http://www.economist.com/news/21589085-internet-changing-television-habits-yourtube
...in 2014 online video will become a more influential cultural force, changing conversations, communities and what people watch. Several factors will speed up television’s move to the internet. Faster broadband will make it easier to watch videos delivered online without having to wait ages for them to load. People will buy more internet-enabled “smart” television sets, bringing websites once accessible mainly from laptops and tablets to bigger screens. In 2014 firms such as Sony and Intel will launch “over the top” services, which deliver television programmes over the internet. Apple’s long-awaited television offering may come to fruition.
At home, meanwhile, the dynamics will shift too. In 2014 more “cord-nevers” (youngsters forgoing cable) will start their own homes and opt for a cheaper online-video service and broadband instead of pay-television. These are not perfect replacements—with no live sports, for example—but many cash-strapped younger folk, who do not care about tuning in at prime time, will choose them. Beyond 2014, even more people will cut the cord. This drama of changing television-viewing habits will play out over many seasons.
