By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
When it comes to TV's future, Millennials hold the remote
Remote control
According to a new study, many Millennials plan to say goodbye to cable and in doing so, change the entire industry. - photo by istockphoto.com/MikeSleigh

It was a landmark week for the showdown between big cable, who tie online services to network subscriptions, and Millennial viewers, who prefer to watch much of their TV online and a la carte.

At the 23rd annual Communicopia Conference in New York Thursday, Time Warner — HBO's parent company — made noise that it's thinking about unchaining mobile viewing service HBO Go from the requirement of a cable subscription.

Quartz Magazine reported today that Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said the company was exploring making HBO Go a standalone product as it explored "the best way to deal with online distribution."

With Millennials being a populous and coveted demographic (it roughly spans ages 18-34 and comprises about 74.3 million people) for the entertainment industry, it's possible their hunger for digital options is on its way to forcing cable's hand.

A Verizon study released last March found that Millenials watch three times more TV online than older viewers, and a June survey unveiled at Communicopia found that 5 percent of Millennials plan to cancel TV subscriptions.

"Those saying they intend to cut the cord was 2.9 percent, which might not sound like a lot, but would represent millions of customers and is more than the 2.2 percent in 2012 who said they would soon cancel pay TV," The Hollywood Reporter cited.
With the future of TV in the hands of a generation turning away from traditional cable, other networks are following HBO's lead. Quartz reported that 21st Century Fox, Viacom and Dish Networks also announced plans to jump on the life-after-cable bandwagon.
"As the age cohort becomes increasingly important, it is becoming increasingly important for companies to tailor products for them," Quartz reported. "In television, it is starting to happen."

Email: chjohnson@deseretnews.com
Twitter: ChandraMJohnson

Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.