Amazon, Hulu, YouTube, Netflix - TV is changing - or is it still called TV?

Amazon: TV is about to get way more interesting - Fortune Tech: "When Amazon announced the creation of Amazon Studios and its plans to create original TV programming in May, it was widely described as a "crowdsourcing" project, giving ordinary people a chance to become TV producers. But of the six pilot shows the company has greenlighted, five come from producers either with impressive television resumes, or who are famous for something else. Just one show, a sitcom, was written by unknowns. The others include TV veterans from shows like 30 Rock, The Daily Show, and Big Bang Theory, as well Gary Trudeau, author of the Doonesbury comic strip, and the people at the satirical newspaper The Onion. The roster of pilots sets up a battle royale involving Amazon and other Internet-video outfits and the TV networks. Nearly all major Internet-based companies have high-quality (or at least, potentially widely popular) programming in the works. They'll be battling the networks and the cable companies as much as with each other. The TV business is about to get even more interesting than it already was. . . .  By largely abandoning the "crowdsourcing" of production, Amazon is acknowledging that its competitors -- Netflix, Hulu, and to some degree YouTube (which is focusing mainly on niche programming mainly comprising short videos) -- are working like big-time TV producers rather than Internet startups. Netflix is producing "premium" programming that supposedly would fit in well on HBO or maybe AMC. . . ."

Amazon Pushes Streaming Media to iOS and Roku | Gadget Lab | Wired.com: "The fight for streaming eyes and ears continues as Amazon pushes its video player to every iOS device and its Cloud Player app lands on Roku boxes and Samsung Smart TVs. Amazon announced on Thursday the immediate availability of Amazon Instant Video for iPhone and iPod touch. The app joins the iPad app launched in August. With most of iOS covered, can Amazon convince Apple that Apple TV needs Instant Video? Hulu Plus’ appearance on Apple TV in July would seem to indicate that Cupertino is open to adding additional streaming services to the set-top box. The biggest obstacle could be Amazon’s video-rental feature, which conflicts with Apple’s own iTunes service. Both Netflix and Hulu offer video-streaming subscription services. Users pay one price for all-you-can-digest TV and movies. Amazon also offers unlimited streaming for Prime members, but it also rents movies. Gartner analyst Mike McGuire believes that if Apple really wants to change how people watch TV, it would be in its best interest to continue curating streaming services like Instant Video into the Apple TV ecosystem. “One could look at Hulu Plus and its pay subscription service that is also ad-supported as Apple’s willingness to open up to whatever their devices owners happen to use.” McGuire said. As for the rental issue, Apple has secured the rights to offer movies that are still in the theater on iTunes. . . . "


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