On-Demand Programming Is Shaking Up The Old Order, And Quickly

As is frequently the case, the Christian Science Monitor waits a while

before tackling the meaning of a cultural or business trend, but when

it finally weighs in, it does so stylishly and with real credibility.

And so it is this week with the subject of on-demand TV, which rather

suddenly is shaking up local stations that, until days ago, had

locked up exclusive access to the best programming. And now--not.

"The rise of the on-demand world has local suppliers of content

everywhere unsettled," writes the Monitor's Randy Dotinga. "In one

sense, it's the classic tale of old-guard businesses struggling to

withstand a disruptive technology. (Think Napster and the record

industry.) But it's also a lesson in how media are benefiting by

embracing the new broadcast landscape of content without boundaries.

The spike in the number of TV shows available online has put network

affiliates on notice. 'Let's face it: The Internet eliminates middlemen,' says Terry Heaton, a broadcast

consultant in Nashville, Tenn. 'And your local broadcaster is the

middleman.'"

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