Local TV stations face Net threat

LOCAL TV STATIONS FACE NET THREAT
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Greg Sandoval]
Some attendees of the National Association of Broadcasters conference this week are worried that local television affiliates will be the next business species to be endangered by the Internet. The warning signs are ominous for local TV outlets. Last month, NBC Universal and News Corp., parent company of Fox Broadcasting, helped establish a new online video network that will distribute full-length movies and TV shows across some of the top Internet portals. CBS announced its own video network last week. Is there a place in this direct-to-consumers business model for local TV stations? Certainly, the outlook for regional broadcasters appeared troubled long before the Web. Over-the-air broadcasters have been challenged by cable and satellite distributors for decades and for the past five years by DVD sales. The Internet is just the latest technological threat to come along and carve another slice from the $75 billion market for TV advertising.
http://news.com.com/Local+TV+stations+face+Net+threat/2100-1025_3-617656...