Over the last few weeks, I've been experimenting with a new system for distributing big media objects (BMOs, files like those that hold video) via P2P. It's the use of BitTorrent enclosures in RSS feeds (such as on blogs) and it fits in really well with the platform being developed for my thesis.
This is the system I'm using to join communities and distribute the media that can be browsed using my prototype STB software.
Andrew Grumet has written about this a bunch and has built a tool that connects the BitTorrent software to a news aggregator.
An article by Andrew
How-to get started
IBM Consulting Services published a 44-page strategy report for the media industries that calls on them to become more open to business partners, customers and consumers.
It's entitled Media and entertainment 2010 - Open on the inside, open on the outside: The open media company of the future. So far, I've just given it a glance-through, but it seems they do a really good job at explaining why companies should make their business models more open. This really fits in well with the distribution models I'm proposing. It's interesting that they hardly mention P2P (of course, the first thing I did when I opened the doc was do a search!). Either they haven't realized that it can really change things or they're scared of the reactions they would probably get from the companies that may buy their services based on the report...or maybe they just realize that's a topic for another paper in and of itself.
Anyway, instead, they've side-stepped talk about how the distribution will take place - they've mostly said it will be more open. Regardless, I urge you to read the report. As soon as I get the time, I'll do the same. :)
From the site's description:
unmediated is a group blog that tracks the tools, processes, and ideas being used to decentralize media production and distribution.
There are some really interesting and smart people working on this project with me. If you're interested in this stuff, I promise it'll be worth your while to bookmark it.