On demand content is the domain of the Internet. If someone wants to see something specific, there‘s no better way today than making use of the Internet. Of course, the experience is not yet seamless to view high quality content on your big screen TV, but it’s coming quickly.

This week Apple debuted its new iPad, which in fact is the perfect device for personal media consumption. You can use it around the house or around the world. It has a screen big enough for quality viewing of shows (BTW, if I were in the magazine business, I would take note also!). For all on demand video content, this is a great device and that will tip the scale even further towards the Internet as the mainstream delivery conduit.

So, what do you do if you operate a television network or station? Go live!

Streaming live high quality video content on the Internet is still a challenge and it is very expensive to do so. Traditional, synchronous delivery of TV (broadcast, cable, satellite…) is very efficient and cost-effective for delivering high quality video content to a large audience. The advantage of live TV is that you don’t know what might happen. So people will tune-in just in case something does happen and to witness it in the very moment. Sports is a good example: It’s fun to watch the Superbowl when you don’t know who will win, how the game will unfold… not so much when it is recorded. This also applies to shows where there is audience live interaction, call-ins etc.

Don’t watch the audience disappear under your nose! Realize that things are changing and do something about it!