ITV Enters The Microsoft Jungle

Microsoft and ITV have done a deal which looks very much like the future of media.  The software giant, which has recently set its sights on advertising revenues, is going to be the online distribution network for ITV's hugely popular I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here show.  The deal is simple.  ITV has content.  Microsoft has online audience.  Share the revenues and bingo.  However, this looks like dangerous territory for ITV who have historically been the owners of the content and the platform.  If you take Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer's view of the world - that all marketing will be digital and digital will be marketing - then this path ends with Microsoft owning ITV's audience and the ensuing revenues that the broadcaster apparently still believes it has a divine right to own.  But why stop there?  What's to stop Microsoft going straight to the source and doing deal with film makers and content creators direct?  Unlikely you say?  Have you spoken to any music executives recently...?