Service Architecture and Content Provision: The Network Provider as Editor

There are at least two competing visions for the future National Information Infrastructure. One model is based on the application-blind architecture of the Internet; the other is based on the application- aware architecture of cable TV systems and online services. Awareness is the extent to which the network provider observes the application or content being transported. We examine some consequences of these different network architectures for content provision. For example, we ask why some network architectures favor mass market vs. niche goods, and examine conflicts between network providers and users.