Tv shows aren't alone on the internet

As fantastic as most viewers think watching their favorite tv shows online is, they may not enjoy the commercial segments throughout the show.  Watching tv shows online, however, still cuts the viewing time down a lot, around 40 minutes for an hour long show, and about 23 minutes for a half-hour show. 

I have recently started watching Lost from the beginning. I was never into it when it first aired but I was bored a few weeks ago so I started it to keep myself entertained. I had never really watched a lot of tv shows online before. One here or there but nothing continuously. 

As I watched each episode I noticed that each one was sponsored by a certain brand or company.  Some episodes had a number of different ads while others had only the same brand. Showing tv shows on the internet in the first place was an amazing idea, but allowing the viewer to become part of the show itself was even better.  The viewer is not just laying in front of the computer zoning out, but instead has interaction by having to click to continue with the next segment. And since the commercials usually only consist of one short commercial, there is not really enough time to get up and leave, so most viewers probably sit and watch them.  

Although it may not be seen as a direct promotion, I just think the idea as a whole has really made a big difference on how people view tv and/or the internet and how they are connected. People themselves are taking a greater role in what they watch and how they watch it. 

It seems that every network has it's own offerings for internet viewing.  Each has certain characteristics and qualities but all offer one thing in common, and that is choice for the viewer.