It could be as early as 2005, that you could be watching TV shows you missed last night, on your way to work. Sounds far-fetched ? Then take a look at the developments.

Asia: By September 2004, Samsung will have launched a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) phone that will receive satellite TV signals - along with a service that will let customers view a bouquet of channels, which can be as high as 40 stations. While Korean telecom operator SK Telecom claims it's Satellite TV on cellphone is ready - waiting for changes in Govt. regulations !
Britain: By June 2004, the BBC will have launched their pilot project that would put their television programs on their website for download - onto a PC, DVD or PDA. India: Indian giant Reliance is putting together its plans to launch television via their CDMA network.
In-flight: In May 2004, Lufthansa introduced in-flight Wi-Fi - based broadband wireless internet connection. The Wi-Fi service is provided by Connexion - a Boeing co. which has also signed deals with Japan Airlines and SAS. With others like Singapore Airlines and Korean Air are in the pipeline. (What's important to note is that costs are tumbling down.) Now passengers will be able to surf the web and send/receive emails from their own (Wi-Fi enabled) laptop or handheld computers (instead of the limited services offered heretofore by some airlines through their seatback displays.) And pay a fraction of the charges ($10 for half an hour, or $30 for the entire flight duration instead of the existing rates of $16 per 'seatback' email).

Content Chasing Viewers
As content provider, BBC's plan centers around content distribution. This revolutionary plan has been drawn up by Ashley Highfield (Director of New Media & Technology), who says, "if we don't enter this market, then exactly what happened to the music industry could happen to us, where … everybody starts posting the content up there and ripping us off." (Just as Sony is trying to do with its music assets.
Capital equipment manufacturers, Boeing & Samsung are clearly expanding into the service business.
Airlines like Lufthansa are expanding the connectivity offerings (& therefore the customers' choice of entertainment).
Telecom service providers like SK & Reliance is clearly aiming to "pipe" television content through its network.

All this confirms that content will chase viewers. Via the Internet. Via the cell phone. Via Wi-Fi.

No Business like Show Business
Recently, France Telecom researchers have announced a fabric woven from plastic optical fibers that glow and can be used to create different images - like a TV screen! Will this lead to fabric-like television / display screens in the future ?

Quite clearly, the future of entertainment business is bright. Or is that, the future of business is entertainment ?