TV WIll Be Online & Ad Free - Rubel

When we spoke to someone at ad firm Doubleclick recently they suggested that the way YouTube will monetize their site is through placing ads at the start or the end of users’ videos. We weren’t that ‘psyched’ by the idea - it kinda destroys the concept of the users being in control. iFilm forces users to watch ads before they get to the film they have chosen - and we wonder if that is part of the reason why iFilm never became the YouTube it could have been.

So, with all this talk about interruption advertising it was quite refreshing to read marketing bod Steve Rubel’s post that suggests that if we look at the HBO model for inspiration, the future of TV will not be ad supported but user funded:

Now, some content will always remain free and ad-supported. However, in the future - as technology progresses - you will have to pay for the best programming, even if it’s carried by ABC, NBC, Fox or CBS. These shows will be sold a-la-carte, as subscriptions or in packages and they will all be delivered over the Internet protocol. Once purchased you will be able to watch these shows on any number of portable devices/phones, a computer or on your Internet-connected HDTV.

Micro Persuasion: TV’s Future is an Ad-Free, A-La-Carte Model