Lifecasting: Now you have your own channel, says Kyte

A colleague of mine sent me a link to a cool Web 2.0 app that allows you to film movies off your mobile phone and upload them onto the net in real time. He pointed out, that Kyte will essentially allow anyone with a cellphone and a broadband connection to set-up their own TV channel.

This is just another example of how the web is creating another access point for switched on traditional media outlets to engage with their audiences. With a service like Kyte, every mobile phone with a camera now becomes just another eye or roaming reporter on the network.

Just as the introduction of the television forced radio stations to examine their role and adapt (the same can be said for the emergence of online media vs. the newspaper), the emergence of live video blogging creates an opportunity for media houses that are switched on. As the quality of the cameras on mobile phones and the cost proposition and speed of mobile connectivity increases, it won't be long before we see citizen journalists posting eye witness reports live from the news scene. This is also another example of how new media has the potential to set and influence the traditional media agenda.

The offline TV set is dead and with the exponentially increasing amount of good content (user generated and premium content) that is being made available online, its no wonder that the race is on to connect and own the living room. The connected home is where the money is at for manufacturers and service providers. The company that can combine the best of the web, with the functionality and ease of use of the old school TV set, is in for a good ride.

Telkom stand no chance in this race and should rather stick to being the backbone. DSTV seem to be in the pound seats, but they could very well be side swiped by a nimble web TV company that comes in, with the ability to offer far more, off a far lower cost base.

Is it too far fetched to see the content providers/owners (film studios, networks) partnering with the likes of Vodaphone/Vodacom and seeing them offering TV into the home service off a WiMax/WiBro connection?