Television and Internet Convergence: Implications for Sport Broadcasting

Abstract

Television plays an integral part in the lives of most people around the globe. It provides significant revenue to major sporting leagues and international event organizers, while enabling people throughout the world to experience the dramas and contests that unfold. Television has become the medium of the masses, and sport has played a key role in promoting this.

Extensive speculation has emerged regarding the impact of computers on the traditional mass media with predictions of a rapid decline in television viewing as a result of the increased popularity of the Internet and other computer-related activities (Coffey & Stipp, 1997). Although empirical evidence to support or refute this thinking is still being gathered, there is growing evidence emerging to suggest that computers will replace aspects of television transmissions. This may enable the computer and television receiver to either coexist or converge into one system in a manner that will be quite different to the present delivery system.

Although many unknowns exist with respect to how the computer and television receiver will be used in the future, it is essential that sport managers familiarize themselves with the technological changes that are occurring. This ensures that appropriate decisions can be made about how their sport will be telecast, whether through traditional avenues or in ways in which the computer will replace, enhance, or support this telecast.

This paper investigates the development of the Internet and television by identifying two key components. These components examine the integration of television broadcasts with Internet technology, the first being a technique in which the television supports the Internet (known as WebTV) and the second being a technique where the computer supports television broadcasting (known as netcasting or webcasting).