Saturday, May 10, 2008

A Guide To Watching Free TV Shows Online

By Chris Channing

Getting a monthly cable bill is no fun- especially considering that there are usually only a couple of channels that are really worth watching for the average user. The Internet has fixed this problem in some ways, with the invention of video on demand technologies, which can give users access to cable and satellite TV shows- in some cases at no cost at all!

When one thinks of bypassing their cable bill each month and instead watching TV shows on the Internet for free, the question as to whether or not the process is legal arises. In many cases, watching TV shows online is completely legit-although the right sources must be investigated in order to do so. Sources such as YouTube maintain strict policy that states no copyrighted material may be published without permission- and they stick to this policy with a diehard determination.

Other resources have struck deals with cable companies and networks that have access to TV shows, and offer services based on monthly fees. This is essentially just like paying a cable bill, only the rates are usually much lower because of the lowered cost to the cable networks in question. This is also an alternative to the expensive installations that are necessary for satellite installations.

Another big fad in TV shows is to release content for free, although the content will be laden with ads where applicable. This was made popular by the TV show "South Park," where its creators decided to release every single episode of South Park to the general public in exchange for advertisers putting their ads at predetermined spots in the episodes. This is less popular for cable networks at the moment, but consumers agree it's the best option for free TV shows online.

There have also been special deals made to make content completely free- even without in-episode ads. After all, no one likes to be interrupted while watching their favorite TV shows by obnoxiously long ad segments. In such cases, the NBC and YouTube deal is a clear example of how this can go exceptionally well for both publishers and copyright holders. TV shows such as "Saturday Night Live" have been put on YouTube for consumers to watch for free, all in exchange for special payments or advertisement spots on YouTube's part.

While there are indeed many legit places to watch TV shows online, it's important to keep note of those that are less so. Some websites claim to be legit and charge users fees, when in fact the fees go straight to the pockets of the webmasters of the website, and the operation is still considered illegal. In such cases, consumers should ask for proof that a website has the authority to allow others to watch copyrighted content, and only then should funds be released to such websites.

In Conclusion

Getting access to TV shows for free is an interesting concept. Clearly, it may take some ingenuity and work on the consumers part to find legit episodes of TV shows for free. But the hard work pays off when monthly cable bills are erased forever- and what glory and satisfaction that is.

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