Media watchers are looking to 2008 to see the rise of scripted Web entertainment, a major shift to wireless networking and the cultivation of even younger consumers online. Here’s a sampling of some of their predictions for the year ahead:
    
The Los Angeles Times sees professionally produced series on the Web taking on a life of their own, especially as the Hollywood writers strike continues to rage and keep fresh material off of TV.

CNET expects a busy year for networking technology, particularly for companies like Cisco and Microsoft, as major institutions from universities to hospitals make the shift to wireless.

Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month, the Wall Street Journal highlights devices once considered “dumb” — like the TV remote or personal navigator — that are now using improved software to provide more functions and threaten sales of other kinds of electronics.

The New York Times sees gold in the “grammar-school set” online, as more companies try to create virtual words for the youngest of consumers. The Times also questions whether any clear winner will emerge from the Blu-ray vs HD DVD high-definition format war.

(Photo: Reuters)