ExecTec - Network Smetwork

Over the many years we have been meeting and dining many things have changed. I look back at some of the topics fascinated just how how far things have changed.

One of the areas that has evolved significantly over the nearly 9 years has been content. I was reminded of this in the last few weeks when ExecTec member Marty Meyers sent me a note titled “Told you so . . . “ referencing stories circulating back early in July about Hulu’s imminent auction and presumed demise and a discussion from a long past ExecTec dinner on content. .

Marty in this conversation made the following statements,: “Prediction - all TV is going to be over IP and Amazon and Netflix will be the big distributors. AppleTV may play in. Network Smetwork - content will all offered be a la carte. Have you seen House of Cards yet? brilliant.”

Of course less than a week later news broke in Variety (http://bit.ly/141aOvX) that the Hulu Sale was called off and that Disney, NBCU and 21st Century Fox will invest $750 million in TV site and that its current owners claim their strategies for the Internet TV site are fully in sync.

Just days later in a first the Emmy Awards announced that Netflix received a total of 12 nominations for its original series (nine for House of Cards, three for Arrested Development Season 4).

Have we gone, in a less than a decade, from Must See TV Thursdays (http://bit.ly/141c820) to must see content how, where and when you want it with cords and TV’s optional?

Traditional broadcasters and cable services are barrier distributors who 10 years ago were the only hope a content creator had for monetizing episodic content on a large scale.

Content and the money made both in it’s creation as well as the technology, distribution and advertisements that enable/fund it are big economic factors.

While I hate to admit I am old enough to remember a time when 3 networks, 2 local VHF stations, a few UHF stations where it and we were all so blown away when the local cable provider offered up 12 to 24 channels (A through Z).

What and where are you watching? How has your viewing and content consumption habits changed in the last 9 years.

If you have shifted from a primary land-line to a primary cell phone (most likely a smart phone with Netflix available on-board) as many have is Marty right and the shift to a new content distribution paradigm already or soon to be a reality?

Join us as we explore this fascinating evolution in the consumption and technology surrounding content.

As always, there is no better way to meet and connect with other executives then over dinner and conversation. $21 in advance via PayPal or $25 at the event gets you a full dinner, drink and the best networking around.