By Flora Haslam
As Channel 4 becomes the first major UK TV channel to be simulcast on the internet, it seems the face of TV is changing. Viewers will now be able to watch their favourite programmes (the home-grown ones at least) on the family PC or even at the work desk.
Of course, the BBC has recently been showing World Cup football games on the internet, and ITV has already announced it will show programmes on broadband up to 30 days after first transmission. So, Channel 4 has done well to position itself as a pioneer of internet TV - but the question remains: do people actually want this? Presumably broadcasters wouldn't be going down this route without first having assessed demand, but I can't help but think that this is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse - yet another technology innovation in search of a market.
While some employers may already be throwing their hands up in the air, convinced that productivity is about to be halved as their entire workforce tunes into Deal or No Deal, I just can't envisage a time at home when I'd rather boot up the PC than sit on the sofa and switch on the telly to watch Channel 4. And despite my normally speedy broadband connection, I'd be concerned that network resources would not be able to cope with demand if the service proved popular.
Channel 4's move should prove to be an interesting experiment to gauge the level of interest in broadcasting over the internet. Technology advances are certain to change the way we view television in the future, and the convenience of video on demand looks set to be a big hit. But for now, the thought of watching a small selection of television programmes on a PC doesn't really appeal - I'm just not ready to leave the comfort of my sofa yet!
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