January 9th, 2009
2009 the year content is unlocked
The word this week is that Hollywood has decided it is better to have an audience on its own terms than to not have one at all.
Boxee is unlocking all those proprietary protocols aimed at keeping TV off your PC. Apple is selling iTunes without DRM. All sorts of walls are coming down.
The zeitgeist was perfectly captured by new TV star Rachel Maddow, on The Daily Show. She admitted she doesn’t own a TV, but watches Jon Stewart on “the online machine.”
Maddow, whose hair and makeup is tarted up on MSNBC but who goes on other shows looking more like Ms. Magoo (not that there’s anything wrong with that), was speaking for a growing segment of the audience, the audience of the future.
Convergence is here, whether we like it or not. Hollywood is going to try and deal with it the best it can, forcing commercials but embracing the Web, while keeping its lobbyists well fed so it can shake down consumers wherever they can.
The copyright wars are over, in other words, and the Internet won. Entertainment will change dramatically as a result. Will the Web?
In other words now that the Rubicon has been crossed what will happen to content? Will the long form disappear in favor of clips? Will TV starts start getting paid like plumbers?
We’re about to find out.
UPDATE: One indication of the future. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales says his plea for funds over the holidays was a success, despite the economy.
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. You can follow Dana on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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