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Web Television also known as WebTV is a happy marriage between the hardware and software components of both television and internet. WebTV is in reality interactive television. It is an upcoming mode of digital entertainment which is different to traditional television broadcasting and not the same as internet television.
For the first part web shows and or soaps are smaller in duration than their traditional television counterparts and are delivered originally via mobile and broadband networks. They allow a considerable amount of interaction between viewers and web show producers and the best part is actors from the web series maintain blogs that are accessible to viewers to give extra personal and or information related to the show in question.
The hardware components of a WebTV comprise of a set top box, keyboard and mouse and a regular television screen not a computer monitor. Other media extras can be added and removed as per need through the ports given in the main hardware objects. The software together with typical television components supports internet compatibility with basic operating software for ease of use.
WebTV can be broadcast using streaming video and or downloadable media like individual uploads or podcasts.
Sony and Phillips were the first to design and launch televisions under this genre. Some of the most successful web shows or soaps from the recent past to name only a few would be Homestar Runner, Roommates, The Guild, The Spot and the unforgettable Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog. Likewise YouTube, MySpace, Hulu, Crackle, Newgrounds and Blip.tv are some of the most popular web television networks, while Vuguru, Revision3, Generate LA-NY, Deca, Take180 and Next New Networks are major television production players. There is an award committee founded by the International Academy of Web Television to support and recognize the work done by cast and crew within this category.
The history of WebTV can be traced back to the introduction of the famous web soap The Spot back in 1995. The soap was created due to the persistence of Scott Zarkin an employee at Fattal and Collins. The company created and broadcast the show with regular financed advertising banners and the works to hundreds of viewers who were hooked shortly after the first few episodes. The site is said to have received 100,000 hits on any given day.
From this point on, WebTV grew from strength to strength and soon television sets were being designed and produced to support the concept further. Today WebTV is synonymous with home entertainment and has shown a greater fan following than traditional television.
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