Connecting the Big Tube to the Big Screen

I like the ITU's explanation of 'broadband'. What surprises me is that there has been little push by firms to come up with a consumer-friendly setup to connect the Big Tube to the Big Screen.

PayTV (especially in Australia) is an absolute rip-off. There is simply not enough content. Meanwhile, there is so much content on the Net but it is expensive to buy all the equipment and difficult to obtain the know-how to set up a Big Screen with a PC for watching Net content.

If I had a Net business, I would work out the least expensive way to setup the Big Tube to the Big Screen and package the equipment with a Net plan so that I would never have to be 'broadcast at' again - I could simply 'tune-in' or find what I wanted when it suited me.

In the meantime, I would be interested in any ideas on how people are veiwing Big Tube to Big Screen content. I just hope it happens in my lifetime and is not thwarted by the interests of those who wish to keep me stuck with free-to-air television programs which are little more than Big Ads.

Minister for Broadband: How much 'evidence' do you need?

Optus will participate in the government's ISP filtering trial. If I was an Optus customer, I wouldn't be now! Imagine knowing that your ISP was blocking your access to the Net? The Big Brotherness of the whole idea is just unpalatable.

According to the Minister for Broadband, the justification for the trial is to provide 'evidence':

"The participation of Optus will help ensure the government obtains robust results from the pilot, which will inform the evidence-based development of our ISP filtering policy"

Evidence-based policy, as the process is known in policy circles, is meant to provide a rational means for developing policy. It fits comfortably with the ideas of the rational, choice-making individual operating in a market economy. Yet not everyone agrees that policy-making can ever be a rational process.

But the problem is so irrational it must be poking the Minister for Broadband's eye out. How much evidence is needed to prove that ISP filtering is unwelcome in Australia's liberal democracy? Do you really need the statistics to prove that this policy deserves to be scrapped now? Has there been a single voice which supports the idea of ISP filtering? How much evidence do you really need to stop pushing this policy?

This feeble attempt at 'evidence-based policy' should be called what it is: nothing less than a sham.

This post was me exercising my right to free speech. Regrettably, Optus customers may have trouble viewing my post.

Traditional media on the ropes?

Since refusing to pay the ridiculous prices for PayTV services, I have been reduced to watching free-to-air television. Watching 'Today' this morning, I notice that the traditional media is increasingly turning to youtube, Facebook and twitter for content.

The content on 'Today' consists of a significant portion of New Media snippets. Even the Hollywood session was dominated by twitter and youtube.

'Today' has become 'The Footy Show' of New Media. Commentary on youtube videos and so forth is a bit like watching former footy players talk about what is happening on the field. It seems the traditional journalists are increasingly taking on this role as 'former' and commenting on the breaking stories emerging from New Media.

Does this mean the traditional media is on the ropes?