The Digital Media Layer Cake

Really enjoyed this D.A. Wallach article on the Digital Media Layer Cake - a distinct stack of concepts that just about every Internet company uses to, ultimately, reach a consumer. They are, in ascending order:

• Hardware
• OS
• Connectivity
• Apps
• Creators
• Advertising (sometimes)
• Content

The article goes on to describe how companies like Apple, Amazon, Time Warner or even Adult Swim are using these in varying degrees to get their content to you. That, in and of itself, is pretty interesting.

However, the big takeaway is that digital media is still playing by old media rules. Windowing and restricted availability being the biggest culprits for giving consumers a hard time. Is it really optimal to channel customers to one specific viewing area when that's not their normal viewing habits? Disrupting convenience is not a moneymaker.

All and all, it's a good read to think about the possibilities of today's new media empires - Apple, Google, etc - being a bit more risky as a means to appease the customer. The question is, would any of them be daring enough to go against the old ways?

via Hawk