Im not sure where I heard this analogy, but i loved it.
There is no better way to describe the difference between online video and TV than as snacks and meals.
Online video is the snack. Its short, its typically very familiar and easy to find, grab and digest. You grab a video snack when you have a couple minutes at home or at the office, or when you are bored and have a craving to do something, anything. Anyone can put together a snack.
If you try to make a meal of a snack, it becomes obvious it doesn’t have the substance that can sustain a steady diet. Plus snacks are so simple, they are easy to get bored with.
TV on the other hand, is the medium that you will sit down and make a meal of. TV programs are a product that like a meal at your favorite restaurant, or your favorite recipe, you look forward to. TV programming is the meal that we make an appointment for. That we prepare for. That we set the table for. TV programming is the meal that we have high expectations for. If its not well prepared, we won’t eat it again. Fortunately, because of their long history, we trust the chefs enough to come up with something new and bring us back to the table. (Even if we don’t want to admit it)
Personally, snacks can be fun, but meals are much more fulfilling.