Joost Post Mortem

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2010/07/06/why-did-the-initial-joost-experiment-fail/' target='_blank'>http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2010...xperiment-fail/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"There&rsquo;s something the Joost folks, savvy as they were, failed to take into account. It&rsquo;s a little something called choice. Joost failed for the same reason that broadcast, cable and satellite providers are losing viewers and subscribers. The &ldquo;choice&rdquo; offered by channel surfing revolves around searching for the least-boring junk content that is currently playing. It is choice, but not a very good one."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//dht/auto/1278700826.usr10.png" style="border: 0;" /></em></p><p>Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube need to take note. &nbsp;TV is a passive medium, the internet is an interactive medium. &nbsp;If someone is sitting on the couch vegging out watching TV, your main competition is them switching channels to another passive program. &nbsp;If they are online, there are a huge number of other choices of things to do besides watch your content. &nbsp;So, lesson is to make sure you have the content I want to see and don't make me jump through hoops to see it.</p>

[ptyork]

I don't think Joost is dead, yet, so I'm not sure post mortem is quite accurate. However, the distinction between active and passive is a good one. I do wonder whether the passive use of the TV will continue, though. In a post-cable world (hopefully a world coming sooner rather than later), the notion of channel surfing and satisficing may well disappear. It's a habit that has formed through years of force-fed crap programming broadcast on hundreds of equally just-okay to worthless channels.

As the broadcast model wanes, I can't help but wonder if we'll see a completely different set of habits form. I actually think that having to (or getting to) choose a program may well decrease the amount of time sitting in front of a "chatter box". Having to actually take action, even if it is just to choose what program to veg in front of, can only decrease the complete brain suckage that occurs with TV watching today. There will be lots of euthanasia (QVC, Soap Network, etc.), but I really think that society will be better off for the change.