I really hate useless TV scrollers. I’m not quite sure why Networks feel that they need to constantly feed people abridged versions of the news. My best guess is some focus group apparently liked them, so now they are on every channel imaginable. The problem with the idea, is that the scrollers are not configurable — So Networks have to give the user ALL the news, and not what they want to see. How is this a problem? You’ll loose the users interest :: Even with topic specific sites like ESPN, sometimes I don’t want to sit through Tennis scores, and would rather get more info on the Steelers, So I change the channel and possibly come back later and hope for better luck. (Or, goto my computer for instant gratification)

My Solution? Tivo.

I want to see Tivo allow users to add in scrolling news to their screens. Configurable from the UI, Tivo can easily add in support for scrollers from simple RSS feeds, to feeds sponsored by CNN, ESPN, TWC, etc. What would make this profitable for Tivo? Tivo sells “Breaking News” links on the scrollers. If there is a tornado warning in my Zip code, TWC sends me a link that immediately lets me change to their channel. If there is major breaking news, CNN sends me a link that lets me immediately change to their news coverage. [Ie. every man loves car chases. I tag ‘car chases’ and tivo send me an alert when there is live coverage] — Awesome? Right?

Best of all, I can configure my news, and get the content that I want, when I want it. That is why people buy Tivo, because they want to control what they see on their TV. Now they can control the what, when, and where they get this data. I can now get my sports scores during Nip Tuck, I can get the local weather while watching Skinemax, err, Sopranos, and I can get the RSS feed for the Emurse.com Blog while watching Veronica Mars. Awesome. And Suddenly, what happens, Tivo has shifted the power of the DVR back to it’s users.

Overall, Tivo has tried to become a content delivery company way too many times, and in my opinion, failed miserably. Here is your chance to give users more control over their TV, and better yet, make some money at the same time. — Not to mention, allow me (and others) to cover up those damn network scrollers with news I actually care about. When I care about it.

Oh, and if you use my Idea, just send me a Series 3 Tivo, and we’ll call it even… ;)