If it’s true, as Bill Cella says in this article, that network television as a business model is here to stay, it’s only because those with vested interests in it’s survival will call in as many favors as they have to in order to guarantee it. I think that yes, in five years the network landscape will look much as it does now minus perhaps one major player. But after that it’s anyone’s guess. Cable is going to increasingly pull advertisers seeking a niche audience and the audience is going to increasingly love their PVRs. It’s that simple. The Long Tail idea is built around the concept that money will go where the audience leads and that’s where it’s going to lead.

[via Lost Remote]