Is Internet the New TV?

As our society advances further and further into what we call the technology age, the internet is becoming more and more a part of our lives.  Whether we realize it or not, the internet is slowly taking over everything.  Websites such as Hulu and Netflix are becoming very popular, and some are questioning whether it's sites like these that will eventually take over what we now know as television.

When I first thought of the idea of getting rid of my television set and switching over to the computer, I was very skeptical.  The internet could never replace the wonderful feeling of sitting down on a lazy afternoon and skipping through the channels trying to find something good to watch. Or having the TV on weekday nights and catching random bits of the local news.  What will happen to the random shows that you catch on the vast array of channels that nobody watches? I'm not sure, and if everything is on the computer, it will never be the same.

But it's not a bad idea.  A couple years ago my parents wanted to get rid of our home phone.  Surprisingly enough, the only person that didn't want to get rid of it was me.  Our home phone had always been the one phone we always used, and it felt like without it nothing would be the same, or that we wouldn't be able to function the same. I was definitely wrong because we were able to transfer our home phone to my dad's cell phone and honestly I haven't even noticed the difference.  It hadn't really occurred to me, but every call I ever make is done through my own cell phone and I didn't even need the home phone.

This may not be the best analogy, but I hope you see my point.  Although it seems as if switching to an all internet based television would be very different, most people, including myself, already watch most of their TV online.  Yes, the random channels that I watch occasionally will be missed.  But is it really worth paying the hefty cable bills?  Should we really be paying this much when nine times of ten you could've watched the same thing you just did for free on the computer?

I read an interesting article online (Should you cut the cable TV cord?) that discusses this very subject.  Many people responding to this subject talked about the various websites that they use instead of cable.  In fact many of them canceled their cable all together.  If I was in a situation where I couldn't afford cable, of course I would get rid of it.  The fact that there are so many places to watch television for cheaper is a great reason to ditch it. But also the fact that most cable companies are totally ripping us off? Well, I feel like they'll get a little taste of their own medicine when Netflix buys them out. But as for a family who is financially stable. I'm not going to be one of those uptight moms who never lets their kids go on the internet, but I don't want them to be spending all their time on the computer! I mean, I know television isn't the greatest way for families to bond, but it's better than the whole family sitting around a computer screen.

But what about those television computers? (computer televisions?) That solves all your problems right? No! I don't know about you, but I always loved the nights where my family would sit in the living room and surf the channels until we found a random movie or Law and Order episode. It's those moments that really make television special.

So is television as we know it changing? Of course, but probably never in the way we will expect. It way be completely internet in the years to come, but who knows, maybe cable companies will give their services through the internet. I'm not worried. Whatever happens, as long as I can watch my favorite shows, I think I will be happy.