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As a Concept, Prime Time Television is Dead

According to a recently released Digital Life America tracking study conducted by Solutions Research Group, nearly 80 million Americans (43 percent of the online population) have watched one of their favorite TV shows on the Internet, up significantly from 12 months ago when that figure was just 25 percent. One out of five Americans online said they watch TV on the web on a weekly basis, and that's not including the 14 percent who say they use cable's video-on-demand option.

From MediaPost Communications:

Those who viewed one of the leading 20 prime time shows in the past 24 hours were asked to identify the source of viewing. Overall, 25 percent of prime time viewing was time shifted using a DVR, broadband, mobile or similar. Among viewers 18-34, one-third (34 percent) of viewing was time-shifted. And among 18-49 households with a DVR, a remarkable 55 percent of the leading 20 shows were time-shifted.

If a household has a DVR and broadband, DVR is the preferred means of time-shifting. DVR users are becoming more aggressive in skipping commercials-65 percent say they "always" skip commercials compared to 52 percent a year ago.

Next New Networks: TV for the Bubble Generation

Finally, a TV scheme that meets the needs of the new connected, time-pressed consumers.  If they don't screw things up with obnoxious "pre-rolls" or other interruption-based advertising shenanigans, this is a model many other media should emulate.  From the always bang-on Tobi Elkin at MediaPost: 

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Internet startup Next New Networks, an online video service, is poised to deliver 101 community-based sites over the next five years focused on niche content targeted to 18- to-34-year-olds.

Backed by former MTV and Nickelodeon executives, Next New will offer a series of micro-networks with content geared toward enthusiasts who enjoy do-it-yourself fashion, comics, and autos. The company's approach ties directly to evolving trends in so-called "Long Tail" content targeted to passionate enthusiasts, and will leverage short-form video content featuring programs anywhere from three to eight minutes in length--daily or weekly. Next New says it will add one to three networks per month in the coming months, and on Thursday announced the first six networks on its roster including programs like "Fast Lane Daily" and "VOD Cars;" "Threadbanger," about do-it-yourself fashion; "Channel Federator," on cartoons; and "Pulp Secret," focused on comic book culture.

What makes Next New's approach unique is that each micro-network hosts its own shows on a branded Web site. New and archived shows can also be found on iTunes and YouTube, and viewers are invited to contribute, share, and distribute the network content.

Tom Hayes Bio

Tom Hayes is one of Silicon Valley's best known marketing executives.  His first book on digital business and culture, Jump Point (McGraw-Hill), has become a global best-seller and an instant classic. His latest book, No Size Fits All (Penguin/Portfolio), co-authored with Michael S. Malone, was published in November. 

Tom has been called A Model Citizen for the 21^st Century by Fast Company magazine and marketing maverick by the Wall Street Journal.  As vice president of Applied Materials, he put the semiconductor industry giant on the global map.  In a 16 year career there he was responsible for growing the brand from modest beginnings into a mutli-billion dollar high tech powerhouse.

A pioneer at probing the intersection of technology and culture, Tom was the founding CEO and Chairman of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley, and launched the Charitech program to promote corporate citizenship among high tech companies.  A decade ago he created the Webstock ’96 live four-day mega-event with his friend, Melrose Place star Andrew Shue.  He made musical history the next year when he negotiated the only joint appearance ever of Bob Dylan with his son Jakob’s band The Wallflowers at the Applied Materials’ 30^th Anniversary party in San Jose. He invented the digital lifestyle event in the late 1990s with a series of events called Silicon Planet that paired new technology demos with live entertainers such as Beck and the B52s. Tom's 1994 book You Can Make A Difference in Silicon Valley is still used as a text on civic activism in schools and universities.

As a business writer and author, Tom is managed by Jim Levine at the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

Currently Tom is VP of Corporate Marketing at semiconductor titan Marvell, where he continues to color outside the lines.  His riffs and rants on marketing, technology, and culture can now be found at www.tombomb.com.