The last few years have seen a dramatic and clear shift in the Canadian television landscape. Several factors have led to this change, but most notably is the introduction of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). This new way of looking at television has arrived in Canada during the last few years, enabling an almost unthinkable amount of choice of programmes to be viewed through a viewer’s internet connection. The article considers our almost new found Canadian enthusiasm for “viewing television on the internet”.
Television content delivered over Internet Protocol (IP)—that is, anything watchable over the Internet—can now be called IPTV. This is different from traditional television methods, such as shelling out for satellite dishes or staying within the confines of cable. Those options leveraged their own ways of broadcasting, not too differently from how local radio stations work. IPTV uses the Internet and is therefore more flexible and often cheaper to push out to consumers. Streaming live channels, on-demand or recorded content, and whatever types of shows users can view through their devices—such as computers, tablets, and so on—can all be called IPTV.
For a long time, the Canadian media landscape was dominated by a few large players. This was particularly true for the television sector, where the bulk of the service was provided by the cable companies Rogers, Bell, and Shaw. But all that is changing now as high-speed internet becomes universally available and the IPTV model rises to the fore. IPTV is, of course, internet protocol television. Simply put, it is TV service delivered in whole or in part over the internet rather than through traditional cables or satellite dishes.
A large proportion of Canadians are looking for ways to reduce their monthly expenditures. In this regard, I find that IPTV typically wins the affordability battle. So, what in tarnation is IPTV? It is a subscription television service that delivers content over the Internet rather than by traditional means. In the case of IPTV, the traditional means would be an antenna, fiber optics, or coaxial cable. IPTV uses the same pipes as your Internet service but can deliver content in a far more reliable and efficient manner—also a cheaper manner, it often seems.Canadians watch television in a very different way today, and it all boils down to one trend: binge-watching. The Canadian public, like everyone else, breathed a collective sigh of relief and settled cozily on their sofas the day that “all you can watch” streaming services came into the world. Watching a half-hour episode of The Office circa 2005 felt like a bender because, well, it kind of was! Nowadays, we don’t blink an eye when, after four surfing clicks through the paywall, we end up watching Ted Lasso’s second episode right after finishing the first.
Obtaining content rights is a complex, costly business. IPTV providers in Canada are routinely competing against much larger, more established players and international streamers. Such giants make it difficult for IPTV providers to compete and deliver a strong content offering. And while the vast majority of urban Canadians enjoy access to high-speed internet, the same can’t be said for many people living in our rural and remote areas. These connectivity problems can limit the reach of IPTV and cut out as a potential demographic any rural or remote Canadian who might like to subscribe.
IPTV’s future in Canada remains bright as technology advances. Televisual transmission via the internet seems to be the most flexible, least expensive, and high-value content distribution medium. Improvements in internet infrastructure as well as the deployment of 5G technology are going to do a lot for IPTV services to reach a higher quality and more accessible audience. The near term may also witness some exploration of business model variants that leverage changing consumer viewing patterns and preferences, and the possibility of ad-supported content or lifestyle-driven subscription bundles may be among the nominally IPTV delivery alternatives put forward.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning can now be leveraged to make content recommendation. This will most likely only get better, to the point where viewers can discover new shows, channels, and other content almost instinctively. But what of the delivery of television? Internet Protocol television is how that experience is being redefined in Canada, and it’s not because Canadians have a hunger for something new and different in how they enjoy their favorite pastime. IPTV is perceived as an economical, user-friendly way to deliver a wide range of content to viewers.