Television news takes the best part of newspapers and radio and mixes it together to create a medium that others cannot match. Mixing the spoken word with visuals has allowed television news to allow viewers to see a bigger picture. The only trouble they face is catching and keeping attention and editing down what should fill a bulletin. Again, the internet has broken barriers for television news and like radio, we are watching news from all over the globe.
Television news allows viewers to get accustomed to a familiar face and this enables people to build trust and familiarity. Newscasters in Ireland are household names and viewership figures that are only beaten by the Late Late Toy Show.
RTE offer viewers the chance to catch up on shows that they missed be they either entertainment or current affairs. However, as a television licence is necessary in Ireland, access is only available through an Irish IP address. The same stipulation is in place for the BBC iplayer.
No TV Licence?
IPTV or Internet Protocol Televion is still in its infancy and will take time, effort and money to improve and promote. In 2008, it was reported that industry expert Neil Anserson said that IPTV is failing to deliver to its customers and that the service will remain a niche product in the markets.
On demand TV though has proven to be rising in popularity. More and more people are opting to watch television at their own times and when it suits. Statistics from a survey conducted to examine the viewing habits of people showed some surprising results. Despite television being the most advanced form of media, people are not fully embracing the technology that is available with a massive 27% of those surveyed still recording using VHS.
The major factors holding back internet TV is the amount of free programming and the quality of the viewing. It seems that those offering IPTV have a long way to go before IPTV meets the ever increasing standards of the consumer.
