Frankly I’m tired of reading about what pundits think consumers’ want when it comes to new media services, personalized content and ad supported services.  Nothing against these fine folks – I know many of them and consider them friends and colleagues. But strip away our day jobs and we’re all consumers. 

Each of us decides which grocery stores, cleaners and restaurants we’ll patronize.  Where we will buy tires, tools and furniture.  These are the day-to-day decisions we all make and communications and entertainment services are no different.

The fact that we happen to be in the communications or digital media industry doesn’t make us different.  It doesn’t make us more or less willing to accept free services in exchange for seeing ads.  It doesn’t mean we want to watch movies on our mobile phones just because it’s technologically possible to do so.

Maybe we do.  Maybe we want every sort of content available wherever we are, on whichever device we have in our hands.  Frankly, that’s what I’m hearing.  But there’s a tiny voice in my head that’s saying, “I’m not so sure.”

What do you want?   What do you want and what will you not tolerate?  Forget who signs your paycheck and respond as a human being.  What kinds of digital media services do you want, how do you want them delivered; to what types of devices and what are you willing to pay (or not pay).

It’s all fine and good to get enthralled with the art of the possible. But at the end of the day, when we sit in our offices, drive in our cars, travel like dogs and sometimes get to be home – what sorts of new, Digital Media services to do we want?  

If we can’t answer this honestly, I’m not sure our hopes and plans will stand the test of time.