The Rise of Broadband Video and the Future of Digital Media

Federal Communications Commission member Meredith Baker spoke at the Silicon Flatirons Center October 12, noting that more than 161 million U.S. users watched 25 billion online videos in August 2009, 10.2 billion more than those viewed in January. Overall, the average viewer watched 582 minutes (9.7 hours) of video. The push of video content onto the Internet is welcomed by the FCC, she said, since it can "only increase the richness of the material available and therefore enhance the attractiveness of broadband use to consumers." But noted that the trend presents regulatory challenges: 1) digital video is subject to cheap and easy reproduction and distribution, so it is a challenge to create an environment that respects the rights of the members of the creative community; 2) video is one of the most bandwidth-consuming applications, so the National broadband Plan must include spectrum policy that provides sufficient speeds and quality of service for video services, 3) the proliferation of online video means parents will need information and tools to restrict access by their children to material that they deem inappropriate.