From M/Cyclopedia of New Media
Profile
Name:
Linda Wong
Student Number:
n5028949
Email:
l32.wong@student.qut.edu.au
Degree:
Bachelor of Mass Communication (Public Relations and Media and Communication)
Previous Education:
1998-2002: Year 8 to Year 12, completed at Brisbane State High School
2003: Diploma of Multimedia/Cert IV in Information Technology, completed at TAFE Queensland and QANTM
Research Topic
Personal Video Recorders and its effects on Australia
Annotated Bibliography: Personal Video Recorders (PVRs)
General Information
Cabré, C. (2004) "Personal Video Recorders find it difficult to get off the ground," retrieved August 10, 2004, from this source.
- Written from a Spanish university, this paper was important in underlying the very fact that while PVRs have created a huge impact on the television industry within America, in all truth of the matter, the big companies like TiVo and RePlay TV have reported large financial loses, or in the case of RePlay TV, have declared bankruptcy. The paper identified the need for companies to align themselves with cable companies...however have not had much luck as companies such as Time Warner create their own version of a PVR so they do not have to pay license fees. Overall, whilst the success of the PVR does continue to grow in America, corporations must make note of the best strategic way for their company to thrive in an everyday growing, competitive market.
Gelbwaks, J. (2001, Apr. 5) “Will TiVo kill Television?,� The Bottom Line ONLINE, retrieved August 8, 2004, from this source.
- This academic paper written by Gelbwaks talks of TiVo, one of the more popular brands of PVR technology and how it has the opportunity to change the face American audiences view television. He has provided a comprehensive detailing into how the technology works its advantages and its appeal. Whilst the technology has the ability to completely destroy the advertising industry (see more below), Gelbwaks raises a point about privacy issues which are related. In using a PVR, the user must insert the set top box into their phone line. Through this, data is transferred about the consumer's viewing habits and personal preferences. To a market researcher, this is gold - but this is all gained for free by the PVR companies. He identifies the fact that later on down the track, these privacy issues may become a lot trickier in the future where companies, or individuals will abuse the two-way communication access.
Gliddon, J. (2002, June 12) “PVRs: Personal Best,� The Bulletin: eBulletin, retrieved August 8, 2004, from this source.
- PVR technologies are only a mere matter of time before they reach Australian shores, and this is what this online news article is all about. Gliddon has written about the impact, on which PVR technology has had on American television. Much like the Gelbwaks paper, he also identified several key issue linked to PVR use, such as the dastardly effect to the advertising industry and the issue of personal privacy. In questioning how PVR will effect Australian television, Gliddon discovered most television executives are ready to embrace it with open arms. In speaking with Kim Anderson - executive of the Channel Nine network, found they believed as most viewers skipped programs whilst using their VCR, they found that PVR was no different. PVR technologies will allow the networks to communicate and build up trusting relationships with its consumers.
Greenstein, S., Boris, J., Cooley, B., Kmit, B., Pair, T., Perrigo, D. and Riedel, J. (2001) "TIVO, TV your way," retrieved August 8, 2004, from
this source.
- The authors of this document have provided a detailed outline on TiVo technology. As well as writing about the general aspects of interactive television, they have also extensively cover all areas of the PVR, from the history, development, issues arising (copyright), audience reaction to its competitors.
Perse, E.M. and Ferguson, D.A. (2003) “Audience Activity and the Third Genereation of Television,� paper presented at the Broadcast Education Association National conference, Las Vegas, Apr, retrieved August 8, 2004, from this source.
- Perse and Ferguson talk of the three generations that American television has gone through, particularly paying attention to the third generation of PVR technology and this has effected the audience. The three generations of American television has been categorised as follow:
- 1950 - 1980 generation of radio (TV1G)
- 1980 - 1999 generation of VCR's, remote control devices and cable television (TV2G)
- 1999 - ???? generation of PVR and WebTV (TV3G). It uses 4 concepts: "higher definition television pictures and sound, digital compression and increased number of channels, digital storage and greater control over program viewing, and interactivity"
- Throughout each generation, Perse and Ferguson examine and identify the key elements about how audiences reacted and what they wanted from their viewing content. Where TV1G was all about deriving content, the TV3G generation audiences are more likely to be more picky, yet more brand loyal to their favourite shows due to PVR technology.
PVR Blog (2003) Retrieved August 8, 2004, from this source.
- The PVR Blog provides a comprehensive guide to the latest PVR technologies on the market. It is run by a small group of authors, who are able to provide a first hand account on what the product is like, as they run thorough examinations of it and then provide an extensive review. Unlike some review websites on the web, the authors of PVR are not obligated to any type of corporate affiliation, so their reviews are 100% unbiased. Along with writing out these reviews, the blog is regularly kept up to date with the latest news stories on PVR technology and assist in trouble shooting.
Runyon, P. (2002) "The Personal Video Recording Industry: An In-Depth Analysis," retrieved August 8, 2004, from this source.
- This paper has provided a significant insight into the world of PVR technologies, just as the title suggests. Leaving no stone unturned, Runyon writes an encyclopedia of information about what PVR is and all of its surrounding attributes. The contents of the paper covers:
- The rise, development and history of PVR
- Potential threats
- Competition in the industry and
- What the future holds
- This is an importance source of information because it provides the basis of what the PVR technologies are really capable of, as well as analysing all angles of it.
Issues
Advertising Industry
Anderson, G.T. (2003) “Life as a product placement,� retrieved August 8, 2004, from this source.
- Anderson writes that advertising companies are having to come up with more creative measures in order to lure in their consumers in today's modern market. Consumers are more savvy to the ploy of advertisers, plus the fact that PVRs allow them to completely skip the commercials has added a strain on the industry. Statistics taken from the Yankee group indicate that with an higher increase of PVR users, it will cost advertising companies some "5.5 billion annually within four years". Currently, companies are using more strategic, creative methods in order to lure in consumers. He states the example of the where actors are hired to play "real people" in the streets, who actually demonstrate the use of the said product to the public. An example: Sony Ericsson and their new camera phone. They had paid actors to roam the streets and ask the general public to use the phone to take pictures of them.
- He also finds that product placement has become more of a regular occurrence among advertisers. So much, Anderson starts to wonder where the show ends and the ad begins?
Grill, B. (2002) “PVR Is Coming - Tivo Turncoat Tips off Advertisers,�
retrieved August 10, 2004, from this source.
- This column's main objective was to show how advertisers could combat the consumer's preference to skip commercials using their PVR device. Grill pulled statistics from PVR Monitor 2002 to show the attitudes of consumers had of commercials. "74% of PVR owners always (27%) or frequently (47%) fast forward through the commercials." So, what options do the advertisers have? He suggests that more advertising companies like Best Buy enter partnerships with PVR companies to provide, "advertainment". These "advertainment" are downloaded into the PVR and provide a sort of, 'bonus' for the viewer.
- Grill also suggests several ways for advertising companies to combat the PVR effect.
- Use branding image as much as possible, so that consumers will be intrigued enough to perhaps go back to view the full commercial.
- Advertise on television events that viewers will most like watch "live" eg. sport events.
- Be innovative and instead of advertising, entertain the consumer. As Grill also found in the PVR Monitor 2002 report: "1% of PVR users said they would be willing to watch some ads, especially if the ad is entertaining (92%) or if they are specifically interested in the product (69%)"
Copyright
GartnerG2 and The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School (2003) "Copyright and Digital Media in a Post-Napster World," retrieved August 10, 2004, from this source.
- Napster pretty much revolutionised the way digital media content would ever be transferred in accordance to copyright laws. This paper provides a general overview to these technologies in a post-Napster world. It cites the current U.S. Constitution and the Copyright Act and how this impacts upon industry such as television, radio, film, publishing and music. PVRs are of course, slotted in with the television sector. The research team describes the use of PVRs as a potential threat to the advertising industry, "PVRs could cause the death of virtually every TV advertising tactic and strategy developed in the past 50 years."
Gwinn, D.D. (2003) "Personal Video Recorder (PVR) Issues In Intellectual Property:
Pushing The Limits Of Fair Use In Search Of A Legal Model For New Technology," retrieved August 10, 2004, from this source.
- This was a thoroughly well researched paper which inspected how PVR technologies relate with intellectual material within current American copyright laws. The paper focused on all aspects of copyright breeches that PVR technologies overstep, that being the skipping of commercials and the peer-to-peer networking where users on some PVR brands are able to transfer high quality data to other users. Gwinn recognises that as we approach this new age of digital capabilities, the current laws must be updated. This paper was also useful in providing some more general background information on PVR technologies themselves.
Krane, J. (2003, Jan. 10) "FCC's Powell declares TiVo 'God's machine'," SFGate.com, retrieved August 10, 2004, from this source.
- In this article, the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Michael Powell basically approved the idea of using TiVo for his own personal use. This was a significant message that was sent to the public and media, because the FCC provides assistance to the US Congress, who of course in turn provide the country with its legislations. With Powell in favour of the use of PVR technologies, there will be no question about the difficulty of providing legislative laws on how PVR companies broadcast television.
Linda Wong 11:02, 13 Aug 2004 (EST)
