Ashley Highfield claims the television industry has three years to act before it faces an “iTunes moment” with Apple running the online video show.
Is this correct or is the Microsoft executive who also launched the BBC iPlayer merely showing his anti-Apple bias?
Ashley Highfield
is a man who knows what he’s talking about when it comes to consumer technology and online video. He formerly oversaw the launch of the BBC iPlayer service, initially only on Windows, and was the CEO of Project Kangaroo, the joint venture between the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.
He is now the UK Managing Director of Microsoft (Consumer & Online) and looks after Windows, Bing, Messenger, Hotmail, and more besides. He also oversaw the launch of the MSN Video Player recently, which brings archive television shows to the Web.
TV Industry Ventures Online
The TV industry has been slow in adopting the Internet as a legitimate place to sell its wares. This is partly down to a desire to keep the status quo going and partly because there just isn’t enough revenue on the Web at present. Advertising rates are increasing but not fast enough for execs to take note.
But does this mean the television industry is going the same route as the music industry did? Which, for those who don’t know, let the situation escalate until piracy got out of hand and whose failure to embrace the Internet meant Apple became the be all and end all with its iTunes service.
Highfield Speaks
Highfield believes this is a danger, telling The Guardian of his fears that the TV industry is facing an “iTunes moment” similar to the one faced by the music industry a few years ago.
He suggests that unless the TV industry “aggressively move its content online” and builds “a critical mass of content that the traditional buyers of airtime will understand and buy into,” that the time to act may come and go, leaving Apple in prime position to pick up the pieces.
He said:
“So realistically I think the industry has about two to three years to adapt or face its iTunes moment. And it will take at least that long for media brands to build credible, truly digital brands. But, importantly, I do believe TV does have a small two to three year window in which to respond.”
Conclusions
I agree with Highfield that the TV industry needs to act sooner rather than later so as not to miss this opportunity to embrace the Web and shape how people legally consumer television content online.
However, I don’t see Apple as the big, bad wolf that Highfield does. I think that’s more borne out of the Microsoft line which sees everything Apple does as bad. And that’s really not the case.
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