Ever since i discovered BitTorrent several weeks ago, its been an interesting experience: with the power to Peer-2-Peer (P2P), the Internet almost seems like one huge multi-media jukebox. The power in the hands of the consumer is tremendous, the revolution of P2P is reminiscent of the magnitude of the birth of the original Napster. No wonder media executives are scampering for protection from the Courts.
The latest movies, tv shows, music, games, patches -- God, its an incredible hypermarket of digital property. The Internet is a huge place, the number of users in the hundreds of millions, the proliferation of broadband is exploding, tools to digitize and distribute intellectual property readily available and easy to use -- a recipe for massive intellectual theft.
Browsing through the popular Pirate Bay, there is a countless number of video files available for download. Feel like watching the latest season of 24? There ya go, 8.2GB of video, 24 episodes, the complete season. How about the latest Russel Crowe movie, Cinderella Man? Sure, its a cinema rip so its probably pretty unclear, but its there. Looking for better quality video? How about DVD-quality Spiderman 2? Let's not forget music and the latest PC/PS2/Xbox games. You'll be able to find most of them there.
Eat your heart out Astro -- its almost impossible to beat the depth and breadth of available digital media entertainment available via P2P. The only thing remaining to complete the P2P circuit is the ability to broadcast. Imagine: P2P broadcasting (web streaming), impossible to shutdown, impossible to pin on any particular user, and virtually limitless in its programming. Imagine our TV sets with built-in P2P broadcasting and viewing capabilities! The stuff of media dreams - true media on demand! - will no longer be a fantasy.
In recent years, VOIP has demonstrated the potential to crush the chokehold telcos have on voice communication, P2P media broadcasting has the potential to make TV stations almost irrelevant. Give a means for P2P broadcasting to feature ad dollars, and you'll begin to see massive syphoning from traditional ad channels -- that will truly be the end of traditional AV media broadcasters.
If i was a broadcaster reading this, i wouldn't be worried at the possibilities of P2P. The music industry only started moving when they began to see their revenue from sales evaporate. They only started acting when they realised the courts would not be able to offer total protection; if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Thus we have the success of the iTunes Store, and the like. Broadcasters require ad/subscription dollars to survive, "airtime" is their product on sale. There is a tremendous opportunity here for broadcasters with a bit of vision -- its right there, still a bit green, but definitely worth a punt. Totally legitimate P2P media broadcasting -- everyone gets a piece of the ad/subscription-dollars induced pie.
Ananda, my boy -- will you make your move?
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