10 years ago, when the first version of Napster was up on the internet,  it soon became obvious that digital music was the wave of the future in the record label business. There would be at least two fundamental changes.First - ultimately the Internet would become the preferred distribution method. Apple's iTunes store is already the biggest music retailer having surpassed Wal-Mart and Target. In South Korea alone, around 70% of all music is sold over the web. As William Gibson put it, "The future has already arrived; it's just not evenly distributed".

Second -  hardware manufactures would (a) develop new devices and (b) add features to existing products in order to accommodate the consumer preference shift. Examples include not only the iPod and iPhone, but also jukebox software such as iTunes and Windows Media Player.

With resentment, many record label executives complained that hardware suppliers tacitly acquiesced to MP3 piracy and low prices for legitimate music tracks because both stimulated demand for hardware. By noting that iPods & iPhones are far more profitable for Apple than iTunes digital tracks, the execs implied the existence of a silent conspiracy.

Presently video copyright holders are circulating similar conspiracy theories. As Yogi Berra might put it, "It's Déjà vu all over again" - but without any validity.

In truth, the present transformation of television has been evolving for 30 years. It all started in the early 1980's as TV makers sought to accommodate the desires of video producers to increase revenues. For example, the market for pre-recorded video tapes required that set-makers provide new sockets enabling VCR's to be connected to the TV. Gradually more devices designed to mate with TV's were introduced:  video game consoles, DVD players, camcorders, digital cameras and cable boxes. As a result, connection panels became increasingly versatile, ultimately emerging as the center-of-gravity for the transformation of television.

Today the ever growing variety of connection jacks in the panel facilitates the attachment of Internet-connected devices such as laptop computers, iPods, iPhones, video game consoles, DVR's, and dedicated appliances like Roku and Apple TV. The appearance of HDMI jacks is particularly significant because they permit the transport of High Definition video and audio in a single cable.

In sum, even the most unlikely of today's devices is capable of exhibiting Internet content through connections to the TV. And this is beautiful if you are a company with any intention of producing video of any kind. For example, consider the iPhone. Since the unit has a built-in iPod users can purchase, or rent, movies from Apple's iTunes online store - where you can distribute your show / videos.

Companies take note: do you understand that you have the opportunity to reach millions and millions of people:

* right now - on the internet

* right now - on a device that is ALWAYS attached to your consumers hips!?

* soon - on TV? (and without some big far-reaching network deal....wow)

What does this mean? Start producing internet content now, and build your audience.....do not let this opportunity pass you by - because the competitors in your industry will.

Alternately, your content can be download by millions as free video podcasts, together with other popular TV shows.  In addition, the iPhone can conveniently attach to a TV thereby providing a big screen display for the unit's videos. Totally awesome. Wait for 8pm on Friday to watch a show? A thing of the past.....its all about 24/7/365 - the internet, I mean TV/internet driving traffic to your website, and therefore revenue. We already have it with Hulu and others. Why not have YOU-lu? If you currently advertise & market your business with print, look into this...I guarantee when you figure out your potential ROI using video and other web content vs. (antiquated) print, you will be shocked. I used to have some trepidation when speaking about print, because I have so many colleagues and friends in print publishing. But it is no secret anymore. Just this week Conde Nast closed 3 mags...and plenty more are on the way. Look what happened with Ziff Davis. They are all moving online.

An inevitable result of the evermore versatile TV socket panel is vigorous growth in the viewing of  Internet content on the TV. The proliferation of video rentals at NetFlix and Amazon is only one example. But it is an example that portends the death of Blockbuster and similar businesses. Consequently, the amount of time consumers spend watching CATV, Satellite, and Broadcast TV must almost certainly decline.

In industry-wide analysis, consumers will ultimately spend more time watching Internet content on their TVs than in watching conventional television.

Initially, for the viewer, the change will be almost imperceptible. But for businesses like yours, it means that you literally will now have the world at your video fingertips. Produce video content!

Consider a TiVo user with a model that connects via WiFi to the Internet. Presently it's still  mostly used to record favorite TV programs. However, it can also play your YouTube videos and your website's video podcasts, like David Pogue's of The New York Times. Is your company taking advantage of this?

It's as certain as tomorrow's sunrise that TiVo, DVR's and every cable box  will be adding new Internet video content in the future (and also clickable on-screen links to purchase products, but Ill discuss later - I'm trying not to blow your mind too much in one post). Will your company have video content ready for the masses? Do you think its worth it to your bottom line? It will also enable TV watchers to pay for your PREMIUM content  directly from 'Your Website-Video-on-Demand'. Goodbye 'TV-network-pitch', and Hello 'your company-as-Studio Head'.

Television's transformation is merely fulfilling it's destiny, as a win-win situation for viewers, together with your products, company, organization, or business. Get you some.

What does this mean for your company? How can your business make money online, and soon on TV? How can you attract new, exciting, and profitable advertising and sponsorship with the new tools of the internet? Why should you begin to take advantage of this, now? Give us a shout.