Consumer Electronics have certainly come a long way. It is fascinating to see what technology is capable of. We can receive hundreds of programs via satellite or cable on bigger and bigger screens. One of the latest examples is the 3D plasma TV presented at the CES. Often I ask myself, how much value this piece of technology really adds with the present state of TV programming. After all a 3D plasma TV doesn't transform a lousy program into a fantastic program. However it is probably fantastic for aquarium, fish tank or fireplace DVD's and some people would also consider it to be a beautiful modern design object. None of which are reasons to buy a TV, or are they?

Many broadcasting stations prefer to copy successful programs in order to maximize short term profits. I wish producers would invest more time and budget in quality content. Unfortunately technological overkill with a trivial storyline is becoming the norm, rather than being the exception. The regular excuse is that what is being aired is what people want to see (and what is being watched brings in the advertising revenues). I don't buy that. There are those that stop watching TV. There are those that spend their time desperately zapping from one channel to the other. There are those that consume TV without enjoying what they are seeing. And there are some that actually like what they see.

Are public or private broadcasting stations still appropriate in today's environment or isn't it time to think about new business models in the age of the Internet? Look at what the iPod in combination with individualized quality content via iTunes did to the big record labels. Consider the success of the iPhone in combination with the individualized quality content via the App Store.

And yes, Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in B&W still is fantastic :-)