We Want Media

Could it really be true? Does one network, a stodgy behemoth of media conglomeration, actually *gulp* get it?

Disney has announced its plan to bring its latest (and, in the case of "Lost," greatest) shows online. Right away. For free. Non-skippable commercials provide the revenue.

Let’s get some things straight right off the bat. While I can’t say I’ve ever personally bought a show from iTunes, I can certainly understand the market for having a portable version of your favorite show. And let’s face it: if you’re so devoted to a show that you need to watch it now on your little iPod screen, two bucks isn’t that big a sacrifice.

Buying a show on iTunes is the equivalent of buying the DVD. You’re paying a premium to watch whenever you want, over and over, with no commercials. I’ve got as many TV-on-DVD sets as the next guy (well, maybe not this guy), but 99% of the time, I’m watching shows on a television. Which is to say, I don’t care about commercial breaks, and I don’t care to own it. I just want to be entertained for a while.

That’s what Disney’s getting at. Some of us don’t have on-demand services or DVR (yes, I know, it’s like the Stone Age), but we do have an interest in watching a show on our own time. Not owning it; watching it.

Right now, the closest you can get to that is sifting through batches of mislabeled torrents to find the rare upload of last night’s show. Not the greatest experience for the watcher, and certainly not good for the network. You give it to me in one place, no waiting, with commercials shorter than those on the air? I’m there.