Times are changing in TV land.

While we in NZ still have restrictive broadband limitations in speed and monthly data caps, the world moves ahead in the use of streaming video.

Offerings such as Hulu and Netflix, plus streaming options through other providers such as Amazon mean that video delivered over the internet is dominating internet traffic in those markets.

But even in New Zealand, on demand video is becoming more and more prevalent. MySky allows for easy recording and playback of shows from SkyTV’s plethora of channels and the free to air networks have the OnDemand services where you can catch up on shows you have missed only a day later.

But what this “on demand” method of consuming video (and audio) does, is it puts the control of the content back into the viewers hands.

Apart from live events such as sport, where the “watching it live” component is eminently important, most other forms of TV or movies can be consumed at the viewers leisure. No more checking the TV guide and planning your life around when a particular show is on, just watch it when you like.

Imagine a world where you can pick and choose all of the shows you want to watch with no reliance on date and time.

What impact could this have on the different parts of the ecosystem?

Producers of Content: Major producers might be more selective of what content they invest in and so the number of productions might reduce in size (possibly better funded). Independent producers of content such as the Twit Network may be encouraged to produce more content to fill the gaps left my changed in major network production.

Advertisers: Much improved analytics and viewer statistics will allow for much more targeted advertising. Ads for lower rating shows will reflect those lower ratings and advertisers can get a real idea as to the viewership of their ad portfolio.

Consumers: Fringe shows (from the current model) will become even more marginalised until they disappear. Niche shows will be created by nimble producers focussed on fanatical audiences. The only scheduled shows will be live events.

I like this future as it enables true choice for the consumer and a better experience.

Matt Cutts released one of his Webmaster videos discussing this and while there is not much in it (to the point he said not to change it if you already have underscores), that if you are starting a new site, dashes are the way to go.

Once that I think is really good is that of the band Incubus.

They are releasing a new album soon called If Not Now,When? and using (as far as I can tell) a novel method to promote the album, have been using a website called http://www.incubushqlive.com/ where they have been streaming live performances from the band plus interviews and clinics from band members.

But it also seems to be a great way to promote the band while practising for upcoming appearnaces and concert tour.

Each of the performances can be attended by emailing the site and getting an invite. The venue is small, only really big enough for a ring of people around the band as they play their set. The performances have been a mix of old songs and those off the new album.

The interaction of the band with the small audience is great too, they make mistakes, laugh about it and go again, till they get it right.

Most performances I have seen there have been over 4 thousand people watching the stream. Tweets with the bands hashtag get displayed live on the screen behind the band.

All in all a great use of social media and technology to promote an upcoming album.

Speaking of social media, how did I find out about this? Facebook. I’m a fan and so follow them on Facebook, where they have been advertising what has been happening at “HQ” leading up to the album release. This along with their website provide all of the information needed for fans to get prepared.

All we need now is for them to come to NZ   *hint, hint*

For the broadcasts I have seen, they are, for the most part, well presented and produced pieces. With a variety of themes around technology there is a good range to keep techheads up to date with whats happening.

For me the ones I return to are TNT with Tom Merritt, All about Android and The Week in Google

All have one or more main presenters usually with guests beamed in to the show by video.

There seems to be good banter between the hosts and guests which makes for a much more watchable experience.

Go and have a look for yourself.

The panel consist of 10 media types and 18 sports people from a wide range of sports. Interestingly, none of them are from Football.

Possibly sentiment carried the day, Dick Taylor is due to resign as he didn’t “agree with the end result.”

As the President of the Canterbury Rugby Supporters Club, you could guess that football is not his favourite sport, but his beef seems mainly that he thinks you must win something to be eligible.

“Really, they (All Whites) didn’t win anything. Part of the criteria for the Halbergs is about people winning or high achieving.”

He mentions that bit at the end “or high achieving” as a bit of a throw away, but it does change the criteria significantly.

Is high achieving significantly surpassing everything people expect of you?

If so then the All Whites were a shoe in for the award.

People expect the All Blacks to win, The Kiwis and Silver Ferns are one of only 2 or 3 contenders for every trophy. This is a massive achievement in the world of football.

Giving the award to a “non winner” has precendent:

Here is a list of recent winners:

• 1990 Halberg Award Winner – Peter Blake
• 1991 Halberg Award Winner – Philippa Baker
• 1992 Halberg Award Winner – Annelise Coberger
• 1993 Halberg Award Winner – New Zealand Men’s Amateur Golf Team
• 1994 Halberg Award Winner – Philippa Baker & Brenda Lawson
• 1995 Halberg Award Winner – America’s Cup Team
• 1996 Halberg Award Winner – Danyon Loader – (1990s Decade Champion)
• 1997 Halberg Award Winner – Beatrice Faumuinã
• 1998 Halberg Award Winner – Rob Waddell
• 1999 Halberg Award Winner – Rob Waddell
• 2000 Halberg Award Winner – Rob Waddell
• 2001 Halberg Award Winners – Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell
• 2002 Halberg Award Winners – New Zealand Men’s Basketball Team
• 2003 Halberg Award Winners – SILVER FERNS (netball)
• 2004 Halberg Award Winner – SARAH ULMER (cycling)
• 2005 Halberg Award Winner – MICHAEL CAMPBELL (golf)
• 2006 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: MAHE DRYSDALE (ROWING).
• 2007 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: VALERIE VILI (ATHLETICS).
• 2008 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: VALERIE VILI (ATHLETICS).
• 2009 HALBERG AWARD WINNER: VALERIE VILI (ATHLETICS).

Full Details can be found here and here

The 2004 triumph of the Tall Blacks is a similar award of the Halbergs to a non winner, their amazing 4th in the world championships is arguably an ever bigger non winning achievement.

It was also a great result for Winston Reid’s equalising goal as the Sporting Moment award. I was awake, ready to pack the kids off to bed after a competent, but anticpated loss.

But THAT goal changed everything. The kids were buzzing. They didnt want to miss the other games and the whole World Cup took on another dimension from that point onwards.

Enjoy these…

God on you Boys, well done!

We provide her website services and it is a real priviledge to help her in this way.

Here is a great view of her doing a flying lap at Hampton Downs (around 240 kph down the straight and it still didn’t sound flat out!)

Well done Av! Check out her website here

This one with Bruce Clay, at 18 minutes long, is a great discussion around search, how it has grown, broadened in it’s nature to include Interactive Marketing and Optimisation on many levels.

He makes a few key points:

1. The new first page is actually the top three, especially as results are continually refined and made more personal
2. The distinction between Search and Find, Search being research based, looking for overall information, whereas Find is all about what is around me know, especially on Mobile
3. How Google’s Caffeine update has made the “accidental long tail”, ie those pages that are found for a phrase when that page is not about that phrase, less findable while improving the rankings for intended long tail pages.

Check out the video for some interesting information

More WebProNews Videos

Unlike Parkinson or other chatshows with 10-20 minute interviews, his internet only format has some interviews of over 2 hours.

The additional scope this gives can provide for some compelling interviews

He has done nearly 30 shows now, including one of Jane Campion, the New Zealand director of recently released Bright Star and earlier works like The Piano and An Angel at my Table.

I really like the fact that these interviews are unconstrained and allows the interviewee to provide in depth answers to the questions posed.

Also, the use of viewer questions from Twitter and the online chat room get real viewer participation in the show.

It was great to hear Kevin tell other celebrities to embrace new media and what benefits it offers.

Once of the questions I am asked is which of these are most important, what should they focus on first.

As usual, there is no definitive answer, but it becomes more about :

• What you want to achieve from social media and social networking
• Who do you want to say
• How much time do you want to apply to this

Twitter only gives you 140 characters at a time to talk aobut something, this is OK for many things: announcements, short comments, conversations, but not so good for somehitng more detailed.

This is where Blogs have it over most other forms of social media. The ability to be as brief as you like or as detailed as you like.

Also, your content is more permanent. Twitter tweets are much more “in the moment” as they pass in front of your followers.

Recent changes in search, where Bing and Google have both announced that they are entering agreements with Twitter to provide tweets in search results, means that what you say in Twitter will be available to more than just your followers.

So there is a place for both (or any facet of Social Media). There are plenty of addons that allow you to synchronise your entries across the different platforms (just make sure the duplication is appropriate for each audience)

Here is a video from Webpronews about Blogs (specifically Blogger) and Twitter and how you can get the benefits of both

These days the advent of broadcast technology has allowed for both sides to get their stories to the masses.

When the fallout of the Iranian elections was happening, the Iranian government tried to stop the spread of news by attempting to block access to these broadcast media, text, mobile phones and the internet.

Twitter emerged as a key conduit for locals to be able to get 140 character snippets of information out, uncensored and definitely not what the government wanted people to hear.

Reading tweets today (24th Sept 09) saw a proliferation of people talking about the police actions against protesters in Pittsburgh.

Accompanied by a lot of the tweets were links to video and news stories covering the event. Youtube carried plenty of videos made by people at the locations where demonstrations were being held.

This widespread saturation of user generated content means that government officials, the police and others involved in these confrontations are more exposed than ever to what happens and the ensuing debate and discussion will have real evidence (especially video) to back up claims from either side.

Propaganda is much more difficult in these days of Twitter, Youtube and Civilian Reporters.