The invention of the internet has over the years opened doors for even more inventions of cooler things. The improvement of internet speed has changed the way we consume media, and Video on Demand (VoD) may just change the way we watch TV.
In the past, content creators had to go through the hassle and bustle of pitching ideas to traditional media executives like television producers, movie studio owners, station managers and editors among others in order to have their ideas broadcast or produced, and the bureaucracy involved has hindered some great ideas from ever seeing the light of day.
This is almost becoming a thing of the past, with creatives now having options of going traditional, or choosing the risky but growing business of self-publication, and this liberty is changing the way we see things, literally.
With VoD, we can decide to watch literally anything, anywhere, anytime, as long as we have internet connection. Creatives can create content and apply for space on VoD service providers, and have their content published.
Last week, telecommunications provider Airtel launched their own VoD service named Airtel TV, and they are providing nothing but videos which include, music, movies, TV series and sports among others.
All you need is an internet-enabled device, an Airtel SIM card and data, and feed your eyes with anything you want to watch. The only constraint is that it is currently only available as a mobile app, but it is all free, at least for now.
Last year, another streaming service Yo TV entered the Ugandan market to provide seamless live streaming and VoD content for local and international television networks. Let us not forget that subscription-based Netflix and Amazon Prime (for some shows) can also be accessed in Uganda.
We are busy, people are busy, and we might not get the time to sit down to watch a live awards show, a movie on live TV, or a football match, but with the power of the internet and smartphones, we can just watch all that ‘on the go.’