Flashback to 10 years ago: A disgruntled, 11-year-old Casey is unhappy. Why? Because she wasn't home in time to watch Dawson's Creek,"" and alas, she forgot to set the VCR to tape it. Now the episode is forever lost to the annals of time.
Flashforward to the present: A decidedly less disgruntled Casey is at the library and missing ""Lost."" This time, there's no cause for alarm, because unlike 10 years ago, the episode she is currently missing is far from lost forever. It will be streaming online so Casey can watch it the next day. No more setting the VCR, no more rushing through homework to get home to the TV. Thanks to the Internet, TV has become a lot more flexible.
In a world where people seem to be increasingly pressed for time, it only seems natural the networks would start using their websites to cater to the needs of the contemporary viewer. With TV stations like ABC, NBC and the CW now streaming their shows online, it's no longer the end of the world if you miss your favorite show the day it airs.
Not to mention the online format is an advertiser's dream. With TiVo's popularity, audiences have the power to skip right over the dreaded commercials that cut into their TV enjoyment. However, advertisers now have the opportunity to get some of that audience back by running shorter spots online. Most advertisers have even taken advantage of the online format to make their marketing efforts more interactive, with games or YouTube-like videos that directly engage users - a feat that is difficult to do with television alone.
For all of these reasons, audiences and producers alike are asking the big question: Is TV dying?
Now, anyone can watch an entire series online at their leisure, and with advertisers finding the online marketing possibilities practically endless, will shows soon be coming straight to your computer instead of straight to your TV set?
The verdict is still out, but I believe TV will continue to go strong. Why? For the same reason online streaming of shows became so popular in the first place: People are busier. It may seem like a paradox for me to say that, but think about it: After a long, hectic day of work or school, sometimes you get home and just want to veg out in front of the TV. We are a culture that uses TV to relax, even if we're just channel surfing - and no one has quite figured out a way to mimic that on the Web yet. TV has also become a social activity, since getting together with your friends to watch ""America's Next Top Model"" or ""American Idol"" every week encourages lots of healthy interaction. There's something about looking forward to the ""same time, same station"" from week to week that keeps us grounded and sane in the busy world we live in.
So skeptics, fear not: I have a feeling TV will be sticking around for a good, long time. This is for the same reason people still go to the movie theater when they could just use Netflix: They do it for the experience, something that outlasts even the newest technology.
Want someone to watch ""American Idol"" with on TV before it's too late? Shoot Casey an e-mail at mysliwy@wisc.edu.
