Watch out for IPTV: They make it sound great technically, but the purpose is CONTROL
http://arstechnica.com/guides/other/iptv.ars
"Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) has arrived, and backed by the deep pockets of the telecommunications industry, it's poised to offer more interactivity and bring a hefty dose of competition to the business of selling TV.
With end-to-end control, the telcos can guarantee enough bandwidth for their signal at all times, which is key to providing the "just works" reliability consumers have come to expect from their television sets.
The video streams are received by a local office, which has the job of getting them out to the folks on the couch. "
They will know EXACTLY what you are watching at every second, every sound bite will be measured.
No need for inaccurate Nielson's ratings. It's a closed loop control that will tie programming with online purchases, search queries and even the silly online polling!