It’s tough to believe that - not enlarged ago - cable television was a cutting-edge thing. Hey, didn’t kids once say: “I want my MTV”?

Now, of course, the new-new thing is online video, particularly with the extreme popularity of Google (NASDAQ: GOOG)’s YouTube.

Interestingly sufficient, we are seeing some movement from the cable players trying to figure out what to do about the broadband revolution (seems kind of late, huh?).

HBO is now making some moves. But, there are some limitations. whether you are a subscriber (in positive markets), you can access shows online, though it requires a software download (which means there are pretty tight digital-rights management controls).

Despite all that, it does seem like a good start.

I

had a chance to interview Chase Norlin, the CEO of Pixsy, an online video search company. According to him:

“This is a logical move for HBO to utilize their programming as a customer acquisition and retention tool in conjunction with the large MSOs (multiple service operators). Web-based multimedia substance becomes another negotiable point amidst the composition owners/producers and the cable operators/distributors. An additional benefit for HBO is the online ad monetization of their substance. Expect to see more substance owners/producers follow that trend.”

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The total M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He plus operates DealProfiles.com.

Original post by Tom Taulli