What Does the Internet Bring to the Table that Television Doesn't?

Television has been one of the most successful mediums of information transfer. The continuous adaptation of content to suit viewers has allowed it to continue as the number one choice of media for decades. While radio and other mediums had a long standing presence prior to television, many factors only available to TV users allowed it to quickly overtake them in popularity. The ability to record programs and watch them at later times allowed a greater audience, compared to the set schedule of a radio broadcast. Similarly against its film adaptation counterpart, television was not limited to the timed viewings of movie theatres. Television also contained the ability to quickly adapt to what viewers wanted to see from the programs beyond the audio, as accompanying visuals were much more easily processed by the audience. The ability for an audience to see visuals of crime and other features was more engaging and at times shocking.

 In America, the most common form of receiving news is through television.

           The major functions of television include surveillance, correlation, entertainment and cultural transmission. Since the images of a news television show can be quickly and easily processed, surveillance through television has continued to be utilized both in the home and out. Many commercial areas, including shopping centers, restaurants and doctors will include a television in their building. Since television is so common everywhere one goes, it is easy to stay in touch with what is happening out in the world. Entertainment also plays a large role as a function of television. As channels continue to expand, more content focused on niche groups is created through entertaining television shows. No other medium has expressed the ability to tailor itself to the varying tastes of its audience.  Alternate sources are limited without the combination of visuals, audio and text that television offers.
 

  While the internet has provided alternate means of obtaining the same content you’d find on television, it has not overtaken TV’s presence.
             This is likely to change in the future due to the express nature of the internet. Where television had made a quick change to the pace of receiving content against other mediums, the internet continues to develop faster and faster tools. The support of internet on more and more devices is a large part of this speed. Services such as Twitter allow rapid-fire exchange of information, and with an internet-ready device, users can be instantly alerted to everything new. Internet users are also not tied down to the content provided by the broadcasters. While television has adapted quickly to viewers tastes, the internet once again does it faster. Users are able to easily and quickly create their own content regarding their interests and easily find others’ content as well. Video on Demand also allows users to bypass the schedules set by broadcasters. Instead of recording for a later date, they can simply purchase the content and watch it at any time. Certain services are beginning to cater exclusively to these crowds, such as Netflix with their new show House of Cards, available for streaming instantly without a week’s wait between episodes. This isn’t to say the internet does not encourage television to some degree. The widespread availability of TV show clips has allowed more users to become aware of shows or programs which they then might watch on television. This support is most likely why television continues to outweigh internet as a medium.

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