Broadcasting 2.0
Today, we understand broadcasting as a field of communication with its own specific set of technologies. All over the world, broadcasting is the framework for the implementation of the one-to-many communication paradigm. Within this framework, broadcasters “push” content to their audiences in a very efficient manner. That’s television and radio. On the other hand, the telecommunication framework is meant to carry one-to-one communications. The telephone and the internet services belong to this category.
The one-to-one and one-to-many communication mechanisms are both important in human communications. Until recently, networks and technologies were specialized in either one of them. Logically, separate regulation frameworks evolved towards what we know today in most regions of the world as broadcasting and telecommunication acts. In these frameworks, applications are strongly tied with their associated specialized networks.
This is changing.
The distinction between telecommunication and broadcasting becomes less and less significant. Many former definitions lost their meanings. Today, one-to-one applications can be operated on one-to-many networks and vice-versa. For example, telephone applications can now travel over broadcast networks with cable-based VOIP while broadcast programs are delivered through telecommunications DSL channels with broadband television.
All these shifts happen under the digital “convergence”.
And as if it was not enough, the Internet plays a growing role in media and traditional broadcasting applications. Webcasting is a good example of this. Media download such as podcasting is another one. Even wireless internet technologies such as WiFi could be deployed to provide local broadcast services.
Also, the Internet is more and more about “conversations”. Web 2.0 is the basis for new social “applications”. How will the broadcasting one-to-many paradigm be part of this new ecosystem?
In this new era, digital broadcasting will not be limited to radio and television anymore. It will deliver all kinds of bits. Radio and television are just two applications among other. Radio and television could even end up not being part of the “winning” broadcast applications. Mobile data, emergency warnings and many other new services are potential candidates for the upcoming roles of terrestrial broadcasting in the near future.
And who knows, maybe broadcast networks will be operated by ISP’s in the future? After all, broadcast networks are just “networks”.
Is that it?
Well ,there is also: webcasting, multicasting, narrowcasting, podcasting, vidcasting, vodcasting, datacasting,…
And that’s what this Broadcasting 2.0 blog is all about… for now!