It’s a lament as old as cable television — you’ve got all these channels and there’s not a darn thing to watch. On Demand services should finally put that old saw to rest.
If viewers can’t find something to amuse them from the wealth of programming pumped out by such services as Comcast’s On Demand suite, well then it’s time to hit the library and stay there.
On Demand includes everything from Pay-Per-View-style movies to karaoke contests and children’s entertainment, the bulk of it free of charge.
Of course, this all depends on whether you’ve already ponied up for digital cable. That’s not a slam dunk for many subscribers, who already pay a fee for access to everything from MTV to QVC and may not be willing to see their cable bill get any bigger.
Jupiter Research, a New York-based technological market research firm, projects roughly 34 million homes will be eligible to order up On Demand-style programs in 2006. That’s up from the current 30 million homes (a surprisingly modest jump considering the wealth of On Demand programming available).
“It’s pretty small compared to, say, DVD player penetration,” says Jupiter Research analyst Todd Chanko.
Cable companies may not charge for the bulk of what’s available On Demand, but they do benefit from subscribers upgrading to digital cable. The fee for digital is higher, for starters. It also means a larger pool of potential purchasers of premium On Demand films, as well as HD programming and Tivo-like DVR-style functions, Mr. Chanko says.
Current On Demand homes still represent a modest percentage of those wired for cable, and Mr. Chanko says a number of factors will keep that audience from exploding anytime soon.
“First, the idea of interactivity beyond what people do with their remote controls is still a novelty in this country,” he says.
Plus, old habits die hard, he explains, and we’re used to heading to Blockbuster or signing up for Netflix when it’s time to watch a movie at home.
“You have 25 years of a home video rental business to contend with,” he says. “It’s quite a legacy.”
The folks at Comcast contend that plenty of subscribers have already made the mental leap toward On Demand.
Last year, more than 1.4 billion Comcast programs were downloaded by viewers, the cable company reports. In the Washington/Baltimore region served by Comcast, 129 million programs were downloaded from On Demand last year, up from 73 million in 2004.
The range of programming available keeps expanding, like the recently included Exercise TV programs on Comcast as well as this weekend’s Super Bowl commercial replays.
Jaye Gamble, senior vice president of Comcast’s Washington Metro/Virginia region, says his company’s On Demand service began by offering 1,500 programs in late 2003 but currently serves up more than 3,800 — 95 percent of which is free to digital subscribers.
Mr. Gamble says one of the more popular additions to the On Demand roster is Dating on Demand, which is exactly what it sounds like.
“More people watch it, not because they’re looking for dates, but they enjoy the entertainment,” Mr. Gamble says. Watching the wannabe Romeos and Juliets hawk themselves is like the rawest form of reality television. It often isn’t pretty, but it’s pretty hard to look away.
For local news junkies, the service lets people catch the Maryland General Assembly in action, as well as rebroadcasts of several local news affiliates. Sports hounds can catch Wizards and Capitals games in toto right after they wrap, and viewers can fast forward through the dull patches as they go.
Mr. Gamble says not everyone knows about On Demand yet, which is why the company is putting together a marketing push that includes billboards and television commercials.
“We’re trying to let people know what is out there,” Mr. Gamble says.
Comcast’s On Demand service gives subscribers a wealth of options from which to choose above and beyond the standard cable dial. Here is a sampling of the programming available with just a few clicks of the remote — all free unless indicated otherwise:
• Movies — Features range from independent cinema to Hallmark and TCM channel offerings. Pay-Per-View films typically include movies currently available on DVD.
• Uncensored TV — Bawdy versions of dating shows like “Blind Date,” plus uncensored versions of “The Jerry Springer Show” can be ordered here, but for a fee.
• Ripe TV — Bikini and wing-eating contests, among other escapist fare.
• Cutting Edge — Range of programming from retro erotica to pop culture shorts
• Scene It? Trivia — Film-clip-driven games for both adults and children
• Dating on Demand — Video personal ads leading viewers to the Web, should they want to connect.
• Sportskool — Sports tips on everything from winning a hockey face-off to rebounding drills for the amateur athlete.
• Speed Channel — Virtual test-drive the 2006 Corvette and other snazzy cars.
• Children — Parents can opt for anything from such PBS-based shows as “Teletubbies” to such mainstream cable channels as the Cartoon Network.
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