The Digital Future of Weddings

The last ten days have proved that life in Tech PR is full of some interesting juxtapositions, with my time being spent in some fascinating briefings and roundtables on the digital future of Radio, TV, general all round entertainment in the home, listening to experts in their particular field shows how many options are out there for content owners, media companies, telco operators, and mobile brands, and how difficult it will be for all of them to make their desired amount of revenue from the user.

Massive consolidation has to happen for the connected home to ever happen, with cable and satellite bickering and attempting to prepare for the onslaught of competition from companies such as Virgin (now the first company to have the quad-play option open to them), not having one part of the puzzle is no longer an option. In 3-5 years, homes will have a sole provider of TV, broadband, fixed and mobile services, there will be BT homes, Sky homes, Virgin homes, Orange/Wanadoo homes and maybe one other, perhaps along the lines of an AOL/Time Warner group where a content owner links up with a media company. As for radio, again, the mobile operators want to make money out of their networks so are less keen to get DAB chips put into their phones, instead looking to charge for streaming services over 3G. It's an interesting time now for music, video, games - I'm glad to be here.

The other half (the "life" part of the work/life equation) has been filled with typical summer explots, namely Weddings and Polo matches, where digital media ceases to be interesting and more of a formality in small talk. Two beautiful weekends, spent enjoying good company, good food and fantastic weather. Of course dressing the part is also a big element of the fun to be had at these things, prepping it up being a particular hobby of mine. It makes me wonder how, when some things are changing at their very essence, there will always be certain ways to spend an English summer, and during this time, when work and play combine, such as when colleauges are wed, it brings a certain charm to the air.