Paradigm Shift
In the Digital Era more People Watch TV Online
With media consumption trends constantly changing and with more and more people spending time increasing times online the trends in watching television too have changed as well. Although the primary source of entertainment yet remains the television, many people especially youngsters prefer or are more inclined to view the internet as a source of entertainment.
In fact, internet television refers to the digital distribution of television content via the internet and those who watch online TV have the freedom to choose from an archive of content or from a channel directory.
There are two methods by which a person can watch TV online; he can either stream the content online (directly to a media player) or download the media to their computer. Streaming refers to the quality of the content that is being transferred from the different servers/distributors to the user’s screen.
There are a number of Indian channels which are popular such as Zee TV, Star Plus, Star Jalsa, Sony TV, Colors TV, Life OK, Sahara One, SAB TV, etc. which are popular for the regional shows that they telecast. These channels all have their own websites. There are a number of online portals where people can watch Hindi shows online for free. They can even be streamed and watched in HD (high definition).
Watching TV online is like 'catching up' on television. A person does not need to wait for the timing of the show or even be in the same country where the channel is being telecast. They can watch these shows at their convenience from their home or any other location. Many brands such as Apple’s iTV, Google TV, Hulu and even Amazon are all trying to get a slice into this media business.
Some of the popular Hindi TV shows in India which are viewed online include Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Bade Acche Lagte Hai and The Bachelorette India.
One of the most popular trends is watching live TV online which refers to the streaming of the television show on the internet of an event or show as it occurs in real timing. This is very different from on-demand streaming where the content has previously been recorded. In such cases the person can access the information at any time of their choice. YouTube is one of the most popular on-demand streaming sites.
While the quality of live streaming may be extremely variable, the quality is largely determined by the amount of bandwidth that the website has purchased for transmitting the content.