Broadcast and the PC

October 18th, 2004

More evidence that technology is changing the world we are livng in.

From the mediapost website an article on Microsoft and their newly converged piece of kit designed I would imagine to capture audiences and lure them away from conventional broadcast media.

There They Go Again: Microsoft’s Latest Foray Into Television

Wayne Friedman writes:

Microsoft wants to make a bigger leap into TV, rolling out its latest version of Microsoft XP Media Center, which will use specially-configured personal computers that turn a PC into a photo album, music player, DVD player and, last but not least, a TV set with a built-in digital recorder.

This newly converged world will be a battle royal and for SMLXL what we see is that business models are under threat, and therefore companies need to rethink how they market themselves and how they differentiate. How do they survive. It won’t be more of the same, that’s for sure.

Friedman finally says:

So what makes us believe that it will go any better for Microsoft with Media Center? Maybe it needs better marketing solutions. Does it have a catchy name? Will it have groovy advertising? And most of all will the product be easy to use? Perhaps Microsoft has answers. Apple Computer could offer one way on how to do it. Look at the Ipod.
TV is different and more complicated. Microsoft is already involved with cable set-top boxes, and other technology such as WebTV. But do TV consumers need a new hodgepodge device that seemingly does everything in an adequate way – but maybe not great way. Think of those fax/printer/copy machines that do an okay job for each individual task – but not great for any single one.
The New York Times has it right: “Television has been something of great white whale for Microsoft.”
More accurately, it is a whale with the flu – in search of a hard-to-come-by flu shot.

I wonder what the broadcasters think?

Additiional reading:
Gates: Broadcast TV model faces irrelevancy

Bookmarks: