My Open Kimono

The TIVO phenomenon has been clinging to its ever-evolving technology play for many years. Advocates and nay-sayers alike have had their ups and downs. Today, TIVO, it is reported, is on the verge of a breakthrough for advertisers as agencies and advertisers begin to embrace the technology ....but to what end. The company has yet to report a profit and advertisers are still "experimenting". How long must an experiment last before it's considered a failed effort??
Interactive television, the holy-grail dream of advertisers, agencies and the technology providers will absolutely enjoy 15 minutes of fame ... until the fickle consumer tires of the novelty. Consumers don't need nor want to control or "produce" their version of entertainment content. They want to control information and have available to them entertainment choices. Those channels are available today in a blazing array of delivery options.
And where is television content headed today? It is headed for the Internet as broadcast and cable networks open that channel to their content.
The hype will continue for a while ... and then fizzle, leaving investors holding an empty bag.