I think the efforts to combine Net and TV will go on irrespective of failures that took place in the past. However Tivo does look like a success , though its sustenance is a question mark .Tivo helps one view the content in the TV shows offline, thus obviating the need for the user to be present when the show is aired.

The new trend in this space is that there have been a set of services where the TV shows have been offered to the users through web. Firstly the costs of developing 24-hour programming are fairly modest - at least compared with the budgets of broadcast TV networks and Secondly the increase in the bandwidth are making it feasible to stream shows for the users

Will the model work ?

1.Target Segment: In all probability, the early adopters would be the people who are in situations where they are away from TV and cannot find an alternative content for the same kind of entertainment. Research shows that the viewership increases during working hours !. Hence its a peculiar situation where the same content aired on one channel (TV) is being sent by a different channel(Web) to a set of users.One of the biggest benefits of sending it through web is the splicing of various shows that can happen during a give time period. As a user I can watch 15 minutes of “Friends” and switch over to another show aired by the same channel a week back. The flexibility if offers to the user is enormous. But will the user pay for this ?

2. The revenue model is dependent on the ad revenues , banner ads, etc. If it uses web to generate revenue by placing ads and getting paid for click throughs, then we have seen that merely depending on click throughs is not a viable model(dot com bubble). Will it be like an interruptive form of advertising where the ads are interspersed between the content ?If so, its nothing but a Tivo model at low cost. A hybrid model would be a better way to go ahead

3. Content : The type of content will be crucial factor. These sites should be concentrate on few niche areas where traditional media might shun to venture in . Any step to replicate the same content shown on TV will not work.Content where repeating viewing reinforces or sends out better information would be ideal for such sites.