[Horizon]

Originally Posted by Phunkenstein

And I have indicated before on this thread/forum, linear programming will evolve with the advent of IP and 5G maybe becoming more algorithmic or targeted - and we are already seeing on things like Pluto and Peacock taking advantage of that with themed channels like James Bond 24/7, things like the SNL channel taking advantage of it's considerable back catalogue and downright oddities like an entire channel of Bob Ross!

Linear will just be part of the overall tv experience (and granted, maybe not the primary part) but I also think IP technology might allow it to go in some really interesting directions, especially for those businesses with a deep catalogue of content to exploit.

Yes, what I've always called true Smart TV or intelligent tv, where the lines between a tv channel and VOD become blurred.

Think of something like Youtube mixed with something like BBC1, that's where tv is heading, me thinks. We've already had earlier versions of this with the BBC's press red button, but if you mix a Youtube style algorithm into a "live" linear channel, things then get very interesting. One minute you're watching a "live" channel, but a suggestion pops up suggesting something else, so you watch that on the "live" channel instead. Very soon your version of BBC1 becomes completely different to my version of BBC1, yet we're both still watch the same "channel".

But just to add a spanner into the works of the discussion from the last few (100..) pages or so, even before streaming and VOD came along, most "live" linear channels are not live in the truest sense. It's all automated and controlled by computer.

---------- Post added at 15:06 ---------- Previous post was at 14:57 ----------

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

Arquiva has pulled out of Freeview leaving ITV, BBC, Channel 4 and channel 5 to fund it.
https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020...t-of-freeview/

(don't get excited OB what the link doesn't say is other investors are interested including tech giant Microsoft)

I've always thought that the tech giants will start making big moves and if I'm right (which would be a first) I think we will see a complete reversal of what has been called vertical integration, where the same company owns both a physical network and the content that goes on that network.

The question I would have for Microsoft is, are they simply interested in the middleware, as it used to be called, the EPG software of Freeview, or are their ambitions wider, ie making actual tv shows and films themselves?