President-elect Barack Obama has joined the Consumers Union in asking congress to delay the digital television transition. Obama noted "inadequate funding" for the program as a prime reason to delay the transition, which is scheduled to happen 28 days after he steps into office. In addition, the big four networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC) support a move to delay the transition.
In a speech yesterday at George Mason University, Barack Obama noted broadband expansion as a key part of his economic recovery plan. Obama is quoted as saying there is a need to expand "broadband across America, so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world." The President-elect is also confident that despite the fact that 2 milion Americans lost their job in 2008, we will be able to create 3 million new jobs during his term in office.
Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer told a crowd at CES that 90% of Sony products will be able to connect to the Internet by 2011. Sony is moving quickly on its initiative, with a CyberShot camera capable of sending pictures online already on the market. The move is a logical step in preparing Sony for a networked world where all devices are connected to the web.
Digital Entertainment Group is reporting that DVD sales fell 9% in 2008, while the entire home video market decreased 5.5% over 2007, with total sales at $22.4 billion. The decline is the largest the group has ever recorded. However, while dvd sales fell, Blu-ray spending increased threefold to roughly $750 million.
Plus, today's consulting question, "Is a Microsoft, Yahoo deal back on?" Shelly has the answer on today's MediaBytes.
Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes a daily show featuring news you can use about technology, media & entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV (2008, York House Press). Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards). You can join the MediaBytes mailing list here. Shelly can be reached at shelly@palmer.net