TV Killed the Web Video Star

This Christmas season will prove to be very interesting for the Web Video market. I'm not talking about the excitement around the retail ad market bonanza or the new toys little Billy will get for Christmas. I am talking about the new Web enabled TVs that are hitting the market along with the upgrades to XBox and Playstation.

These IP enabled video devices are hitting the stores just in time for the holiday season and don't forget Superbowl (Go Eagles!) These new devices allow consumers to consume quality video content in HD when and where they want it. The experience is far superior to the typical video experience online today and gives the consumer more control than they have with the standard cable service.

The combination of features and value will put the nail in the coffin for YouTube and all the short form video aggregators. Online video revenue is going to grow over the next few years but I don't think the money will move to web video as we know it today.

Web video companies without rights to quality content need to look out. I see many of the networks, cable companies and quality video services leapfrogging the Internet and going straight to IP TV. They will use the web for scheduling, alerts, promotion and sometimes access via a PC but the primary viewer will be the TV. I am sure there will be a place for web video, but I guarantee you it will look very different from the 320x240 players that exist today.