Will Triple play pay?

PCB released on the Southern hemisphere will eventually get into the blood of people in Greenland and Alaska. The people in the Arctic regions have the highest levels of PCB in the world. Why do I know? Because my TV set is on and broadcasts a Danish documentary on the subject. It followed a fashion show I watched. If I would select from TV Guide I probably would have ended up watching something else. Or nothing.

So, what's the point? The point is the fact that the broadcasting of television is more important than the content being broadcasted. And that's something I hope the telecom directors, now partying on La Croisette, keep in mind the coming years.

Triple Play (voice, data and video over IP) is the prime buzz word in the reports from Cannes this week. And it sure sounds great to be able not only to Tivo broadcasted television shows and watch it later but to eventually be able to order what ever I would like to watch. And to be able to do it on your mobile devices sounds even better.

If content is what's important that is.

TV series are important content wise. That's pretty obvious as a lot of them sell extremely well on DVD. Even those who didn't make it on the networks.

The content in the reality shows probably isn't. Instead it's about the social context, discussing the series the day after, or while it runs, with your friends. It's treated as a mutual point of reference to discuss what ever subject you can think of. Then it must be broadcasted, making sure everybody watched the same episode.

The news and sports should be consumed as they are produced. If not only the "wardrobe malfunctions" could take place so easily. But broadcasting is the key here. Who want to watch a game you know already has ended.

I think new technology can create a lot of new behaviors and needs. Myself I have become addicted to services such as IT Conversations and Audible where you can download speeches of your gurus and your favorite books or magazines direct to your Ipod. It's great in the car! Other people will discover other uses, as we have done with our mobile phones.

But the telco people also should have in mind that for many of us media consumption isn't about wathching what we want, whenever, wherever but to sit down in the sofa, with our feets on the table and our right hand on a can. Watching whatever they are showing.