Phil Wolff at Skype Journal provides an insightful analysis on the economic benefits of TV using Skype.

Skype has become a "disruptive technology" for TV stations, providing a new way to obtain live images as well as cutting costs.

Over the past year, I've been reporting on how shows such as Oprah's and local TV news operations have adopted Skype.

People use Skype to save money--so do TV stations.

Phil notes: "Today's remote live video shoots might cost $25k+ for satellite time, gear, van, and a crew (camera operator, sound recordist, producer, hair & make-up artist, lighting technician). This is more production value than a field reporter.

"On the other hand, let's say it costs $10k for a high-end Mac including free Skype software, webcams, insurance, geek time, mobile Internet, and a mobile phone for the control channel. Spread the cost over twenty guests/interviews, you might spend $500 for a shoot where the guest hooks themselves up in 15 minutes (power into the laptop, plug in the webcam, turn it on, fire up Skype, press the green 'Video Call' button). And now guests like (Ashton) Kutcher are Skype-ready; no cost to you."

He's referring to the actor who made news last week as he took on CNN to connect with one million Twitter followers. He went on Oprah to discuss--via Skype.

Phil said: "You can see that Ashton's end of the show is poorly lit, color balance is off, he's not been through hair or makeup (or wardrobe), his office is badly decorated to get unlicensed art off the wall behind him. Nobody cares. Skype's dialtone made that show possible without blowing the show's budget, without flying Kutcher from his office at Katalyst Films to Chicago for three days, spending five hours hosting a remote crew at his office, or even three hours to drive to a local television station for fifteen minutes of air time. It was almost as easy as having someone phone in. But with better audio and with live two-way video."

In addition to the money savings, backpack reporters can use Skype to get scoops, bringing home stories first, such as the first images from a plane crash in Buffalo, N.Y.