm."

No matter who says what and when it is predicted to happen, it is the UK broadcast regulators, the ITC that are going to have to wake up to the fact that there is a "revolution" going on and if they are going to keep the UK at the forefront of it, they have got to get a grip and make sure everyone talking the same language.

© ninfomania