Online Video Content Aggregator:
www.ovguide.com -> this is basically a traffic stat app which tracks a bunch of submitted sites and presents them as aggregates to the masses. I use this when the sites I like get shut down – in order to find new sites. Lots of specialty sites like Simpsons Video, South Park etc. with ALL episodes. Good to dig around in the verticals listed in the left side tab.
Streaming Media Sites (some with download options):
www.joox.net -> this is a divx site and is worth keeping an eye on, stage6 shut down so this site basically has no content.
www.quicksilverscreen.com -> this is an any media site, I don’t have much luck streaming Megavideo or YouKu videos in Canada. Try the QSS forum as people post links to DivX movies that are dependable in there (usually the host of the video doesn’t have bandwidth for the masses so it’s a bit hit and miss - oops the secret is out).
www.redcurtainmovies.com -> not too sure what is going on with this one, use to be divx but used stage6 as the backbone … haven’t used it in a long while but the interface is clean (when adblocker is used).
www.surfthechannel.com -> this is a TV & Movie Social Network for links. I’ve had a great deal of luck with this site and even though the majority of the video is flash format the quality is surprisingly good (videos usually come in parts which makes it a tiny bit annoying).
www.watch-movies.net -> this site specializes in movies and usually has every new release in varying quality, best bet is to go the veoh download route on this site or just use it like I do and hit mininova.org.
www.atomicmovies.net -> good site that actually has a summary of each movie. The major plus is they give you a link to download movies where applicable. Nice clean inter
http://www.nabolister.com -> this site seems to take the card for traffic. I hate it, but people flock to the site.
IPTV / Internet TV Applications:
http://www.joost.com/ -> there are an abundance of channels to search through, lots of music videoish stuff. Bikini search for those long poker nights. They are planning on streaming sports events in the near future (and already support HD Video). This app is too choppy for me to use even with a nice broadband connection. I usually do a search mute the audio and play music over top of it. Lots of specialty channels.
http://www.getmiro.com -> this is a pretty cool open source download based Internet TV application that uses the VLC media engine to play video (can play anything). You can make youtube, google and etc. Channels VIA Search Terms (it will automatically download to your preference). You can hook in any video RSS feed (where RSS items are actually video files) into this application (EX// use a mininova.com search to make a channel).
http://www.veoh.com -> this is probably one of the better TV Apps for syndicate video. Keep in mind it’s built in America for Americans so in order to stream some shows you need to go through an American proxy. A bit annoying but you can usually also download the video right from the site. Downloads ARE higher quality than streaming. There is a type of DRM built into this application so IF you download an obviously copyrighted video you need to move it out of your Veoh library or Veoh will delete it when it realizes the infringement. I have also heard people complain this is spy-ware, I don't really care, if it is it's not obvious and Canada doesn't enforce downloading rules so whateva. To be frank, I think someone could beat this company in court to remove the DRM feature as it does directly mess with your hard disk.
Those are basically the sites / apps I have experience with. I really stopped using the streaming sites once stage6 shut down because the quality is terrible. If I was downloading video, I might use BitComet for torrents.
Another note here: all of these sites require some sort of mouse interaction, it would be very nice to be able to swich / pick videos using a remote control. Site owners, get your JavaScript handy for those arrow key events.
Over And Out
Showing posts with label Joost. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joost. Show all posts
08/06/2007
Joost gets new CEO and eyes SetTop future
After gaining 45 million in funding from a bunch of companies Joost has hired a big name hardware industry hot shot to pave a gold brick road for the future of IPTV.
The Joost blog announced earlier this week that they had signed a new CEO: Mike Volpi has been appointed chief executive officer. Volpi succeeds the company's founding CEO, Fredrik de Wahl, who remains at Joost as chief strategy officer.
It only makes sense to eliminate the PC from the Television delivery channel. I've blogged about this too many times to count so I won't do it again.
Can't wait for the Joost SetTop!
Over And Out
The Joost blog announced earlier this week that they had signed a new CEO: Mike Volpi has been appointed chief executive officer. Volpi succeeds the company's founding CEO, Fredrik de Wahl, who remains at Joost as chief strategy officer.
"Volpi joins Joost from Cisco Systems, Inc., where he spent 13 years in a variety of strategic management roles. Most recently, he managed a US$11 billion business as senior vice president and general manager for Cisco's Routing and Service Provider Technology Group, which included Scientific Atlanta."
At first thought I was curious how a hardware guy would be a good fit for a web based new media start-up. Is it possible Joost is trying to build a strategic alliance with the hardware guys to ensure their technology is supported at the lowest possible level? We all know they've had some technical hicups that left them red in the face (bandwidth, server issues etc.). Is building these strategic partnerships an upmost necessity for Joost's success? Volpi is certainly connected in the industry selling Cisco switches to the big media giants like Comcast and Time Warner and people often say it is not about what you know, but who you know!
In his first interview at Joost Volpi stated to a New York Times reporter that:
It wouldn't be the first time I've suggested that IPTV will take over the traditional television market. It's just hard to predict when that would be. Apple is there with their AppleTV SetTop box (which I hate) many other companies are either already in the market (HP/Microsoft) or looking to enter (Joost)."Joost is a piece of software and it can reside on a variety of platforms,”
he said. “It could be on a television set-top box. Or potentially it could be
imbedded in a TV set with an Ethernet connection, or on a mobile phone, or in
some alternative device that might come out in the future. The flexibility is
really high.”
It only makes sense to eliminate the PC from the Television delivery channel. I've blogged about this too many times to count so I won't do it again.
Can't wait for the Joost SetTop!
Over And Out
10/05/2007
Joost secures $45M and Signs Turner Broadcasting and Sony
Another Day, Another Joost Story.
Officially announced today, Joost has secured $45 Million in funding to push it's technology ahead. "This funding represents a tremendous vote of confidence in Joost's platform," said Janus Friis, co-founder of Joost. "We've carefully selected these investors from a variety of interested parties, as they are best-in-class in their respective arenas and bring unique assets to Joost that will enable us to significantly accelerate growth and development of the Company."
"The appeal of Joost is that it offers the mass audience of TV alongside the 'accountability' of the net - in other words the ability to click through from ads on the screen," said Rhys McLachlan, the head of broadcast implentation at Media Com, part of the media buying arm of WPP.
In other news, Joost Signed Turner Broadcasting and Sony on May 1st which means users will be able to watch content from Turner including CNN’s Larry King Live and 1970s repeats of Charlie’s Angels, Spiderman, and Starsky & Hutch available from Sony.
Over and Out
Officially announced today, Joost has secured $45 Million in funding to push it's technology ahead. "This funding represents a tremendous vote of confidence in Joost's platform," said Janus Friis, co-founder of Joost. "We've carefully selected these investors from a variety of interested parties, as they are best-in-class in their respective arenas and bring unique assets to Joost that will enable us to significantly accelerate growth and development of the Company."
"The appeal of Joost is that it offers the mass audience of TV alongside the 'accountability' of the net - in other words the ability to click through from ads on the screen," said Rhys McLachlan, the head of broadcast implentation at Media Com, part of the media buying arm of WPP.
In other news, Joost Signed Turner Broadcasting and Sony on May 1st which means users will be able to watch content from Turner including CNN’s Larry King Live and 1970s repeats of Charlie’s Angels, Spiderman, and Starsky & Hutch available from Sony.
Over and Out
09/05/2007
Joost Signs Another: Warner Bros; Future of TV?
I Joost can't say enough good stuff about Joost. I got a free beta invitation, and well, the content just keeps piling on.
"As one of the premier television production studios, the fact that Warner Bros. has chosen to create its first online channels on the Joost platform shows that we are creating a unique, communal television experience for viewers where content owners can distribute professionally-produced programming with the quality and security they need," said Yvette Alberdingk Thijm, executive vice president, content strategy and acquisition. "The program offering that Warner Bros. will showcase on Joost demonstrates the depth and breadth of our content – from classic programs to current hits, from sitcoms and dramas to sci-fi and adventure, the Joost platform offers channels and programs that have broad appeal and are in high demand." - Link
One of the big things that caught my eye is that Warner Bros. has signed an exclusivity deal with Joost. If Joost can manage to continue down this road they will do pretty well. I mean can you really argue with the guys who started Kazza and Skype?
I keep blogging about this stuff because IPTV is here to stay, it's still a fairly immature technology (meaning adoption from the network side isn't happening too quickly, and neither is critical mass developing), BUT it may represent the largest growth opportunity on the net right now(other than mobile, especially as we recognize Video Advertisement ROI).
If video ads in IPTV can target all of the niche benefits of advertising similar to magazines (Video Advertisement ROI: The Internet as a Magazine), it's possible that some of those shows you never wanted to get cancelled, won't actually get cancelled.
All that is missing is critical mass on these services. But hey, there are 30 million people in Canada that can watch lame CRTC regulated telvision. This 30 million does not even come close to touching the number of broadband internet users world wide. So from an advertising perspective, if Joost can monetize viewers viewing habits and custom tailor ads for those users it could be a gold mine ($61 billion on television advertising in 2006).
Finally, and I think that it's brilliant to be able to link to Steve Paikin's The Agenda (gotta love Canadian content). They did a nice 30 min segment on the future of television in Canada last night. It is amazing that TVO the public Canadian station who hosts The Agenda, can't put together a better panel to talk about this stuff. Either way, they talk to a lot of the real economies involved. Oh and, you'll have to scroll half way through the below video to see the future of TV talk - and it's 30 mins long.
video removed please click link - MS
Other relevant stories I've posted about Joost
- Viacom Boosts Joost: Say No To YouTube?
- Advertising playground that could potentially define the future of advertising on the net (Yahoo - Comcast = The Deal of the Year)
- Microsoft To Acquire Yahoo!: v v v Video
Over And Out
07/05/2007
Internet Video Advertising ROI: The Internet as a Magazine
In 2006 over $61 billion dollars were spent on US Television advertising. In comparison, in 2006 the IAB estimates $16.8 billion aggregate dollars were spent on Internet Advertising. That 16.8 billion is only 5% of all advertising dollars spent per year. That $16.8 billion is an aggregate figure, but even so, is only 27% of what advertisers spent in television advertising in the US in 2006.
Aside from search, a vast amount of Google's advertising revenue comes on the back of some very non traditional ad streams. They have basically created a $10 billion dollar fabric that runs through-out the internet (Ad Words / Ad Sense) letting the little guys make money off their sites. But, much of their ad revenue is not a product of the real world's demand, but rather, is a product of the ad industry they have spawned on the net.
Magazines are the big ROI winner for advertising in general. They beat out broadcast television, which is influenced by the law of diminishing returns. They beat out newspapers which are discarded immediately after reading. But the net may slowly be creeping into their territory when it comes to ROI – especially increasing the ROI of video advertising – and potentially unlocking billions more dollars of ad revenue to the IPTV / Internet video markets.
Why? Magazines target efficiently: With a range of titles that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, lifestyles and interests, advertisers can hone in on targets that fit their needs. Magazines provide reach to the most desirable consumers: Across almost every demographic, the top 25 magazines out deliver the top 25 TV shows. In addition, heavy magazine readers are likely to be among the largest spenders across most product categories. Magazine audiences accumulate faster than you think— and with lasting impact: The average magazine accumulates approximately 60% of its audience within a month’s time. In addition, consumers refer to magazines multiple times, even saving them, giving advertisers the opportunity for added exposure.
Dynamic Logic discovered that when comparing magazines, the Internet and TV, magazine advertising was the most powerful medium in increasing purchase intent. Magazines, in a media mix that included online and TV, contributed 64% of the total increase in purchase intent (7.2% of a total 11.1% shift).
So back to the $61 Billion dollar advertising question. What if we, as internet pioneers, can take this Magazine model and apply it to internet television:
1) Magazines target efficiently / Magazine advertising engages: the internet can target niche markets by tracking your usage patterns, then during an IPTV broadcast, advertisers can serve different video ads depending on the users preference and hit that same narrow niche market – not to mention custom video feeds for every viewer, not to mention being able to skip stuff you're not interested in (just like turning the page of a Magazine).
2) Magazine advertising moves readers to action: the internet can link IPTV ads to digital marketing programs, incorporating TV on demand features such that users could explore the advertisers web site (or digital magazine), even make a purchase, and then resume viewing of their IPTV program. It cannot get any better than the net for promoting ad action.
3) Magazines provide reach to the most desirable consumers: the internet provides reach to a very general audience, with the ability to target advertisements to the specific wants of customers; thereby reaching all consumers including the desirable / influential ones in a targeted manner.
4) Magazine audiences accumulate faster than you think — and with lasting impact: the same can be said about the internet, social communities, internet viral marketing. Remember the bride that cut all her hair off – that could be your commercial – and YouTube could have been your “marketing program”. In a couple years, that same funny video will make it's rounds again - you just wait.
5) Magazines supply credibility: with social functions being built into IPTV sites such as NetFlix.com and Joost, user communities rate content – thereby creating the equivalent type of credibility – and even supplementary / complementary cross promotion VIA the community / network effect.
As Bill Gates noted in his 2007 CES Keynote: "We've talked about this as the decade of digital lifestyle, the decade of digital workstyle. It's not just one application that makes it happen. It's the fact that as you adopt these things, they really go together. […] It only catches up to us in the way it changes the way entertainment gets done. TV where we pick the news segments we want. We find the video that wouldn't have been available in a broadcast system. […] TV is a big activity and one where we see software really surprising people with what it can do. ... An individualized video stream ... ads can be target to you ... something that you won't want to skip over. As you get into a news show, the subjects you care about, you can get more info, and skip over others. You might have a ski resort you want to see every time you want to sit down to watch the nightly news whenever you want. […] It completely blows open the limitations that channels used to create. It becomes something easy for you to navigate and find. Not one TV here, and your Internet TV there. Personalization, choice, all these things that weren't possible. Last year we had very successful trials .. AT&T and Verizon are rolling out commercial deployments. This year these will scale up to really large numbers, and people will see it blows away the previous video platform. […] As that video comes into the home it will be viewable on ... every screen in the house.”
There is a huge amount of TV ad revenue that isn’t being spent on the internet. The proportion of ad budgets targeting this medium dwarfs the entire internet advertising ad budget by nearly four times. It only makes sense that as we start to realize the benefits of video distribution over the internet, that some of these traditional broadcast TV advertising dollars will start to be spent on the internet.
Which means, if Google (making $10 Billion in 2006) had made the right moves in internet video, they would have seen substantial revenue grown VIA positive media partnerships. Rather, they face a media backlash. From the magazine ad market - to the video ad market: Companies do not want to work with them because of YouTube / monopoly fears. In fact, it is because of Google’s success, that Microsoft can do certain things without huge antitrust backlash – I mean, has Microsoft lost share in any of their core business markets? They sure kicked Sony’s ass in console’s in North America. Sure they missed out on the Internet concepts – but late adopters don’t face the same challenges as early adopters - the road is somewhat paved already.
What makes me really scared is the fact that Microsoft is in talks with Yahoo! who has been scooping up huge contracts with traditional broadcasters / networks to use their internet ad platform (as these huge media empires rally against Google / YouTube). If this acquisition moves forward, Microsoft will have an enormous advantage in that they control the corporate media ad platform of choice (Panama), and are able to back any ad program with a distribution platform Windows Server + Microsoft Silverlight. And this will truly spur the innovation they need to make Gate’s vision a reality.
I’m sure Microsoft would try to keep media sources distributed over the public internet such that they can sell more Windows licenses / run more advertising programs on other peoples dollar, and promote net neutrality – all the while making huge percentages off the Panama platform. But I would expect these video sources to be consolidated and delivered VIA their private xBox Live network, to your HDTV, without the need for a personal computer (and possibly ad sponsored), to a world audience.
Additionally you can’t discount Microsoft’s history of partnering with device manufactures over the closed shop model of Apple. This may allow device platforms to integrate directly into a Microsoft Live TV platform (think Silverlight + Panama + Device Integration), in a manner that promotes rapid network /content growth (especially if it starts being delivered through xBox Live & LCD HDTV’s are discounted if you sign a Windows Live TV contract for 3 years).
In other news, the most recent complaint against YouTube came on Monday when NBC joined Viacom in their billion dollar suit against YouTube. This followed Friday’s news, when England's most prestigious soccer league and an independent music publisher filed a class action suit against YouTube.
I guess people were right when they said YouTube was a copyright nightmare - not an advertising opportunity – and it looks like Google is now paying the strategy tax.
Over and Out
Aside from search, a vast amount of Google's advertising revenue comes on the back of some very non traditional ad streams. They have basically created a $10 billion dollar fabric that runs through-out the internet (Ad Words / Ad Sense) letting the little guys make money off their sites. But, much of their ad revenue is not a product of the real world's demand, but rather, is a product of the ad industry they have spawned on the net.
Magazines are the big ROI winner for advertising in general. They beat out broadcast television, which is influenced by the law of diminishing returns. They beat out newspapers which are discarded immediately after reading. But the net may slowly be creeping into their territory when it comes to ROI – especially increasing the ROI of video advertising – and potentially unlocking billions more dollars of ad revenue to the IPTV / Internet video markets.
Why? Magazines target efficiently: With a range of titles that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, lifestyles and interests, advertisers can hone in on targets that fit their needs. Magazines provide reach to the most desirable consumers: Across almost every demographic, the top 25 magazines out deliver the top 25 TV shows. In addition, heavy magazine readers are likely to be among the largest spenders across most product categories. Magazine audiences accumulate faster than you think— and with lasting impact: The average magazine accumulates approximately 60% of its audience within a month’s time. In addition, consumers refer to magazines multiple times, even saving them, giving advertisers the opportunity for added exposure.
Dynamic Logic discovered that when comparing magazines, the Internet and TV, magazine advertising was the most powerful medium in increasing purchase intent. Magazines, in a media mix that included online and TV, contributed 64% of the total increase in purchase intent (7.2% of a total 11.1% shift).
So back to the $61 Billion dollar advertising question. What if we, as internet pioneers, can take this Magazine model and apply it to internet television:
1) Magazines target efficiently / Magazine advertising engages: the internet can target niche markets by tracking your usage patterns, then during an IPTV broadcast, advertisers can serve different video ads depending on the users preference and hit that same narrow niche market – not to mention custom video feeds for every viewer, not to mention being able to skip stuff you're not interested in (just like turning the page of a Magazine).
2) Magazine advertising moves readers to action: the internet can link IPTV ads to digital marketing programs, incorporating TV on demand features such that users could explore the advertisers web site (or digital magazine), even make a purchase, and then resume viewing of their IPTV program. It cannot get any better than the net for promoting ad action.
3) Magazines provide reach to the most desirable consumers: the internet provides reach to a very general audience, with the ability to target advertisements to the specific wants of customers; thereby reaching all consumers including the desirable / influential ones in a targeted manner.
4) Magazine audiences accumulate faster than you think — and with lasting impact: the same can be said about the internet, social communities, internet viral marketing. Remember the bride that cut all her hair off – that could be your commercial – and YouTube could have been your “marketing program”. In a couple years, that same funny video will make it's rounds again - you just wait.
5) Magazines supply credibility: with social functions being built into IPTV sites such as NetFlix.com and Joost, user communities rate content – thereby creating the equivalent type of credibility – and even supplementary / complementary cross promotion VIA the community / network effect.
As Bill Gates noted in his 2007 CES Keynote: "We've talked about this as the decade of digital lifestyle, the decade of digital workstyle. It's not just one application that makes it happen. It's the fact that as you adopt these things, they really go together. […] It only catches up to us in the way it changes the way entertainment gets done. TV where we pick the news segments we want. We find the video that wouldn't have been available in a broadcast system. […] TV is a big activity and one where we see software really surprising people with what it can do. ... An individualized video stream ... ads can be target to you ... something that you won't want to skip over. As you get into a news show, the subjects you care about, you can get more info, and skip over others. You might have a ski resort you want to see every time you want to sit down to watch the nightly news whenever you want. […] It completely blows open the limitations that channels used to create. It becomes something easy for you to navigate and find. Not one TV here, and your Internet TV there. Personalization, choice, all these things that weren't possible. Last year we had very successful trials .. AT&T and Verizon are rolling out commercial deployments. This year these will scale up to really large numbers, and people will see it blows away the previous video platform. […] As that video comes into the home it will be viewable on ... every screen in the house.”
There is a huge amount of TV ad revenue that isn’t being spent on the internet. The proportion of ad budgets targeting this medium dwarfs the entire internet advertising ad budget by nearly four times. It only makes sense that as we start to realize the benefits of video distribution over the internet, that some of these traditional broadcast TV advertising dollars will start to be spent on the internet.
Which means, if Google (making $10 Billion in 2006) had made the right moves in internet video, they would have seen substantial revenue grown VIA positive media partnerships. Rather, they face a media backlash. From the magazine ad market - to the video ad market: Companies do not want to work with them because of YouTube / monopoly fears. In fact, it is because of Google’s success, that Microsoft can do certain things without huge antitrust backlash – I mean, has Microsoft lost share in any of their core business markets? They sure kicked Sony’s ass in console’s in North America. Sure they missed out on the Internet concepts – but late adopters don’t face the same challenges as early adopters - the road is somewhat paved already.
What makes me really scared is the fact that Microsoft is in talks with Yahoo! who has been scooping up huge contracts with traditional broadcasters / networks to use their internet ad platform (as these huge media empires rally against Google / YouTube). If this acquisition moves forward, Microsoft will have an enormous advantage in that they control the corporate media ad platform of choice (Panama), and are able to back any ad program with a distribution platform Windows Server + Microsoft Silverlight. And this will truly spur the innovation they need to make Gate’s vision a reality.
I’m sure Microsoft would try to keep media sources distributed over the public internet such that they can sell more Windows licenses / run more advertising programs on other peoples dollar, and promote net neutrality – all the while making huge percentages off the Panama platform. But I would expect these video sources to be consolidated and delivered VIA their private xBox Live network, to your HDTV, without the need for a personal computer (and possibly ad sponsored), to a world audience.
Additionally you can’t discount Microsoft’s history of partnering with device manufactures over the closed shop model of Apple. This may allow device platforms to integrate directly into a Microsoft Live TV platform (think Silverlight + Panama + Device Integration), in a manner that promotes rapid network /content growth (especially if it starts being delivered through xBox Live & LCD HDTV’s are discounted if you sign a Windows Live TV contract for 3 years).
In other news, the most recent complaint against YouTube came on Monday when NBC joined Viacom in their billion dollar suit against YouTube. This followed Friday’s news, when England's most prestigious soccer league and an independent music publisher filed a class action suit against YouTube.
I guess people were right when they said YouTube was a copyright nightmare - not an advertising opportunity – and it looks like Google is now paying the strategy tax.
Over and Out
04/05/2007
Microsoft To Acquire Yahoo!: v v v Video
New York Post is reporting that Microsoft, "stung by the loss of Internet advertising firm DoubleClick ... has intensified its pursuit of a deal with Yahoo!". In fact, on Tuesday, Yahoo Chairman and CEO Terry Semel will address the invitees on the state of the online advertising industry, as well as share the stage with MSN Corporate Vice President and Chief Media Officer Joanne Bradford to discuss "The New Network."
Wall Street places a $50 billion dollar value on Yahoo!. As of the day I write this, Microsoft only has $26 billion dollars in cash sitting on the sideline. Further, they have a Market Cap of $291 billion dollars compared to Yahoo!'s $45 Billion. An acquisition is not unreasonable.
Shoemoney has reported on the Top 10 Reasons why Microsoft would purchase Yahoo:
Wall Street places a $50 billion dollar value on Yahoo!. As of the day I write this, Microsoft only has $26 billion dollars in cash sitting on the sideline. Further, they have a Market Cap of $291 billion dollars compared to Yahoo!'s $45 Billion. An acquisition is not unreasonable.
Shoemoney has reported on the Top 10 Reasons why Microsoft would purchase Yahoo:
- For the Search Algorithm: honestly, is the live.com search algorithm really inferior to Yahoo!'s? I think it stacks up pretty well against both Yahoo and Google and the only problem is adoption.
- Yahoo Search Marketing
- Yahoo Publisher Network
- Flickr
- del.icio.us
- The People: Presumably everyone except Executive Management?
- Video: Ad Volume ++
- Community Properties
- Business Directories
- Yahoo just cleaned house.
I actually see this as a much bigger thing than just purchasing an Ad Network. It's the type of ad network they are purchasing, and with Microsoft's portfolio of media infrastructure, this could be a eutopic deal for the seemingly evil empire.
I've blogged a ton about online media. About Yahoo! inking deals with Comcast, Viacom, and CBS to manage their digital advertising platforms. As Google is seen as the new evil empire, media companies have rallied against the giant.
Can you imagine what would happen if Microsoft actually did acquire Yahoo!. I keep blogging about the network effect, and how the amalgamation of digital media will win the war, how Joost is creating the new corporate high quality version of YouTube, and how Microsoft Silverlight is Microsoft’s platform entry into the digital media content distribution market.
Can you imagine if Microsoft acquired Yahoo! and their ad platform (ie., Yahoo!’s customer base: CBS, Viacom, Comcast …), and could present these customers with a monetization platform (Yahoo!), and a content distribution platform (Microsoft), that could reach more than just the public internet, but the private xBox Live network (which at any time of day has better ratings than the Super Bowl), and any other private delivery networks that Microsoft and it’s video customers wanted to setup. Furthermore, using .Net integration they can easily extend the application to include customized functionality.
In the ninety’s, Microsoft invested heavily in trying to reach customers with satellite TV. Gates bet a ton and invested heavily with several big American networks. They knew they could revolutionize video advertising by presenting custom video ads. This may be their final foray into that market.
While, I doubt Yahoo! would sell out to Microsoft, I have a feeling Microsoft will do everything in their power to try to buy Yahoo!, but that everything at this point is still just a rumor.
Microsoft TV anyone? I like my Joost!
01/05/2007
Advertising playground that could potentially define the future of advertising on the net (Yahoo - Comcast = The Deal of the Year)
Another insightful article by Marc Cuban on the future of digital advertising. Basically states that the internet advertising marketplace is mature, and is being consolidated into private networks (I'm sure he wants us to think about HDNet's bright future).
This can be seen as a GREAT thing for Yahoo as they have just taken an advertising network with internet reach and pushed it into a private internet marketplace (that is to say Comcast.net is using Yahoo purely for advertising reach so they don't have to go at it alone). This isn't the first time Yahoo signed up a big media network - remember Viacom.
Possibly I'm crazy, but possibly, this is why I keep writing good things about Joost. Comcast.net is basically the same thing. But with Joost's web 2.0 sharing features and partnership with many other big networks I'd still put my money on it taking the cake (ust watch Google try to buy them).
Read the article: Yahoo - Comcast = The Deal of the Year
Over and Out
This can be seen as a GREAT thing for Yahoo as they have just taken an advertising network with internet reach and pushed it into a private internet marketplace (that is to say Comcast.net is using Yahoo purely for advertising reach so they don't have to go at it alone). This isn't the first time Yahoo signed up a big media network - remember Viacom.
Possibly I'm crazy, but possibly, this is why I keep writing good things about Joost. Comcast.net is basically the same thing. But with Joost's web 2.0 sharing features and partnership with many other big networks I'd still put my money on it taking the cake (ust watch Google try to buy them).
Read the article: Yahoo - Comcast = The Deal of the Year
Over and Out
27/04/2007
Thanks goes out to S R
S R. Thanks for the Joost Invitation!
I appreciate it, and I appreciate any other bribes anyone else wants to give me.
Please note I wrote the below article before I got the Joost invite from S R. I will write another review of the service once installation is complete and I've slept with it a couple times.
I don't believe in Cable TV and still use an antenna at my house to recieve air stations - so let's wait and see how it compares to free air channels.
Over and Out
I appreciate it, and I appreciate any other bribes anyone else wants to give me.
Please note I wrote the below article before I got the Joost invite from S R. I will write another review of the service once installation is complete and I've slept with it a couple times.
I don't believe in Cable TV and still use an antenna at my house to recieve air stations - so let's wait and see how it compares to free air channels.
 |  |
Over and Out
Viacom Boosts Joost: Say No To YouTube?
I blogged about this the other day when Viacom stiffed Google on an advertising deal pertaining to all of it's digital properties. I thought it was a possible response to Google's inability to curtail copyright content on YouTube which resulted in Viacom's billion dollar lawsuit against the search giant. Further I thought we'd see media firms rally against YouTube. Well folks, it's happening!
In February, Reuters reported that Viacom signed a video deal with Joost to port hundreds of hours of programming to the startup's IP TV on demand platform. As CyberNet is reporting today Viacom Turns on YouTube, now Greets Joost with Open Arms:
I'm fairly certain this will be a trend for media companies who are looking for more control over their digital content. In Fact, there are rumors on the Joost blog that CBS is jumping into the Joost mix with their premier shows: CSI, CSI Miami, CSI New York, CBS Sportsline, and Survivor.
Advertising innovators have embraced Joost and it shows with some of the big names they have sold spots to. Globally they have such clients as Coca-Cola, HP, Intel and Nike. In the USA they have signed deals with Electronic Arts, Esurance, Garnier Fructis, Kraft, Lionsgate, Microsoft Corp, Motorola Inc, Nestle Purina PetCare, Procter & Gamble, Hugo Boss Fragrances, Sony Electronics, Taco Bell, United Airlines, US Army, Visa, and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Further in Europe they have deals with GM, IBM, L'Oreal Paris, Nokia Nseries, Unilever, Virgin Money, Vodafone and Warner Brothers.
"Joost has attracted partners from every major brand category because we offer an advertising platform that is similar to TV, with high-quality programming; and we're providing unparalleled user statistics and insights, as well as an unmatched level of interactivity, targetability and measurability," said David Clark, executive vice president of global advertising, Joost. "Our launch partners and their creative teams are a tremendous asset for Joost, as we work together to create inventive ads that allow them to reach and interact with consumers in new and compelling ways."
I'm sure this is where Google would have liked to take YouTube but unfortunately for them, Joost beat them to the punch. The question is, when Joost launches to the public will YouTube continue to thrive? And how will the sharing features stack up to YouTubes?
One of the huge challenges for YouTube is how to license clips exported from copyright material. These clips are only legal if the original copyright holder has granted permission for them to be uploaded. Further, the law around DMCA states no firm may reap profits (ads) off illegally posted content, and further safe harbours these copyright offenders through something called a take down request. So YouTube allows this illegal content to be posted, knowing they cannot be held liable, and when copyright owners request the content be removed, YouTube must do so ASAP or be taken to court.
There have been rumors in the mix about the big networks collaborating on a clip sharing site which would rival YouTube but have 100% high quality legal content. This is something that Joost is doing now, and it will be interesting to see if the big media companies embrace their idea, or continue to go down their own road.
Unless ALL the networks collaborate on a video application it will be very tough to take on Joost once it gains traction (and increases program availability). And again as CyberNet has reported:
Over and Out!
In February, Reuters reported that Viacom signed a video deal with Joost to port hundreds of hours of programming to the startup's IP TV on demand platform. As CyberNet is reporting today Viacom Turns on YouTube, now Greets Joost with Open Arms:
"Viacom has made a new deal that involves the licensing of hundreds of hours of programming from networks like MTV, Comedy Central, Spike, and even movies from Paramount. What makes Joost more appealing for Viacom is that users aren’t able to upload content themselves. That may not be very appealing for some users who’d like the option for uploading their content, but what is appealing is that Joost will be running full episodes, and to boot? High-quality resolution, which is something you wouldn’t find from YouTube."
I'm fairly certain this will be a trend for media companies who are looking for more control over their digital content. In Fact, there are rumors on the Joost blog that CBS is jumping into the Joost mix with their premier shows: CSI, CSI Miami, CSI New York, CBS Sportsline, and Survivor.
Advertising innovators have embraced Joost and it shows with some of the big names they have sold spots to. Globally they have such clients as Coca-Cola, HP, Intel and Nike. In the USA they have signed deals with Electronic Arts, Esurance, Garnier Fructis, Kraft, Lionsgate, Microsoft Corp, Motorola Inc, Nestle Purina PetCare, Procter & Gamble, Hugo Boss Fragrances, Sony Electronics, Taco Bell, United Airlines, US Army, Visa, and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Further in Europe they have deals with GM, IBM, L'Oreal Paris, Nokia Nseries, Unilever, Virgin Money, Vodafone and Warner Brothers.
"Joost has attracted partners from every major brand category because we offer an advertising platform that is similar to TV, with high-quality programming; and we're providing unparalleled user statistics and insights, as well as an unmatched level of interactivity, targetability and measurability," said David Clark, executive vice president of global advertising, Joost. "Our launch partners and their creative teams are a tremendous asset for Joost, as we work together to create inventive ads that allow them to reach and interact with consumers in new and compelling ways."
I'm sure this is where Google would have liked to take YouTube but unfortunately for them, Joost beat them to the punch. The question is, when Joost launches to the public will YouTube continue to thrive? And how will the sharing features stack up to YouTubes?
One of the huge challenges for YouTube is how to license clips exported from copyright material. These clips are only legal if the original copyright holder has granted permission for them to be uploaded. Further, the law around DMCA states no firm may reap profits (ads) off illegally posted content, and further safe harbours these copyright offenders through something called a take down request. So YouTube allows this illegal content to be posted, knowing they cannot be held liable, and when copyright owners request the content be removed, YouTube must do so ASAP or be taken to court.
There have been rumors in the mix about the big networks collaborating on a clip sharing site which would rival YouTube but have 100% high quality legal content. This is something that Joost is doing now, and it will be interesting to see if the big media companies embrace their idea, or continue to go down their own road.
Unless ALL the networks collaborate on a video application it will be very tough to take on Joost once it gains traction (and increases program availability). And again as CyberNet has reported:
"Joost was started by Niklas Zennstrm and Janus Friis. Recognize those names? They were the two founders of file-sharing service Kazaa, and Skype. They swept up $2.69 billion when Skype was acquired by eBay, so clearly they’re not running into problems financing the Joost deal."
Over and Out!
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