Well, it was bound to happen. Someone was going to step over the line. Making content available for viewing on a PC was fine as long as it didn't cut into the television audience. With Boxee making it just a bit too easy to watch internet TV on a TV, that was cutting too close to home.
Hulu announced that its media partners requested that their content not be made available through Boxee. (good summary article
HERE at www.avc.com).
Any industry that feels threatened will fight tooth and nail to preserve the status quo. Remember when the motion picture industry lobbied congress to BAN the VCR? Remember when the record industry pushed for a TAX on DAT equipment and tapes?
Any business that lets people drive big cars, fly first class is not going to give that up very easily.
This is the new reality and it is really hitting close to home. Just like the VCR, big media will be forced to stop trying to kill it and figure out how to adapt to it.
People have been writing me and asking me if I was worried that this happened. My answer is 'no'. This is simply the natural, predictable progression. It is easy to predict the violent opposition by the entrenched. But just like the VCR, the industry will be compelled to figure all out.
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