I was just reading how my alma mater got a $1m "grant" in Oracle "portal" software. While perusing the software description, it ends with "Open Student Television Network - CampusEAI Consortium has worked with its member campuses to develop Open Student Television Network, an enterprise system for delivering cable television channels, music and movies-on-demand, student programming, and courses to broadband connected desktops and other IP devices."

Why aren't there internet delivered TV networks yet? There's no reason not to have them. I've seen a set-top box that will plug into your net connection and display "tv programming" just like a cable box will, which I think is a great idea. The same thing could be done today, at no cost to the end user, by distributing a piece of viewer software. Or even an HTML menu with each link being a video stream. Comcast just bumped up their download speeds by a megabit. We have the power. Although its comcast that probably has a lot to loose by people switching to internet-delivered TV.

Its one of those things that absolutely should have been here by now. Where are the entrepreneurs? Sci-Fi TV shows are being recorded as soon as they're aired and they are passed around like hotcakes. I suppose the production costs are so high only the big networks can get into the game. I'd watch lower quality lower budget stuff if I knew I could watch it legally for free or very close to free.

Where is the next grass-roots TechTV? Or Seattle Wireless TV? hmm. I wonder if TV studio producers get chicks.