A Massive Battle is Coming to a Television Near You

If you follow my blog, there are two things that I am incredibly bullish about lately. Google+ and Google’s ability to add “Social Media” to everything they do, and the upcoming media revolution that will see cable television networks turn into the equivalent of an AM Radio broadcasting station. I’ve been speaking for a while about the upcoming evolution of television. Imagine sitting down to watch television, and you simply say, “Record all Winnipeg Jets Hockey Games”, or “Watch Criminal Minds with Erin” and instantly the pre-recorded episode loads on both our televisions and we can watch the show together. Imagine being able to subscribe to your friend’s custom “channels” that automatically get created based on their viewing habits.  YouTube isn’t there yet, but it’s one step closer after the update earlier this week.

YouTube Channels

Where as most of you used to go to YouTube to watch one specific video that someone shared, YouTube now is completely immersed in the idea of channels. Channels in essence make every user of YouTube a television broadcaster. And I wont stop there. The reality is YouTube has added some incredibly powerful features that the big players in the industry, like HBO, Comedy Central, and more, have been asking for. You are about to see a swarm of high quality content make its way to YouTube. For the consumer, this will mean you are not far away from a world where YouTube will have all your video content. Sporting events, concerts, personal videos of your kids, prime time television. Is this a problem for content creation companies? Not really. Is this a problem for cable companies and other distribution channels? You bet.

YoutTube Adds Social Media

With the complete re-design, Google has also added some deep integration with Social Media. Google+ is front and center, but they are also supporting Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, making content easier than ever to share and go “viral”. Want to watch videos with your friends? Simply start a Google+ Hangout with the video you’re watching and you are off to the races.

YouTube Comes to XBOX 360

If you didn’t know by now, Microsoft XBOX is the king of the video game universe. The gaming console is over 7 years old now and continues to sell ridiculously well. Just last week it sold nearly 1 million units in one day! The Kinect was the fastest selling piece of consumer technology ever. YouTube coming to XBOX 360 is a big deal. It’s a huge deal. Combining the over 60,000,000 XBOX 360 consoles all over the world with YouTube is going to create an incredibly powerful distribution network.

My Final Thoughts

I don’t have much more to say other than: I am excited! Over the next 5 years we are about to see our world flipped upside down. Finally, we will be freed from watching television on set schedules, with the same Hollywood actors. We will finally be able to watch television together and share the experience with each other.