The Evolving Television

I just read this news story about television and the internet. You will note that due to the popularity of YouTube, the television networks are on the move to change the availability of television. Due to copyright violations of uploaders, television shows or snippets of them are all over YouTube. YouTube only has an obligation to remove them once they have been notified of the violation and, therefore, unless the television networks go after all the little guys, they will need to find another way to combat the viewing by offering the same themselves. Isn't it quite ironic that they have to use competition of what is already theirs to resolve the issue?

I've often wondered why the networks have not utilized the internet more already. It seems to me that they provide television for free through advertising as it is, so why not through the internet through advertising also?

However, as the new era of television seems to be on the horizon, I wonder about the damages to family values this may cause. I am picturing my husband and I on our own laptops, each sitting in bed side by side, watching our personal television sets, while the children are in their own rooms doing the same. Is this where television is headed? It is bad enough when the whole family sits staring at one television set, not communicating with each other. However, at least they are in the same room together and able to discuss the show they are watching. Granted, most homes have more than one television, but consider that laptops would mainly be for personal viewing. How many times have we read over the years that television messes with quality family time?

As a young person, I would often dream about what the future would be like, especially upon watching shows like the Jetsons. I do believe we are being given a sneak peak of the future today.