VideoNuze Posts

  • VideoNuze Report Podcast #111 - Boxee's Live TV Dongle

    Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 111th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for Nov. 18, 2011. This week, Daisy and I discuss Boxee's new Live TV dongle and broader trends around pay-TV cord-cutting. The range of devices and video choices is opening up interesting new opportunities to segment consumers out of traditional pay-TV bundles, but change will unfold over the long-term. Listen in to learn more!

    Click here to listen to the podcast (10 minutes, 14 seconds)



    Click here for previous podcasts

    The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!

    (Note: After 111 great podcasts together, Daisy and I are going to take a break for now. We hope you've enjoyed!)
     
  • Brand Lift Gains Momentum As Online Video Ad Campaign Metric

    Traditional ways of measuring the effectiveness of online video campaigns such as click-through and completion rates are being enhanced with brand lift metrics such as awareness and intent that are common in other forms of advertising. The latest indicator is that Adap.tv, an online video advertising marketplace, has integrated Vizu's Ad Catalyst solution, which measures brand lift, to offer this capability to its clients. Yesterday the companies released a case study which speaks to the new insights online video advertisers can gain from studying brand lift as well.

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  • Research: Heavier Ad Loads Don't Turn Off On-Demand Viewers

    Over the past several years, as more networks have begun delivering their TV programs for free online, a pressing question has been how "heavy" an ad load is appropriate to include. Too many unskippable ads and the viewer could be turned off to the new medium; too few and the network would undermine its own P&L as viewing behavior shifts online (see my post quantifying these risks). While it's still too early to know precisely where to strike the balance, new research released yesterday indicates viewers' acceptance of heavier ad loads in on-demand programs is actually quite high.

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  • Boxee Aggressively Pursues Cord-Cutters With New Live TV Dongle

    Connected device maker Boxee is aggressively going after pay-TV cord-cutters with a new Live TV dongle it is introducing this morning. The dongle plugs into a USB slot on the Boxee box and takes in a feed of live broadcast channels accessed from either an HD antenna or via a pay-TV provider (note there's always a tier of local broadcast channels available without a set-top box, however the number and quality varies widely). Boxee's CEO Avner Ronen walked me through the logic of who it is appealing to as well as the key challenges for success.

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  • YuMe Snags $12 Million from Samsung, Translink Capital for Ad-Enabled Connected TVs

    YuMe has raised $12 million from Samsung Ventures and Translink Capital to continue integrating its ad technology into connected "Smart TVs."  Just two weeks ago, YuMe announced the first such integration, with LG's Smart TVs. In that deal, YuMe's new Embedded SDK is being integrated into the firmware of the TVs, with access to YuMe's Connected Audience Network and its ACE for Publishers ad platform. The significance of all that is that in-stream video ads can be more effectively delivered to Smart TVs while leveraging the scale already achieved in online video, as they continue to proliferate.

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  • Buffering: Video Engagement's #1 Enemy

    If you're like me, then you've no doubt experienced the frustration of trying to watch an online video only to have it periodically pause and then re-start, sometimes repeatedly. The pausing triggers a decision of whether to hang in there and hope things improve, or just bail out and move on to the next activity. These "buffering" moments are the bane of the content provider's existence - suppressing viewership, reducing monetization and frustrating users. And the causes can vary, including possible issues with the CDN, broadband ISP, computer, player software, etc.

    Though the buffering problem is omnipresent, I haven't seen its consequences quantified as well as on a free new infographic from video optimization technology provider Conviva. By embedding its software in client-side video players, Conviva has a unique view into users' video experiences across numerous content customers including HBO GO, ESPN, Netflix, Fox, NBCU and others.

    When Conviva detects an issue with the user's video streaming experience, it intervenes appropriately, for example, switching CDNs, reducing the stream's bit-rate, diagnosing network-related problems and so forth. Conviva now optimizes more than 1 billion streams per month, which speaks to how widespread delivery issues are. The result is improved engagement - a higher-quality stream, better user experience and stronger monetization.

    Among the key data points in the infographic:

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  • Study: Tablet, Connected Devices Driving Higher Video Engagement and Longer Sessions

    Let's face it: few people savor the idea of snuggling up with their desktop or laptop computer to watch long-form video entertainment. So even as online video consumption has surged, the industry is challenged by the fact that the vast majority of viewing is still locked to the computer. Now however, as video viewing via tablets along with connected devices and game consoles that allow TV-based viewing are beginning to go mainstream, new data from Ooyala suggests that engagement and session lengths are increasing as well. This is a positive sign for everyone involved in the online video ecosystem - brands, advertisers, content providers, distributors and device makers.

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  • VideoSchmooze Early-Bird Discount Ends Today

    I know many of you are observing Veteran's Day, so just a quick heads-up that the early-bird discount ends today for VideoSchmooze: NYC Online Video Leadership Forum on Wed. morning, November 30th at the Harvard Club of NYC. We have a large and diverse group of industry executives already signed up and it promises to be an exciting morning of learning and networking.

    One of the highlights of VideoSchmooze will be opening remarks by HBO's co-president Eric Kessler about HBO GO, followed by my fireside chat and audience Q&A with him. I talked to Eric yesterday and he's planning to share new usage data about HBO GO plus discuss topics such as the competitive/OTT landscape, the pay-TV industry's challenges, the impact of connected devices and how HBO is navigating these crosscurrents.

    HBO is also graciously providing a gift basket of DVDs including complete collections of hits like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, etc. plus T-shirts, mugs and other HBO swag for a drawing. (Note - only early-bird attendees are eligible for the drawing for the gift basket, as well as 2 Roku players).

    In addition to the session with Eric, we'll have 2 panels which include executives from YouTube, Comcast, CBS, Roku, Yahoo, VivaKi and others. We'll cover all the main industry themes in these sessions, including multi-platform distribution, online video advertising challenges and opportunities, changing consumer behaviors, connected devices, social media's influence on video, predictions for 2012 and more. If being up-to-speed on online video is crucial for you, then VideoSchmooze is a must-attend event.

    VideoSchmooze is made possible through the generous support of lead sponsors FreeWheel, Irdeto and Tremor Video plus supporting sponsors Akamai Technologies, Innovid, One Touch Intelligence and TidalTV.

    I hope to see you at VideoSchmooze!

    LEARN MORE AND REGISTER NOW!