Films by television? It'll never catch on.

[Brigham]

It won't be lack of demand that ends off-air television. It's the fact that it is one-way. Anyone can watch it without signing a contract. How can you debit someone's bank account, if you don't know what he's watched?
I've heard talk of electric meters which automatically dock your pay. Why not Television?

[dtvmcdonald]

In the US its normal for all utilities, including "cable TV" (which includes
on the same line telephone and internet) to dock your bank account (though not "pay".

[Brigham]

It appears to be heading here.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Brigham

It won't be lack of demand that ends off-air television. It's the fact that it is one-way.

I think the 2 big killers of over-the-air TV is that it doesn't do 'on demand', and you can't watch it on your phobe/tablet.

For most people under-40 the idea of arranging your life so you can watch a particular program at a particular time "because that's when it's broadcast" is entirely alien. (only live sport, and a few traditions like Corrie/Eastenders/X-factor still can get mass-concurrent-viewing audiences). Similarly the idea of TV "channels" and linear-programming where you watch the same channel for hours - people don't want someone else arranging their viewing-schedules for them and often don't actually know/care what channel a particular program is on [despite the on-screen-branding and DOGs].

If little Timmy wants to watch Peppa Pig - he expects to be able to watch it now, not in six hours time. Broadcast TV fails spectacularly at this; it doesn't have a 'pause' button either!

Live sport - on a pay-per-view model - will probably be the last hangout of broadcast TV. Everything else will likely be on Netflix/Amazon/Youtube or equivalents - and much of it will be viewed on portable personal-devices.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Brigham

It appears to be heading here.

I see this as perfectly normal - all my utilities (and the council-tax and the health/dental-insurance) have been on direct-debit/paperless billing for the last 25 years.

[dave walsh]

I don't want to start another thread but I hope it's appropriate to flag up here that today is the 70th ANNIVERSARY of the unfortunate death of JOHN LOGIE BAIRD in BEXHILL ON SEA in 1946-just before he was due in London to unveil a new CRT Colour TV System

I'm in the North so I await with interest any mention in the Bexhill Observer!
I've mentioned there that trying to decide who "invented" television is a bit of a non question but Baird [like Bill Gates] certainly got the attention and [in my opinion] is seriously under-rated.

It often seems like a minority opinion though so I have been delighted to see that Aerodyne [Tony T] advocates that view. He's written a very impressive article on Campbell Swinton in the current Radio Bygones that starts by pointing out [in a very comprehensive way] the folly within the "invention" argument. I'd have a drink to JLB normally but a dental emergency and some horse strength antibiotics preclude this-unfortunately

Maybe some smoky single malt in a few days? I could combine that it with the other major event on the 23rd!

Dave W

[peter_scott]

Hi Dave,

There is no denying that Baird was great at exciting the public imagination about television and I think his name is securely linked with it but in terms of unsung heros Campbell Swinton must be the real star. I haven't seen Aerodyne's article but Campbell Swinton's paper of 1911 conceives the real television as we know it years before any of the other major players. Just compare his concept with that of Zworykin more than a decade later here.

Peter

[dave walsh]

Thanks Peter, I've just picked up your response. Thanks for the link. There's no doubt, from what he's written, that Tony is in agreement with you!
Cheers,
Dave