TV and Internet Convergence

To deny that the Internet has had an impact on how you view television would be a lie. Shows no longer need to be watched the night of the airdate. Websites now make it possible to watch most of your favorite shows online. In my opinion this is one of the greatest uses of convergence so far. It’s right there with the use of Internet and mp3 players on cell phones.
The five major networks, Fox, CBS, NBC, CW, and ABC, all offer full episodes of their shows on their websites, some more than others. CBS really seems to be lacking on placing full episodes of their shows online. Less than 50% of their shows are online. Of the shows online they aren’t even complete series’. There are just random episodes of their shows. Even with a failing Sunday night lineup, the CW still posts full episodes of all their shows except one. NBC definitely does one of the best jobs of the networks with posting its shows. Proportionally NBC has a lot more content to post and they have close to all of it on their site. ABC does a really great job too. CBS really needs to pull it together and realize where the future is.
The Internet was originally considered a threat to the television industry. However, television companies have adapted to the Internet and how to show full episodes, while still making money. That was the whole fiasco. ‘How will we make money and stay rich’ with this whole Internet thing?! They get sponsors for the online episodes and where normal commercial breaks would be, the sponsors get up to one-minute spots to advertise.
All-in-all, this is what I find to be so great about online viewing, short advertising spots and most websites have additional videos from the TV shows. I think no matter what, when convergence comes into the picture, people on the other side of the media get scared because they are unsure of what it means for their future. In the end convergence tends to be common place now-a-days and is widely adaptable.