Is television a thing of the past; an outmoded delivery system on its way to scrap heap? Not according to an article in this weekend’s Toronto Star. The editorial is written by Douglas Barrett, formerly an Entertainment partner with McMillan Binch and now, among other things, the CTV Professor in Broadcast Management at the Schulich School of Business at York University.
Barrett makes the point that the critics of television are mistaken in declaring it dead. As compelling evidence for his position, Barrett cites a 2009 study by the Council for Research Excellence, a research think-tank based in the United States. The results of the study may surprise many who believe that viewers are leaving the tube in droves for other on-line viewing options. According to the findings of the study, television continues to dominate the media landscape and by quite a significant margin.
On the business side of things, Barrett raises two points which he believes lend credence to the continuing importance of television. First, the persistent difficulties with monetizing Internet exploitation which need to be addressed before the real on-line rush begins. Second, the recent purchase by Shaw Communications of the Canwest television assets which seems to indicate that the shrewd folks at Shaw may share Barrett’s views on the relevance of television.
