How to Create a TV Network?

What are some potential ways Flash technology could be used to transform the way Hollywood / Network TV create and deliver video content?

• Flash enables complete control over Video. Recently, I sense that people are slowly embracing the idea of possibly delivering "mass interactive media". I think that there is an incredible potential here. Youtube already harnesses some of that potential, but what if television stations that you received via cable  / satellite were interactive? Or, Hollywood movies, with interactive elements that a whole theater could participate in? It would open up a vast new creative industry!  The technology exists to connect viewers with content via input interfaces like USB (webcams, mice, keys), and even more advanced technology now available, like xbox Kinect...

• Answer:

  I worked for a digital ad agency for years and this was a topic we researched extensively. Basically, interactive TV just doesn't work. Not that it's technically incapable, but most people only have 1 way to interact with their TV sets and that's a traditional remote. We tested some amazing solutions for interactive content and while the technology worked quite well, people just weren't interested. Even when they had more advanced controllers like Xbox controllers. There's just a psychological disconnect for people that rejects the idea of interactive scripted content. If you think about it, the process of watching a TV show or a movie is entirely passive. In order to get the full experience you need to give the content your full attention and distractions just get in the way. This is why people hate commercials so much. They get in the way. When delivering a linear narrative (TV/Movie), the only interaction you can really provide is a choose your own adventure type thing. After tons of testing and research it's been pretty well established that people just don't like that. I think if there's any room for interaction it'll come in the form of engagement in social media during commercial breaks. But if someone rents something, they don't want commercial breaks and most of them don't engage with anything else until the content is complete. I think you're right that there's some opportunity for interactive media, but from everything I've seen it will remain a niche demographic much like watching 3D movies at home. It's not going to be the mainstream revolution that many hoped it would be. It's just too distracting and isn't compatible with passively digestible media. Hope that helps!