Dish Network (DISH) Chairman Charlie Ergen is rattling the cages of TV networks and advertisers by promoting a technology which skips commercials. It is not hard to realize why this would be upsetting for the networks and advertisers as it has the potential to radically shake up a very lucrative industry. Ergen believes that the technology will force advertisers to put more focus on what viewers want to see, but personally I really can’t imagine watching any commercials if I didn’t have to. I have no idea how this situation will shake out but the reality is that internet TV is going to radically shake up this industry one way or the other, and ten years from now I think TV will be far more different than most people expect. It might happen much sooner with Apple’s upcoming release of their TV product, and the key issues are:
1) How do content providers get compensated?
2) What is the most effective way to advertise in the new distribution medium?
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