Media Indigestion

An important factor to incorporate into future mobile media models is how people digest media. On Mark Cuban's blog today, the media mogul mentioned an analogy that eloquently describes the way in which we digest media on a daily basis. He likened online video and tv as snacks and meals respectively. This sums up perfectly the way I feel about online video content and its relation to TV.

I still flock to the TV to receive a much more enriching experience than that of online video. YouTube is the world's largest snack place, offering multitudes of snacks easily accessible to anyone at anytime. This type of content is great for to casually browse in a few moments of free time during the day, whether at the office or at school. It provides quick, to the point satisfaction with short media clips that are entertaining but generally lack substance. Conversely it is easy to become bored with these "snacks" and crave more general satisfaction. That is where the fulfilling and nutritional meal comes in. TV, or the type of content TV delivers, provides a generally more enriching experience, because the content is not so democratized and still professionally created. User generated content is great for a snack, but people still need substance.

No matter where we are watching or listening to the media we digest, whether it be on a computer, a Portable Media Player, or any other entertainment portal, when examining the mobile market, it is important to note the way people digest media. Offering short summarized videos of last nights sports highlights while I inhale a McGriddle at the local McDonald's seems like a natural fit. Offering the download of discounted TV shows while I wait for my tires to be changed, or while I am waiting for a doctor's appointment also seems reasonable. As we venture into the mobile media market, people will be more receptive to consume more and more media, as long as their media digesting habits are duly noted and paid close attention to. Otherwise it could end up becoming a huge failure because of a lack of adoption and consumption.