TV time

by Andrew Swift, DI editorial writer

I gleefully read ABC's announcement that it will place online streaming video of popular television shows the day after they air. Now, I don't even watch "Desperate Housewives" or "Lost" or any other mind-dumbing show ABC airs, but the prospect of increasing access to television shows is a dream come true, for the networks and the viewer.

Yes, commercials will be included in the stream; and, no, they can't be fast forwarded through. However, I'd rather watch a program on my computer when I wanted - with commercials - than not be able to watch it at all. The bigger "worry" is that advertisers will be hesitant to sign on. They should be dreaming of an even greater number of mindless drones saturated with their same, horrible commercials. I could go on for days panning ads, but, sadly, they work. News flash to advertisers whoring their products: You're being offered a huge opportunity. Take it. (And make mad cash.)

We've all had occasions where we couldn't catch a show because of class, work, etc. In the digital-super-high-tech-awesome age we live in, this is criminal. ABC realizes the Internet is the future - CBS' March Madness on Demand drew more than 15 million viewers. The expansion of information is a key to future societal growth. The goal of the 21st century should be increasing the wealth of knowledge: democracy by information. While popular television shows may not exactly fit the bill, it's a start. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day.