Sunday, April 26, 2009

Online Video Mega List UPDATE1


Below are recent additions to my Online Video MegaList. This list is intended as an overview of video websites that are significant to digital content creators and digital content consumers. Learn where to upload your clips, where to find online video entertainment, where to find progressive multimedia, how to monetize your content and more. See the full list which is organized into categories such as Infrastructure, Upload Sites, Entertainment, Tools, and more.
  • PLYmedia: Development, design, manufacturing and deployment of an interactive, multi-dimensional web video platform.
  • jetvision: Jetvision provides immediate access to all your content in a single web video player that’s customized to match your existing website.
  • VideoClix.tv: VideoClix’s original clickable video authoring software segmented, tracked, tagged and categorized objects within videos.
  • VUVOX: VUVOX is an easy to use production and instant sharing service that allows you to mix, create and blend your personal media – video, photos and music into rich personal expressions.
  • LANDLINE TV: A comedy video site that is "comically relevant...for about a week or so."
  • Syndicaster: Syndicaster is adding several online distribution options for local TV stations, including the ability to publish video clips to YouTube, AOL (via Brightcove), Yahoo and other sites. Syndicaster is an online editing and video-clip management service that allows TV stations to broadcast any news clip and repurpose it for the Web by publishing it to their own Websites or through its sister service ClipSyndicate (both Syndicaster and ClipSyndicate are divisions of Critical Media).
  • VidPay: A white label platform for sponsored video campaigns, helping video advertisers reach their intended audience.
  • ActiveVideo: ActiveVideo Networks brings the full Web-media experience to TV, using well-established Internet and On-demand infrastructure. With 24 issued patents, ActiveVideo provides a mature, stable platform with infinite programming possibilities.
  • Intruders tv : The leading provider of valuable insights through their unique approach to capturing Innovators on video.
  • Kyte: Kyte is an end-to-end, online and mobile platform for the production, distribution and monetization of video content.
  • ffwd: This video recommendation engine has just released its API to developers.
  • Sling Media: Cool digital settop boxes that stream cable from your house to your computer. They will soon release an iPhone app that gives instant access to Cable TV and Tivo while roaming.
  • Another settop box is Roku who will soon have a new product to Stream Netflix and Amazon video on demand.
  • The Fancast Store: Online video store with a respectable selection of modern films.
  • STRIKE.TV: Born out of the writers strike, designed to challenge members of the Writers Guild to create original programs for the Internet. The ad revenue profits go to the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund.
  • Dailymotion: Video upload, sharing and categories.
  • Heavy: Early-comer online video company focused on creating entertainment experiences for various demographics.
  • Mixpo: An online video advertising technology company based in Seattle.
  • mywaves: The largest free mobile video destination for consumers, attracting over 5 million unique visitors monthly to its free mobile video service.
  • VideoSurf: A site for users to search, discover and watch online videos.
  • Ooyala: Manage, monetize, syndicate and analyze your online video. Founded by two seasoned Google veterans.
See the full Online Video Mega List.

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Friday, April 24, 2009

PBS Launches New Video Portal


PBS has just launched their new video portal. They've learned from sites like Hulu and are offering tons of free content in streaming, full-screen HD format. It seems they are not allowing bloggers to embed video, but they do have a bunch of social media features that allow users to post to FaceBook, Mixx, StumbleUpon, Digg, etc.

Check it out for full length videos of FrontLine, Julia Child, NOVA, Nature, The NewsHour, American Masters and more. And no ads!

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Monday, January 5, 2009

TV on the Computer

2009 is shaping up to be a huge year for online video. Check out the audio story and associated web page from All Tech Considered, the weekly segment on NPR's All Things Considered.

"Web video is growing up -- we're way past one-shot silly videos on YouTube -- and as more content grows online, we're seeing a real convergence between what's available on TV, what's available online and what we'll be able to stream back to our TVs from the Internet."

I notice many people in the media addressing the issue of watching video on the computer vs. watching it on the TV. The fact that is emerging is that many viewers are searching for good programming with their computer and watching it on their TV. Increasingly they are either connecting laptops to their TVs or using other media center devices. 2009 will see many more options such as the new LCD TVs with built-in Netflix coming soon from LG or other web-enabled TVs from the likes of Apple and Yahoo.

Also, don't miss the NPR.org All Tech Considered section.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Online Video is Bright Spot in Dark Economy

The business of online video is growing. Numerous recent articles are pointing toward encouraging trends for those of us who are in the business of digital entertainment on the web.

Video advertising appears to continue to sell well according to a recent article in The Economist. Internet advertising will be relatively unscathed in the downturn.

A recent MediaPost article by Mark Walsh seems to support this. "Market researcher eMarketer maintains that video ad spending will buck the downward trend. It expects the category to increase 45% in 2009 to $850 million, or just over 3% of the $25.7 million total projected in online ad spending." See" Video Expected To 'Buck The Downward Trend'

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Sunday, December 7, 2008

Analyzing, Indexing, Reading and Interpreting Online Digital Video Content


The advances in online video keep coming. It's a good thing, too, since video is quickly becoming one of the most popular online pastimes. As comScore notes, three out of four American Internet users regularly watch videos. In September, 146 million people watched an average of 86 videos each.

With so many videos online, new tools are popping up to help users sift through it all. For example, VideoSurf (see photo above), will actually analyze every frame of online videos from YouTube, Hulu and numerous other popular sites. The software analyzes faces and elements in the videos so that when users search for something like Johnny Cash, the results will bring the user right to the exact frames of video where Johnny appears. It works great.

Another spooky technology is from a company called called DigitalSmiths who describe themselves as follows, "Digitalsmiths is an innovative video indexing and digital content publishing technology provider serving major Hollywood studios, web video destinations, media companies and advertisers. The company’s proprietary computer-vision based video indexing, search and interpretation algorithms empower content owners and publishers to efficiently monetize their digital video content, and advertisers to automatically target ads to thematically relevant video content."

The New York Times has written a review of such sites called "Zeroing In On Your Favorite Video Clips".

Also, check out the video below from the PBS series Wired Science. Scientists are using facial recognition software to help Autistic kids learn how to interpret emotions by reading facial movements and visual cues. Wild stuff.

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

My Documentary About Dot Com Culture

I finished editing late last night and here it is - Exit Strategy News Episode One: Bandwagon.

I've been collecting video and photos from over 18 years in the Internet industry. Erik Koto and I have captured many of our friends and colleagues on video and we'll eventually assemble further episodes. Tell us if you have video sitting in a closet somewhere. Also, we'd love to interview you. Everyone has a story.

We want to capture what it's like to work in the Internet industry, both past and present. What are your memories of the dot com bubble? Where will the future lead us?

Also Available: High-Resolution versions.

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Hulu and Joost: Head-to-Head Video Battle

Hulu and Joost, two of the top online video entertainment sites, are improving their services at a very fast rate. Hulu is allowing viewers to embed videos in their personal blogs while Joost has dropped the stand-alone software and launched a browser-based player. Below are some articles about the two companies. Also check out the recent Nielson video census chart (above).

Free, Legal, and Online: Why Hulu Is the New Way to Watch TV (Wired Magazine)

Hulu Launches All Kinds Of Stuff To Keep You Defocused On Joost (TechCrunch)

New Widgets At Hulu; We Talk To CTO Eric Feng (TechCrunch)


About time: Joost to launch browser-based player
(CNET)

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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Free Online Movie from Michael Moore

Today Michael Moore is releasing his latest documentary "Slacker Uprising" for free online. Get it here. The election-focused movie can also be bought on DVD and will eventually be released via more traditional channels. It is an interesting exploration of delivery methods. We'll see more experiments like this in the coming months.

The distribution is being organized by Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films (the company behind "OUTFOXED: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism" and "WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price").

"This is being done entirely as a gift to my fans. The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters ever at the polls in November." - Michael Moore

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Monday, September 22, 2008

Online Video 2.0: Rules of Engagement


Check out the latest white paper from PermissionTV. (Download PDF: "Online Video 2.0: Rules of Engagement") It is a great overview of the state of online video.

"A recent study from ABI Research estimates the number of viewers who access video via the Web will nearly quadruple in the next few years, reaching at least one billion in 2013, while Forrester views streaming video advertising as the fastest growing segment of the interactive ad market and predicts it will hit $7.2 billion in 2012."

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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Future of Online Video

On the occasion of Google's 10th birthday, Chad Hurley (CEO and Co-Founder of YouTube) commented on the future of online video. Did you know that 13 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute!?

Chad says, "In ten years, we believe that online video broadcasting will be the most ubiquitous and accessible form of communication. The tools for video recording will continue to become smaller and more affordable. Personal media devices will be universal and interconnected. Even more people will have the opportunity to record and share even more video with a small group of friends or everyone around the world."

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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Top Technorati Techie Talks TV at TED



Entrepreneur, blogger, marketer and digital culture historian Peter Hirshberg gave a great talk about computer/TV convergence at a recent TED-related conference, EG 08. In addition to being an executive and a writer, he also serves on the advisory board of Technorati. Check out the video above where he charts the history of the internet along side the history of TV.

Read his blog about disruptive culture and technology.

He is also a trustee at The Computer History Museum.

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Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Internet Meme Timeline Widget


This is a fun little widget that has been floating around the web. Zoom in and step thru the history of internet-based memes that have virally traveled cyberspace. Then go out and start your own memes.

Remember The Dark Side of the Rainbow, The Spot, All Ur Base, Subservient Chicken and The Tron Guy? And have you been Rick Rolled? Study up!

Make your own timeline at Dipity.com.

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Thursday, August 21, 2008

Online Video Mega List

Web video has achieved mass-market popularity. This compilation of links serves as a taste of what's available. Move over, YouTube. You've got company. I will continue to add to (or subtract from) this list as time goes on. Leave comments if I've missed any good ones.

Upload Sites

  • 12 Seconds TV: Upload and share short video, like Twitter for video.
  • Blip TV: Upload your own or watch other people's videos. Solid set of monetization tools. Great player.
  • Cruxy: Post your video, track your buzz and make some dough.
  • Current TV: A global television network that gives you the opportunity to create and influence what airs on TV.
  • Dailymotion: Video upload, sharing and categories.
  • FlixWagon: Broadcast live video from your mobile device.
  • HelloWorld: Online studio tools for posting video, live video and video email.
  • LiveVideo: Original and exclusive content, weekly video contests, customizable video streaming community.
  • Magnify.net: Community video platform. Hosting of pages and videos.
  • MetaCafe: Video entertainment powered by you.
  • Mogulus: Live broadcast platform on the internet. Mobile features and interactive chat.
  • MotionBox: Family-friendly video sharing and storage.
  • MySpaceTV: Mega portal/community.
  • Qik: Stream live video from your phone.
  • Phanfare: Family-friendly private video sharing and collaboration.
  • Revver: upload your video and get advertising revenue.
  • Stickam: Web video conferencing, live streaming and lifecasting.
  • Treemo: An online media sharing community with a mobile component and a "green" slant.
  • TubeMogul: Independent video producers use this tool to distribute to multiple platforms, monetize their assets and track their stats.
  • Ustream: "Live interactive video for everyone."
  • Veoh: From home videos to premier internet television content. From Michael Eisner. Also has a media player.
  • Viddler Web application to upload, enhance, and share digital video.
  • Vimeo: Slick upload and share site with robust software and player.
  • VUVOX: VUVOX is an easy to use production and instant sharing service that allows you to mix, create and blend your personal media – video, photos and music into rich personal expressions.
  • Vuze: Upload or watch high-def videos.
  • ZigiMe: Social network where users can upload video.

Infrastructure, Software & Hardware

  • Adobe Media Player: Finding, cataloging and watching your videos.
  • adotube: Publisher-centric online video advertising platform that enables you to generate revenue by showing brand-name ads in your video content.
  • Amazon UnBox: The ecommerce giant begins to experiment with online delivery of entertainment content.
  • BitTorrent: Trade huge files with your peers.
  • BrightCove: Large-scale internet TV platform.
  • CinemaNow: Movies. Buy, Rent, Burn. Online.
  • CastTV: Video search, attempting to index every video on the web.
  • ClipSyndicate: Search licensed, professional content, embed a channel widget in your site and earn revenue.
  • DigitalSmiths: Video search technology. Publishers can register and generate ad revenue.
  • Dotsub: Any film, any language. Wiki-type citizen translation tool for video.
  • Dragonfly: Your customized video network. Trackable. Monetizable.
  • Ekko.tv: Instantly start a video chat with two of your friends.
  • Feed Room: Enterprise video solution. Provider of technology to corporations and media sites.
  • jetvision: Jetvision provides immediate access to all your content in a single web video player that’s customized to match your existing website.
  • Kaltura: Open source video management tools for individuals and organizations.
  • Kyte: Kyte is an end-to-end, online and mobile platform for the production, distribution and monetization of video content.
  • Mixpo: An online video advertising technology company based in Seattle.
  • Maven Networks: Online video advertising solution.
  • MoveNetworks: TV 2.0. Web streaming technology and services.
  • Ooyala: Manage, monetize, syndicate and analyze your online video. Founded by two seasoned Google veterans.
  • Origin Digital: Video application service provider, syndication, reporting, multi-platform.
  • Overlay.TV: Enrich, monetize, and share online video with animations, comments, products and hyperlinks.
  • PermissionTV: A digital video distribution platform with tools to monetize and track your video assets.
  • PLYmedia: Development, design, manufacturing and deployment of an interactive, multi-dimensional web video platform.
  • Red Lasso: Search national and local TV broadcasts, make clips, share the clips.
  • Another settop box is Roku who will soon have a new product to Stream Netflix and Amazon video on demand.
  • ScanScout: In-stream video ad network for publishers and organizations.
  • See Too: Privately watch videos with a buddy on the internet.
  • Sling Media: Cool digital settop boxes that stream cable from your house to your computer. They will soon release an iPhone app that gives instant access to Cable TV and Tivo while roaming.
  • Snackfeed: Snackfeed is a tool that lets you track your favorite videos and watch what your friends are watching.
  • SwarmCast: Multi-stream platform provider for HD and live distribution
  • Syndicaster: Syndicaster is adding several online distribution options for local TV stations, including the ability to publish video clips to YouTube, AOL (via Brightcove), Yahoo and other sites. Syndicaster is an online editing and video-clip management service that allows TV stations to broadcast any news clip and repurpose it for the Web by publishing it to their own Websites or through its sister service ClipSyndicate (both Syndicaster and ClipSyndicate are divisions of Critical Media).
  • Tremor Media: Monetize your video (for companies and individual publishers).
  • TVTonic: Watch, subscribe and manage video content. Designed to be used with a remote on Windows Media Center.
  • UV Layer: Search and discover video. Create thumbnail walls as visual storage.
  • Veodia: Platform-as-a-service video broadcasting tools.
  • Veotag: A service that allows you to display clickable text on your audio or video files.
  • VideoClix.tv: VideoClix’s original clickable video authoring software segmented, tracked, tagged and categorized objects within videos.
  • VidPay: A white label platform for sponsored video campaigns, helping video advertisers reach their intended audience.
  • Visible Measures: Deep and relevant measurement of internet video audience behavior.
  • Yuxt: Social video bookmarking, list creator, playlist tools.

Content & Entertainment Portals

  • Acceptable: Watch. Vote. Create. Their judges decide which submitted clips are acceptable to be voted on.
  • ActiveVideo: ActiveVideo Networks brings the full Web-media experience to TV, using well-established Internet and On-demand infrastructure. With 24 issued patents, ActiveVideo provides a mature, stable platform with infinite programming possibilities.
  • AllOfTV: An archive of streaming TV content on the web. A site with this range of free content is surely going to be shut down soon.
  • AtomFilms: A source for independently produced, online entertainment for ten years.
  • BabelGum: "TV experience, Internet Substance." High-resolution and full-screen.
  • Beet TV: Business news about the media revolution.
  • Blinkx TV: 26 million hours of searchable video and major partnerships with dozens of media companies.
  • Crackle: A Sony Pictures Entertainment Company formerly known as Grouper. A multi-platform video entertainment network and studio.
  • DubiousTV: Seattle-based producers of online shows.
  • The Fancast Store: Online video store with a respectable selection of modern films.
  • ffwd: This video recommendation engine has just released its API to developers.
  • Heavy: Early-comer online video company focused on creating entertainment experiences for various demographics.
  • Hulu NBC Universal and News Corporation joint video venture. Many popular TV shows and movies available full-length and full-screen.
  • HungryFlix: Feed your portable device. Purchase with micropayments.
  • Intruders tv : The leading provider of valuable insights through their unique approach to capturing Innovators on video.
  • Joost: All the things you love about TV, fused with all the fun and interactive power of the internet. From the guys that brought you Skype and Kazaa. Full screen. Downloaded client.
  • JumpTV: Free live TV from all over the world on your PC.
  • LANDLINE TV: A comedy video site that is "comically relevant...for about a week or so."
  • Live Universe: One of the largest online entertainment networks from MySpace founder Brad Greenspan. Video, Social Networking & Music.
  • MeeVee: Traditional TV listings and online video from hundreds of sources. Personalized guides to surface new programming choices based on individual interests.
  • mywaves: The largest free mobile video destination for consumers, attracting over 5 million unique visitors monthly to its free mobile video service.
  • Neovids.tv: Production company that creates, acquires, and distributes online video content.
  • On Networks: Producing tons of original content. Original programming for original people.
  • MojoHD: High-def online site owned by Comcast, Cox Communications and Time Warner among others.
  • Podaddies: Advertising solutions for video publishers.
  • Revision3: Discover, watch, subscribe, discuss. Original shows.
  • Rocket Boom: Daily internet culture news video program.
  • STRIKE.TV: Born out of the writers strike, designed to challenge members of the Writers Guild to create original programs for the Internet. The ad revenue profits go to the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund.
  • Tilzy.tv: What to watch on the web. Guides and reviews.
  • VideoSurf: A site for users to search, discover and watch online videos.
  • ViralVideos: Displaying the web's most shared viral videos.
  • WellcomeMat: Local personalities and professionals use video to highlight real estate, cities, neighborhoods, parks, schools, events and local businesses.
  • WorldTV: Create your own channel by assembling videos from the web or watch other people's channels.
  • Zattoo: Live TV on your PC from all over the world.

Progressive

  • DIY Video Summit: DIY video in the age of digital media.
  • FreeSpeech.org: Campanion website of the progressive TV channel. Politics, culture and social issues.
  • FORA.tv: "The World is Thinking." Political, social and cultural issues via web video.
  • TED: Technology, Entertainment, Design. 18-minute speeches from progressive luminaries.

Other

  • For Your Imagination: A content production company, creative video studio and marketing team.
  • WallStrip: Videos about how cultural trends effect the stock market.


Updated April 26th, 2009.

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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Online Video Advertising Growth


It seems that every time another research firm predicts the size of the online video advertising market, another firm turns around and makes a higher prediction. The realities of the market and the ever-increasing adoption of online video is proving that the predictions are too low. The only thing we can be sure of is that advertising for online video will be huge! This is great news for all of us content creators...if there is money in the market, funding for shows will continue to increase.

Lehman predicts $2.4B in U.S. Video Ads by 2010. See the TechCrunch post.

Parks Associates predict $6.6B in Online Video Ads by 2012. See the NewTeeVee post.

Forrester predicts $7.1B in Online Video Ads by 2012.

Fifty Percent of US Population will Watch Online Video in 2008

Not everyone agrees. "Expectations for online video ad revenue growing faster than the evidence"

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Friday, August 8, 2008

Opportunities for Content Creators


Andrew Baron, creator of Rocketboom, recently talked to Beet.tv about the numerous opportunities that exist for digital content creators. Now, more than ever, individuals and small shops can make a living creating original programming for the web and mobile devices. He talks in detail about how to approach entrepreneurial efforts in the fields of digital film making, story development, online video and web show production.

The Rocketboom folks just announced a seven-figure distribution deal with Sony this week, so this is a content team that knows what they are talking about.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

NYT Article Takes Pulse of Web Video Scene

A great recent article in the New York Times titled "Night Life Reprogrammed" explores the nightlife and social scene that has sprouted up around the next-generation web industry that is newly emerging. Special emphasis is placed on web video companies and their interactions with the industry and the world at large. The article mentions a bunch of great internet video content and entertainment sites such as the following:
For more companies like this, check out my 4-part series about digital media content sites "They Promised Us Convergence".

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Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Metacafe Partners with Web Video Content Creators

AdAge is reporting that the web video entertainment company Metacafe has partnered with a dozen content-creation companies including 60 Frames, Aniboom, CelebTV, Collegiate Images, Comedy.com, Comedy Time, Diagonal View, GamePro Media, Howcast, SXM, Wannahaves, and Young Hollywood.

"It's important for content creators that they not only have their work distributed as broadly as possible but also that they team with publishers who can help ensure their videos reach the right viewers at the right time," Scott Bushman, vice president of content for Metacafe.

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Digital Media Content Business News

When I started this blog over a year ago, it was to cover stories in the still-emerging digital content industry. This world of online entertainment and digital delivery is now mainstream, and continues to grow. Popular old-school media companies have begun to embrace the new delivery channels and content-creation techniques. Take the recent examples below as proof.

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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Digital Media Entertainment Studios

As a producer and consumer of digital media, I find it encouraging to see such a healthy crop of newfangled filmmakers. These are companies dedicated to creating content pieces for digital distribution. Like studios set up to create TV or movies, the internet studios are generating new works and releasing them to a mass audience.

For example, the makers of LonelyGirl 15 have transformed themselves into "EQAL (pronounced “Equal”), the social entertainment company dedicated to redefining the way we interact with content and with each other."

"Worldwide Biggies is a Digital Entertainment Studio that’s redefining entertainment by creating hit properties for young adults and the digital family."

"Next New Networks is a new kind of media company, creating micro-television networks over the internet for targeted communities, bringing together elements of tv programming and internet philosophy to allow viewers to contribute, share and distribute content."

Generate is "new content for a new generation. With the entertainment industry undergoing a seismic shift in reaction to the rapidly changing consumption habits of the youth and family audience, we recognize there now exists a unique opportunity to create a forward-thinking company that understands both this audience and their increasing demand for content across multiple platforms."

60 Frames is "a company specifically focused on financing and syndicating web content, in an environment where artists maintain creative freedom, significant profit participation, ownership and control over their properties. 60Frames provides financial, legal, creative, physical, marketing and distribution resources to professional artists who wish to create original, high quality programming for the internet and other digital media platforms."

Vuguru is Michael Eisner's company that is producing high-quality digital entertainment properties. Learn more about this in my recent post from Eisner's recent keynote speech.

Endemol is a thriving production entity that creates powerful content for all media platforms. They've done Big Brother and Deal or No Deal and are focused on both traditional and emerging technologies.

Stage 9 Digital Media is an ABC TV offshoot focused on creating digital programming for internet audiences. They are syndicating rapidly to YouTube, Hulu, Zvue and even on the Xbox among others.

"Electric Farm Entertainment is a digital studio for the development of intellectual properties across multiple platforms." They are the studio creating Gemini Division, the online sci-fi series available at the NBC website.

"Medialink helps professional communicators and the media engage their intended audiences with compelling video and audio distributed via the Web, television and radio. We produce award-winning video and audio content that is promoted and distributed to broadcast and broadband media outlets"

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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Video Publishing Platform Wars

comScore Video Metrix, the king of media statistics, tells us that more than 10 billion videos are viewed per month in the United States. In March 2008, there were more than 11 billion!

As has been written about numerous times on this blog, there are dozens of companies trying to corner pieces of this market. One of the biggest is Brightcove, who recently revamped their services and site. They describe themselves this way, "Brightcove empowers content owners—from independent producers to major broadcast networks—to reach their audiences directly through the Internet. At the same time, we help web publishers enrich their sites with syndicated video programming, and we give marketers more ways to communicate and engage with their consumers."

Recently a Seattle-area start-up has begun to challenge the mighty Brightcove. Delve Networks, formerly called Pluggd, published a direct challenge on their blog this week. They are going after Brightcove's corner of the video market and appear to be doing quite well.

The online battle for video platform domination rages on! It'll be fun to watch.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

They Promised Us Convergence, part 4


The great plodding march toward complete convergence continues. TV and movies are merging with the digital world. This series on my blog tracks many of the companies, creators and video sites that have joined this quest for convergence. Below are links and quotes about many of the sites I didn't cover in parts 1, 2 and 3.

The goal of CastTV is "to index every video on the web (from YouTube to iTunes, and everything in between) and to help users find videos that matter to them."

"Viddler is a fresh, creative web application that lets you upload, enhance, and share digital video quickly and easily inside your web browser. Sharing your story. Making search results relevant. Bringing users together."

"LiveVideo is where you want to be to find original and exclusive content, weekly video contests, and great videos. Essentially, LiveVideo is your ultimate video destination on the web. We are a customizable video streaming community that allows users to watch, upload, search and share videos, allowing you to have a completely interactive video sharing experience!"

Stickam is "driving the next wave of business communications with rich media meetings that liberate users from time and geographical constraints." They provide "Web communication services... designed for the delivery of multimedia Web communications."

Qik lets you "stream live video fast to the world. Right from your phone."

MoveNetworks is calling themselves TV 2.0.

"WorldTV is an entirely new concept in the world of web video. More than 10 years in the planning, it realizes a long term vision to empower anyone, anywhere to become their own media mogul, and to create their own fabulous TV Channel."

Adobe Media Playerlaunched a media player that works great for finding, cataloging and watching your videos.

Also see my recent post about the DIY Video Summit.

Remember that the deadline for the mandatory shift to digital television draws ever closer. See my recent post T-Commerce, Digital TV and the Digitization of Content.

The set top box market continues to take in new players. "VUDU is the revolutionary new movie on-demand service that provides instant access to more than 6,000 movies and TV shows, with hundreds of titles in high-definition. Whether you're in the mood for a top Hollywood new release or an art-house classic, VUDU lets you rent or purchase and starts playing faster than you can grab the popcorn." FOXTEL has a pretty great box. And this month also saw a widly publicised rumor that Blockbuster Video is about to announce a set top box of their own and this rumor appears to be true.

Maven is "the power of internet TV" and was bought by Yahoo for $160M. "Introducing the first and only complete online video advertising solution to dramatically increase video advertising inventory and revenue via new ad formats, an intelligent and dynamic video ad insertion engine, and sophisticated video ad inventory management tools."

Live Universe, the latest venture from MySpace founder Brad Greenspan, bought Revver, in February 2008. LiveVideo.com is another project by Live Universe.

BuddyTV is "original and fresh coverage on TV Shows, TV News, TV Spoilers, Live TV Commentary, TV listings, Forums, and Community."

"MeeVee is the first destination to bring together traditional TV listings and online video from hundreds of sources in one place. Using innovative new technologies, MeeVee has changed the way viewers find TV programming and online video by enabling them to personalize their guides to surface new programming choices based on individual interests."

Beet TV continues to crank out great video coverage of many of these topics.

Mogulus is "giving users the power to create live, original television programming, all done on their own global broadcasting channel."

PermissionTV will give you the tools to monetize your video assets.

ViralVideos displays "the web's most shared viral videos."

YouTorrent, is a meta search engine that finds you bit torrents.

Stay tuned for more in this ongoing series. Check out the previous posts:
They Promised Us Convergence, part 3
They Promised Us Convergence, part 2
They Promised Us Convergence, part 1


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Thursday, April 10, 2008

Adobe Media Player for Internet TV Content


Adobe is now in competition with iTunes, Windows Media Player and Real Player. Their new Adobe Media Player is a great digital media content player that helps you organize your favorites and find great video and audio.

Adobe has also teamed up with a bunch of participating content producers and suppliers such as CBS, Comedy Central, BlipTV, MTV and Universal.

Adobe has a great history of making universal, cross-platform apps that quickly become the standard. This Media Player has a chance to become the standard tool that allows digital content consumers to aggregate and control the incredible amount of audio and video that is sprouting anew every day on the web. Check out my previous three articles on the convergence of TV and the web.

"Adobe Media Player software provides control and flexibility to view what you want, when you want — whether online or offline. You can queue up and download your favorite Internet TV content, track and download new episodes automatically, and manage your personal video library for viewing at your convenience."

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