UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION
SOUTHWEST REGION NEWS SERVICE
Contact: Chris Dean, Tri-Lakes TCRC coordinator
Headquartered in Stone County
Tel: (800) 730-8272
E-mail: deanc@missouri.edu

First person column …
Netizens Exploring the New Technology Frontier

Advances in Internet technology with the increase bandwidth and cheaper prices, have opened the door for the universal use of the streaming video media. In fact, High Definition streaming video has arrived.

Looking into the near future the television viewer will be able to use the streaming media to watch favorite television programs.  Instead of the handy remote clicking on VHF or UHF range of electromagnetic waves, the remote would be selecting a URL (website).

The viewer will be able to not only choose the program to watch but the day and the time of day to view the program. The technology is here for this platform of delivery.

However, the broadcast industry including, producers, advertisers, and providers have some major issues and changes to make in their business models. 

One is that the viewer would not need 24/7 programming, only an internet connection.  The viewer could watch the program without commercials paying only for the programs viewed.  The use of the TV as “white noise” by some viewers may be a thing of the past.

We have seen the use and the popularity of streaming video among e-mail users who sends short funny videos to friends.  On the serious side of streaming video, advertisers, news outlets, government agencies, educators, and businesses have found it to be a powerful medium for real time interaction and delayed programming. 

With HD video available around the world, there will be larger markets of viewers available and also a larger selection of programming.

Streaming video is a sequence of "moving images" that are sent over the Internet and displayed for the viewer as they arrive. The video is sent in a continuous stream and is played as it arrives.  There is no need to download the program.

Streaming media offers the user opportunity to start watching the program almost as soon as it begins downloading.   Streaming media also can deliver live events, webcasting. 

Streaming video webcasts are a rapidly growing way to access informational, educational, and entertainment programming.

Streaming video is generally sent from prerecorded video files, asynchronous, but can be sent as a live broadcast, synchronous. In a synchronous feed there is the opportunity for the host to interact with the viewer.

Today, some of the major streaming video and streaming media technologies include such common formats of Windows Media, RealMedia, Quicktime, MPEG, and Macromedia Flash.

There are far more advanced streaming video platforms operating today that will be available for the general public in the near future with seamless HD formatting.

As with bloggers, the average television viewer can become a producer of streaming video programming from their business or home. 

When the Internet was described as the New Frontier of the Information Age, the analogy was not lost on techies, entrepreneurs and the new Netizens of the world who are exploring their own wild west.
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Chris Dean is coordinator of the Tri-Lakes TCRC in Reeds Spring and has been with University of Missouri Extension for seven years. He has a specialist degree in administration from Missouri State University. His past work experience includes the Peace Corps, production superintendent for General Food, teacher, coach, counselor and high school principal. The Tri-Lakes TCRC has an Interactive Video Classroom as well as a computer and satellite classroom which is available to businesses and members of the public. Chris Dean can be reached at the Tri-Lakes TCRC by telephone, 800-730-8272 or by e-mail: deanc@missouri.edu.