I want YouTube, iTunes, or someone to be my T.V.

I was on YouTube yesterday and clicked on a video to watch.  On the player page, I got a YouTube banner ad to click and find out the Top Videos are today.  So I wonder…

“Whythe banner when I can click on Top Rated, Top Favorites, etc. in the Browse menu?”

So I click on the banner.  Wow, the three top rated videos of the day happens to be from NBC,  CBS, and again CBS!  I guess studio content is really popular. BUT WAIT….

I click on ‘Top Rated’ or ‘Top Favorites’ in the Browse menu and get totally different results! NBC, CBS, or any other networkis nowhere near the top rated videos! So what’s going on at YouTube?

It doesn’t take a genius to see that this is part of the deals YouTube inked with the networks in 2006 (see here and here).  YouTube needs to ensure their relevance to these networks.  What good are they to a network if no one sees the content?

So why doesn’t YouTube become what it can be – everyone’s T.V. set.

How about an overall ‘Networks’ section with NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox Channels with all the great shows? I can click on any show I want and watch it, not have to be bated these network clips are the most popular when in fact they’re not. 

iTunes is showing that people will pay for good content, and the networks are delighted. But networks can’t pay for content on iTunes revenue alone, its not enough.  The challenge is to be able to generate enough revenue online, on-demand, that traditional television advertising isn’t necessary – that’s when we all win.

I’ll be the first to cancel my cable subscription if I could click on my favorite channel and get new studio content on demand.  I can’t wait for the advertising-download-subscription revenue model mashup shows itself.  That, together with streaming content directly to my T.V. (iTV, Windows Media Player, Tivo) will have all us all tuning in online. 

Until then I guess ‘lonelygirl15’ will rule YouTube.