As people stay in more to watch TV because they aren’t going out as much as budget crunches hit the wallet, could Americans build a new, unconnected video network that replaces shows with podcasts or digital downloads and leaving traditional cable-based companies to maybe, possibly, lower rates?

A column in TVWeek.com seems to think so. Daisy Whitley said since she can now download shows on Netflix on her XBox 360, she can now live a cable-free life.

That would be a credit to NBC Entertainment’s unprecedented attempts to offer all their content for free on their own platform (try searching for SNL on YouTube and you’ll see how hard they protect their brand), including news shows. And if you’re willing to shill out for iTunes copies for almost every show aired in the U.S. (could you please add UK ones next, Apple? Some of us fans of ITV reality shows which will never re-air here would be so pleased.)

It’s a shame that there’s not a really great P2P site where you could pay license fees to networks you wanted to see. That might mean the end of waiting till the DVD’s are out to have movie content downloadable, but would people still go to movies instead of watching from laptops?

However, this Christmas season has shown that box office numbers are surprisingly normal for the hit movies (“Twilight” ended up using social networking and fan sites to draw buzz weeks before it came out.) And in England, there’s a huge movement for artists to get their own song copyrights back from the labels, so they can have more control over what they can do with it online. So possibly there will be changes…and a lot of traditional media outlets struggling to cope.

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Nielsen IAG has released data about which cable television programs are “most engaging” among self-described Republicans and Democrats, meaning the shows they actually pay attention to.

There were a few surprises. “South Park” is beloved by Republicans? Really? And “Doctor Who”?!? Really, have they watched the show and noticed all the gay characters? Although this does lead me to wonder if my planned Doctor/Harkness third-party ticket would have more bipartisen support (slogan: “One gives everyone one chance, and the other has a really huge gun.”)

On the Democratic side, I have a feeling that “The Colbert Report” being so popular with liberals would make some great rant fodder for Stephen Colbert. I hope he gets wind of it. And apparently Dems like to live life on the edge with “Deadliest Catch”, and are into a female sports writer on “My Boys” (one my my personal faves.)

And it only makes sense that the most bipartisen of shows are shows that would bridge shared interests, like TLC’s “What Not To Wear”, the Food Network’s “The Next Food Network Star” and HGTV’s “Design Star”.

The most ironic thing is how Republicans and Democrats split on VH1 shows. Republicans favored “Rock of Love”, while Democrats watched “I Love New York”. I wonder how they figured out who to support in “I Love Money”.

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Knight Rider, Kath & Kim, Crusoe and My Own Worst Enemy, along with several second-year shows, will be available on NBC’s Web site, Hulu, iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand, Microsoft’s Xbox Live and Zune, as well as on-demand from TV providers such as Comcast, Cox, Charter, Dish and Verizon Fios. Knight Rider and Lipstick Jungle, due Sept. 24, are available today.

Other networks have dabbled with online premieres in the past, but none have had the success that NBC has had. The Office and 30 Rock are still alive partly because of online downloads from NBC sources. And since NBC is now using a ratings metric that factors in online video views and VOD, they will find a measure of success even if some of their new shows (namely Kath & Kim and My Own Worse Enemy) are being eulogized before they premiere.

The other networks are using other means of building buzz. CBS is screening their new shows the old fashioned way, ABC will be putting premiere eps of returning shows online but not the new stuff.  CW waited until after the premiere to put 90210 online, and Fox only offered streams for their premieres of Fringe and The Sarah Connor Chronicles during the on-air premiere, and limited use to on-campus college networks.

(NBC Photo: Mitchell Haaseth)

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The new “virtual world” project is a partnership between Sun Microsystems‘ online-game platform Project Darkstar and GS New Media, who owns the Internet rights to the series. For its part, officials at GS told Variety that they hope that this project taps into the success of competitors like virtual Barbie.

Hey, those guys have nothing on Webkinz, as all the mothers of young girls I know will testify. Makes you wonder if beanie babies would be frolicking online if they became popular now. And the latest book incarnation of “Sweet Valley High” (with blogging!!!) just frightens me.

(Photo: Amazon)

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