The Web as a new mass medium
 
Millions of words have been written on this subject: below I've just set out a brief summary of the state of play in mid-1998 as far as Australian broadcasters are concerned.
 
The evolution of the Web marks the arrival of a new medium of mass communication. It's a hybrid of pre-existing information forms - text, image, video and audio- but the delivery patterns are novel and the usage patterns, business models and even core technologies, while evolving swiftly, are still in their infancy. The medium presents a challenge to traditional broadcast media, both commercial and public, to adapt and to translate their strengths into the new form. But as many broadcasters are learning to their expense, it really is a new medium: the Web is not TV. The cost of learning that lesson has meant many broadcasters now have a jaundiced view about investing in Web projects. They effectively have no choice other than to do exactly that, however, for a number of reasons:

• The number of households connected is growing rapidly - not as rapidly as in 1996 and 1997 but still very quickly
• The demographic most attracted to the net - the 15-25 age group with growing disposable income, flexible brand loyalties and no technofear - are a critical audience segment for advertisers. Broadcasters therefore cannot afford to lose this demographic
• Studies indicate that time spent on the web is time taken from watching TV: while it is early days yet and the numbers are small, TV is losing audience to the new medium and this trend cannot be ignored
• Broadcasters can't be seen to turn their backs on a powerful new social and economic phenomenon without appearing to be conservative and unable to adapt to a new environment: this is more true of TV than radio, which has a more age-segmented marketplace.
• There's always the elusive potential of a gold mine awaiting companies which can work out a profit-making model for a web presence
• Broadcasters have a powerful means of cross-promotion at their command, to feed audiences back and forth between media and to reinforce their loyalty.

 
Some basics: what the three media can do - and can't do
Conventional electronic broadcasting fulfils a number of functions:

• Entertainment
• Information ( including News)
• Advertising
• Builds a community - albeit an attenuated and diffuse one. At the least, it provides a common experience

The Internet does all of these things and several others. It does some things better - information, for example - and other things worse - arguably entertainment. The advent of Pay TV and the Web has fragmented the community role of TV but it's still significant.
 
Consider the different characteristics of each medium:
Broadcast TV ( as opposed to cable)-

• Transmits high-quality full motion synchronised audio and video, allowing a rich experience for viewers
• Allows multiple users in one space and a shared experience
• Allows a common experience for viewers but no interaction between them
• Can be either live or prerecorded
• Is incapable of direct feedback to programs by viewers
• Has immense market penetration
• Has simple user interface and stable, cheap technology
• Uses considerable power and is thus still generally tied to a wall power outlet
• Is ill-adapted to portability: small screens are difficult to watch
• Is not on-demand (i.e. is "synchronous"), except when used with video recorders
• Is non-interactive
• Is very expensive to create
• Consumer TV sets are of moderate $ cost and no learning is needed by users
• Has a well established advertising revenue model
• Has a well-established set of production techniques
• Cable allows for a great range of choice in programming but still not on-demand

Radio

• Allows very high quality audio
• Allows multiple users in one space
• Allows inattentive use
• Is ubiquitous
• Has simple user interface and stable, cheap technology
• Can be either live, prerecorded or automated
• Is capable of immediate on-air feedback ( albeit heavily mediated) through talkback
• Is not on-demand ("synchronous")
• Is very portable
• Is non-interactive
• Programming is relatively cheap to create, compared to TV
• Radio receivers are very cheap in dollar cost and cost no learning time
• Has a well established advertising revenue model
• Has a well-established set of production techniques
• Is losing money in the AM band ( only 6 of the 19 capital city AM stations were profitable last year, as opposed to 16 out of 20 capital city FM stations)

The Web, as delivered to most Australian consumers-

• Has acceptable audio quality and very poor video quality
• Can entail very frustrating experiences due to delays and technical faults
• Is able to present immense amounts of information
• Is completely interactive and driven by the user
• Is overwhelmingly on-demand (" asynchronous")
• Can be live, archived or automated
• Has an awkward interface and fluid technology and standards
• Requires significant expense for equipment and requires skills to use
• Is practically non-portable - tied to power and phone (road warriors notwithstanding)
• Is cheap to create compared to TV but can become costly very rapidly
• Has no proven reliable advertising models
• Has no proven reliable business models