The medium is the revolution

Online distribution of TV programming is fundamentally altering interpretations of what constitutes a hit show, reports Advertising Age.

In an interview with Omniture CEO Josh James, the executive says shows that never garnered a substantial TV audience might have had a better chance at survival online.

Networks must determine a show's potential audience to extract what platform they're most likely to view, then design a push to drive people there, he added.

Metrics firms like Omniture are currently working with networks to measure the size of online streaming audiences.

Giving advertisers clear profiles of online audiences will (obviously) help to accurately and fully monetize those streams, James emphasizes.

The CEO's faith in the influence of online television adds weight to the ongoing writers strike. Perceiving a shift in audience habits from television to the internet, writers are attempting to negotiate compensation for shows and films streamed online.

But networks have proven reluctant to give up the honey pot. At present, media streamed online is considered "promotional," and writers are not entitled to any part of it.