Post by sdI wonder if Youtube, Veoh, Dailymotion,etc... could play a bigger role
then currently? Funimation had put the Funimation Channel on Youtube
to watch some of the animes they distribute and I wonder if it might
be only the tip of the iceberg?
The TV networks did it as a way to stem the problem of the illegal
downloads. However, they have actually cut back a bit on some shows. And
many of the TV services only keep the files available for a couple weeks, so
it's alright for those who missed the week's episode but not for those who
might be trying to catch up. Putting the stuff on YouTube would put DVD
sales at risk. But it's still just experimental for them and it could
disappear in a few years. They might simply decide any loss from illegal
downloads is smaller than the cost of preventing them.
Funimation has been unusual, however one must remember that what they're
doing is redistributing something that already aired overseas that networks
here aren't interested in. They distribute via the Internet as a way to get
viewers interested in buying the DVDs. If people don't see the show and
don't know it exists, they won't buy the DVDs.
Whereas just about of the (successful) US produced product is sold to other
channels overseas and doesn't need Internet distribution. Networks are
simply following a potential trend of the Internet becoming the new
distribution medium for TV. But as it now stands it's nowhere profitable
enough to justify the costs needed to produce the TV shows people are use
to. Even DVD sales are more profitable. So don't expect much in the way of
free distribution for mainstream TV until they can work out a proper way to
get advertisers to cover online distribution properly, and that doesn't
appear it will happen anytime soon.
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