Segregated Media

About 20 years ago in the UK there were 3 main Television networks, BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.  BBC had 2 channels BBC One and BBC Two.  ITV and C4 had 1 each.  With 4 TV channels there was little choice as far as which channel to watch was concerned, however these channels broadcast an eclectic mix of content that ranged from Sports, News, Drama, Comedy, Entertainment, Music and Documentaries among others.

Today we have Digital Television.  Freeview is the prominent free to air television service in the UK which has between 30 and 50 channels depending on your area and coverage.  With Satellite and Cable services like BSkyB and Virgin Media Respectively there are hundreds of channels on offer.  All these services still include the original 4 channels.  The original networks have branched out however, BBC now has several channels as do ITV and Channel 4.

We have at our disposal today a vast array of TV channels.  Many of them are specialist channels that deal in one type of programming only.  Music Channels, Sports Channels, News Channels, Movie Channels etc.  This vast array of channels seemingly providing choice conversely seems to be depleting the number of channels that offer mixed content.  Take BBC for example they now show most of their comedy shows on BBC Three and most of their Documentaries and Arts programmes on BBC Four along with some Drama.  As we move along this trend it's hard not to stop and ask the question of whether or not we will lose channels that broadcast Homogenised Media and move to a set-up where we have Segregated Media where each channel follows the 1 Channel : 1 Type of Programme scheduling structure.

Do we risk losing exposure to new content?  In my previous posts I have said that one of the biggest problems I have with the Internet is that many of the websites and services that run over it make it too easy to fall into content bubbles.  Watching a video on Youtube with related videos linked at the side you can easily end up in a cycle of related videos that lasts hours, but during that time you are often seeing the same type of content - there is a lack of diversity.  By Youtube's very nature you have to know what you want to look up to find what you want to watch.  Recently Youtube announced that it was hiring new content creators to make original content in a move seen by many as an attempt to create a more traditional TV Channel based experience where content is scheduled.  It seems to be that one service [the Internet] is moving 'backward' in mimicking TV while the other [TV] is moving 'forward' in mimicking the traditional model of content online.

My fear is that Segregated Media will ultimately be the end of traditional TV, with the Internet taking up their old model of content combination it is preparing to take the reigns, TV will be replaced by the Internet and Segregated Media may be the final nail in the coffin that does it.