Is television going the way of the music industry?

In the long run, web viewership will certainly damage traditional television ratings/revenues. We're seeing in our society a growing refusal to honor standard entertainment delivery packages. As the balance of power shifts from the hegemonic RIAA (and its borderline unconstitutional copyright monopoly) and the powerbrokers of the three big networks to file sharing, MP3s, "TIVO", and video streaming, consumers are unwilling to accept broken or frustrating product distribution.

For example, the twenty dollar CD with one desirable song, the shoddy theatre that plays fifteen minutes of commercials before the crappy movie begins, or the television network that airs important shows one time and then expects you to maybe catch it on a rerun or patiently wait a year to buy it on DVD. People want their content when and how they want it; they don't want companies dictating how they receive their entertainment.

Those that adapt and offer good products will thrive from the increased exposure and ancillary revenue streams (even if they're receiving less from traditional advertising); those that don't, will cry foul and dwindle away. Hard core pirates cannot be stopped -- just about everyone else will pay a fair price for a fair product so long as they aren't having a ten p.m. Friday time slot rammed down their throats.