Posts for 'Events'

NATPE is offering a special discounted rate of $650 (a $200 discount) for its NATPE 2010 conference next week in Las Vegas. The conference offers an excellent array of speakers and information about the TV and video industries. With a range of panels on online and mobile delivery, it is a great event for anyone looking to exploit new digital delivery opportunities.

I'll be involved with 2 sessions this year. First, on Monday, Jan. 25th, from 2:45-3:30pm, I'll be moderating "Adopting and Adapting Online Advertising, an Interactive Debate" with Rob Norman, CEO, Group M North America (Group M is the world's largest media buyer) and Shishir Mehrotra, Director of Product Management for Google, who's responsible for Google's video monetization efforts, including YouTube and TV advertising. It promises to be a stimulating discussion of how online video advertising is shaping up.

Then on Tuesday, Jan 26th, from 10-10:30am I'll hosting "Online Video Syndication and Advertising: What's Working" with Brent Horowitz, VP of Business Development for FreeWheel, a leading provider of advertising solutions for content providers pursuing third-party syndication. Brent and I will discuss the pros and cons of online video syndication and how content providers can participate.

Ping me if you're planning to come to NATPE and let's try to meet up!

Colin Dixon, senior partner at The Diffusion Group, and I will continue our complimentary webinar series, "The Terror of Technology II: Demystifying Broadband TV" today at 2pm ET/11am PT.

In today's session, Colin and I will discuss net neutrality and how it impacts online video. We're coming at this quite differently, so the webinar promises a spirited exchange of ideas. There will be ample time for audience Q&A. Please join us!

Click here to register

Please join me in Denver next week for 2 great discussion panels at the CTAM Summit.

First, VideoNuze will be hosting a breakfast on Monday, Oct. 26th from 7:30am-8:45am, where I'll be moderating a panel titled, "How Cable Succeeds in the Broadband Video Era." Panelists include:

• Ian Blaine - CEO, thePlatform
• Rebecca Glashow - SVP, Digital Media Distribution, Discovery Communications
• Bruce Leichtman - President & Principal Analyst, Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
• Chuck Seiber - VP, Marketing, Roku, Inc.

We'll be doing a deep dive on how the cable TV industry is navigating the shift to broadband video consumption, the key opportunities and challenges the industry faces, competitors to watch and important new technologies. If you're trying to understand the industry's broadband priorities or are trying to figure out how to partner with cable operators or programmers, this session is for you.

The breakfast's lead sponsor is thePlatform and supporting sponsors include ActiveVideo Networks, Akamai Technologies, ExtendMedia, Goodmail, KickApps and October Strategies.

Click here for more information about the VideoNuze breakfast and to register

Then on Tuesday, Oct. 27th, I'll be moderating the closing general session of the CTAM Summit itself from 1:00pm-2:15pm. Our topic is "Multi-Screen Access: Challenges & Opportunities." Panelists include:

• Paul Bascobert - Chief Marketing Officer, Dow Jones & Company
• Matt Bond - EVP, Content Acquisition, Comcast
• Andy Heller - Vice Chairman, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
• Jason Kilar - CEO, Hulu
• David Preschlack - EVP, Disney and ESPN Networks Affiliate U.S. Sales and Marketing
• Peter Stern - EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, Time Warner Cable

In this panel we'll be focus on exploring the opportunities and challenges each panelist's company faces working across screens, with a particular emphasis on the customer's experience. We'll examine how to create new value that meets consumers' shifting expectations, build successful business models (free, paid, hybrid), leverage new technologies, enhance existing revenue streams and deliver content in new ways. Each of these companies is a leader in their own right and the discussion promises to yield valuable lessons about how to succeed working across 3 screens.

Click here for more information about the CTAM Summit and to register

I look forward to seeing you in Denver!

Thanks to everyone who came out for VideoSchmooze last night. We had about 250 people in attendance and thousands more watching live via the NATPE-sponsored Stickam feed (replay available soon). I asked Steve Donohue, a veteran cable TV journalist and friend to cover the panel discussion for VideoNuze while I was moderating. His edited coverage is below; more commentary is available on Twitter, search hashtag #VS09.

Media Executives Debate Online Video Trends at VideoSchmooze

by Steve Donohue

Media companies won't succeed in distributing programming online through sites like Hulu and others unless content providers and advertisers develop new ad formats and better ways to measure video that is distributed on multiple platforms, executives on the VideoSchmooze panel said Tuesday night.

Hulu and the sites operated by major broadcast TV networks today rely mostly on distributing 15- and 30-second ad units, a tactic criticized by Hearst Entertainment EVP George Kliavkoff, formerly Chief Digital Officer at NBCU and the first CEO of Hulu.

"If that (traditional TV advertising) is the conversation, then we've failed as an industry. I think the conversation should be what's new and engaging, taking advantage of the technology to deliver ads that are not just repurposed 15- and 30-second spots, " Kliavkoff said, reiterating a theme he espoused throughout the night that more needs to be done, and faster, to improve the online video ad model.

But Matt Strauss, Comcast's SVP, New Media said the industry shouldn't abandon traditional advertising. "We need to embrace the fact that there is a model right now on television that we all live with," Strauss said, adding that he hopes Nielsen Media Research will be able to incorporate online viewing into its C3 ratings reports, which measure viewing on TV and through digital video recorders.

The urgency of going beyond the CPM-based model for online video ads was highlighted by panel moderator Will Richmond from VideoNuze, who noted that "today's sites distributing full-length TV shows will not succeed in the long-term by inserting one-fifth the number of ads as done on-air, even if these ads can command a 20-25% price premium."

Perkins Miller, SVP of Digital Media at NBCU Sports explained that his company's live streaming of Sunday Night Football (now in its second season), which carry full ad loads, have been a big a success, saying "users are watching twice as much content because they're engaged." It is important to note that with built-in time-outs to support ad insertion, live sports are in a unique position to replicate their on-air models online.

Still, blip.tv co-founder Dina Kaplan reported that in the last 2-3 years, the online video ad-supported model for entertainment programming has made great strides. Kaplan revealed that blip has recently inked 8 deals with major advertisers, indicating that auto companies, packaged goods firms and other advertisers are moving budgets to online video ads. On the flip side, Kaplan conceded that generating unique creative for online ads will be a key challenge, saying, "with staff reductions at agencies....it's going to be a bigger problem, not a smaller problem, in 2010."

Another area discussed in detail during the panel was TV Everywhere, an initiative to deliver cable and other programming online to subscribers of traditional multichannel video services. Comcast's Strauss said that with 20-25 cable networks involved in the company's TV Everywhere trial, the company has been running fast to keep up with networks' interest.

Richmond mentioned however, that Hulu's 3 media owners, NBCU, Disney and Fox (as well as Viacom), which together constitute 4 of the 5 biggest cable network owners, have not yet publicly committed to distributing their shows via TV Everywhere. Strauss indicated that these companies are taking a "thoughtful" approach to their distribution strategy, and expressed confidence that while all networks may not be represented when Comcast begins rolling out TV Everywhere commercially later this year, the line-up will become more complete over time. "All programmers we've talked to are in agreement that making content more accessible to viewers is important," Strauss added, while also acknowledging that protecting online-distributed content from theft is a key focus of the TV Everywhere initiative.

Lastly, panelists touched on the proliferation of various viewing devices. In particular, Miller praised the significant popularity of the iPhone as an example of how mobile video is becoming a strong priority for NBCU, though still well behind broadband distribution. He also speculated about what's ahead for e-book readers like Amazon's Kindle, when additional features like color screens and video support are offered. To put an exclamation mark on shifting viewing patterns, especially among younger audiences, Strauss capped the discussion off by relating his experience of coming home recently to find his 4 children under the age of 7 huddled around his iPhone watching a show while his 50 inch plasma TV stood just feet away, silent and dark.

Tonight is VideoNuze's "VideoSchmooze" Broadband Video Leadership Evening, from 6-9pm in NYC.

Over 240 industry executives are registered to attend, from many different technology and media companies.

Our panel (which I'll moderate), "Realizing Broadband Video's Potential" features an amazing group of industry executives:

• Dina Kaplan - Co-founder, blip.tv
• George Kliavkoff - EVP & Deputy Group Head, Hearst Entertainment & Syndication (and formerly Chief Digital Officer, NBCU and first CEO of Hulu)
• Perkins Miller - SVP, Digital Media and GM, Universal Sports, NBCU Sports & Olympics
• Matt Strauss - SVP, New Media, Comcast

Click here to learn more and register now.

Following the panel, we'll have networking and cocktails from 7:45-9:00pm. It will be a great opportunity to meet the panelists and industry colleagues.

VideoSchmooze will be held at the Hudson Theater, a beautifully renovated turn-of-the-century venue on West 44th Street just off Times Square. NATPE, VideoNuze's partner since launch, is teaming up with VideoNuze for the event. And I'm extremely grateful to lead sponsor Microsoft Silverlight and supporting sponsors Akamai Technologies, Digitalsmiths, FAST (a Microsoft subsidiary), FreeWheel, Horn Group, Kyte and mPoint for making the evening possible.

VideoSchmooze is just a week away, on Tues, Oct 13th from 6-9pm at the Hudson Theater in NYC. I'll be moderating a panel titled "Realizing Broadband Video's Potential" with Dina Kaplan (blip.tv), George Kliavkoff (Hearst), Perkins Miller (NBC Sports) and Matt Strauss (Comcast). We'll be digging into all the hottest broadband and mobile video questions, with plenty of time for audience Q&A.

Following the panel we'll have cocktails and networking with industry colleagues you'll want to meet. Approximately 200 people are now registered, from companies like Sprint, Google/YouTube, Cox, MTV, Cox, PBS, NY Times, Morgan Stanley, Hearst, Showtime, Hulu, Telemundo, Cisco, HBO, Motorola and many others. Register now!

Following are 4 news items worth noting from the week of Sept. 26th:

1. Summer '09 was a blockbuster for online video - comScore released U.S. online video viewership data early this week, providing evidence of how big a blockbuster the summer months were for each metric comScore tracks. The 3 metrics that I watch most closely each month showed the healthiest gains vs. April, the last pre-summer month comScore reported. Total videos viewed in August were 25.4 billion, a 51% increase over April's 16.8 billion. The average number of videos watched per viewer was 157, up 41% from April's 111. And the average online video viewer watched 582 minutes (9.7 hours), a 51% increase from April's 385 (6.4 hours).

Also worth noting was YouTube crossing the 10 billion videos viewed in a single month mark for the first time, maintaining a 39.6% share of the market. According to comScore's stats I've collected, YouTube has been in the 39% to 44% market share range since May '08, having increased from 16.2% in Jan '07 when comScore first started reporting. Hulu also notched a winning month. While its unique viewers fell slightly to 38.5M from 40.1M in April, its total video views increased from 396M to 488.2M, with its average viewer watching 12.7 videos for a total of 1 hour and 17 minutes. It will be very interesting to see if September's numbers hold these trends or dip back to pre-summer levels.

2. So this is how to make funny viral branded videos - I was intrigued by a piece in ClickZ this week, "There's a Serious Business Behind Funny Viral Videos" which provided three points of view - from CollegeHumor.com, The Onion and Mekanism (a S.F.-based creative production agency) - about how to make branded content funny and then how to make it go viral. The article points out that a whole new sub-specialty has emerged to service brands looking to get noticed online with their own humorous content.

Humor works so well because the time to hook someone into a video is no more than 2-3 seconds according to Mekanism's Tommy Means. Beyond humor, successful videos most often include stunts or cool special effects or shock value. Once produced the real trick is leveraging the right distribution network to drive viral reach. For example, Means describes a network of 100 influencers with YouTube channels who can make a video stand out. After reading the article you get the impression that there's nothing random about which funny videos get circulated; there's a lot of strategy and discipline involved behind the scenes.

3. Wired magazine's article on Netflix is too optimistic - I've had several people forward me a link to Wired magazine's article, "Netflix Everywhere: Sorry Cable You're History" in which author Daniel Roth makes the case that by Netflix embedding its streaming video software in multiple consumer electronics devices, the company has laid the groundwork for a rash of cable cord-cutting by consumers.

I've been bullish for sometime on Netflix's potential as an "over-the-top" video alternative. But despite all of Netflix's great progress, particularly on the device side, its Achilles' heel remains content selection for its Watch Instantly streaming feature (as an example, my wife and I have repeatedly tried to find appealing recent movies to stream, but still often end up settling for classic, but older movies like "The English Patient").

Roth touches on this conundrum too, but in my opinion takes a far too optimistic point of view about what a deal like the one Netflix did with Starz will do to eventually give Netflix access to Hollywood's biggest and most current hits. The Hollywood windowing system is so rigid and well-protected that I've long-since concluded the only way Netflix is going to crack the system is by being willing to write big checks to Hollywood, a move that Netflix CEO is unlikely to make. The impending launch of TV Everywhere is going to create whole new issues for budding OTT players.

Although I'm a big Netflix fan, and in fact just ordered another Roku, I'm challenged to understand how Netflix is going to solve its content selection dilemma. This is one of the topics we'll discuss at VideoNuze's CTAM Summit breakfast on Oct. 26th in Denver, which includes Roku's VP of Consumer Products Tim Twerdahl.

4. VideoSchmooze is just 1 1/2 weeks away - Time is running out to register for the "VideoSchmooze" Broadband Video Leadership Evening, coming up on Tues, Oct 13th from 6-9pm at the Hudson Theater in NYC. We have an amazing discussion panel I'll be moderating with Dina Kaplan (blip.tv), George Kliavkoff (Hearst), Perkins Miller (NBC Sports) and Matt Strauss (Comcast). We'll be digging into all the hottest broadband and mobile video questions, with plenty of time for audience Q&A.

Following the panel we'll have cocktails and networking with industry colleagues you'll want to meet. Registration is running very strong, with companies like Sprint, Google/YouTube, Cox, MTV, Cox, PBS, NY Times, Morgan Stanley, Hearst, Showtime, Hulu, Telemundo, Cisco, HBO, Motorola and many others all represented. Register now!

Today is the last day to purchase early bird discounted tickets to VideoNuze's next "VideoSchmooze" Broadband Video Leadership Evening. VideoSchmooze is 2 weeks from tonight, on Oct. 13th, 6-9pm in NYC. Save by registering today! An early bird ticket for $60 includes hors' d'oeuvres and a drink (cash bar to follow), the panel discussion plus great industry networking.

VideoSchmooze promises to be an exciting night of networking and industry learning. Registered already are executives from across the spectrum of technology and media companies such as Cisco, HBO, A&E, Hulu, Google, HealthiNation, Motorola, FLO TV, HealthiNation, 5Min, Tremor Media, Scripps, Adap.tv and many others.

Our panel (which I'll moderate), "Realizing Broadband Video's Potential" features an amazing group of industry executives:

• Dina Kaplan - Co-founder, blip.tv
• George Kliavkoff - EVP & Deputy Group Head, Hearst Entertainment & Syndication (and formerly Chief Digital Officer, NBCU and first CEO of Hulu)
• Perkins Miller - SVP, Digital Media and GM, Universal Sports, NBCU Sports & Olympics
• Matt Strauss - SVP, New Media, Comcast

Click here to learn more and register for the early bird discount

Following the panel, we'll have networking and cocktails from 7:45-9:00pm. It will be a great opportunity to meet the panelists and industry colleagues. This is a highly targeted and valuable networking opportunity - past VideoSchmooze attendees have repeatedly told me about new partners, customers and job leads they've gained from VideoSchmooze.

VideoSchmooze will be held at the Hudson Theater, a beautifully renovated turn-of-the-century venue on West 44th Street just off Times Square. NATPE, VideoNuze's partner since launch, is teaming up with VideoNuze for the event. And I'm extremely grateful to lead sponsor Microsoft Silverlight and supporting sponsors Akamai Technologies, Digitalsmiths, FAST (a Microsoft subsidiary), FreeWheel, Horn Group and mPoint for making the evening possible.

At the last VideoSchmooze in March, '09 we had 270+ industry executives. Space is filling up fast for this must-attend event....I encourage you to register now to secure a spot and save with the early bird discount.

Click here to learn more and register for the early bird discount

I look forward to seeing you on Oct. 13th!

Early bird discounted tickets to VideoNuze's next "VideoSchmooze" Broadband Video Leadership Evening on Oct. 13th, 6-9pm in NYC, will end next Tuesday, and then revert to their standard prices. Save by registering today! An early bird ticket for $60 includes hors' d'oeuvres and a drink (cash bar to follow), the panel discussion plus great industry networking.

We have no shortage of topics to discuss and dig into. For example, how are TV Everywhere trials progressing, and what will it take to get all cable networks on board; how are sports leagues like the NFL and MLB benefiting from their aggressive push into broadband video; what are independent video producers doing to weather the advertising downturn; how threatening are "over-the-top" video services to incumbents, and plenty more. There will be lots of time for audience Q&A as well!

Following the panel, we'll have networking and cocktails from 7:45-9:00pm. It will be a great opportunity to meet the panelists and industry colleagues. This is a highly targeted and valuable networking opportunity - past VideoSchmooze attendees have repeatedly told me about new partners, customers and job leads they've gained from VideoSchmooze.

VideoSchmooze will be held at the Hudson Theater, a beautifully renovated turn-of-the-century venue on West 44th Street just off Times Square. NATPE, VideoNuze's partner since launch, is teaming up with VideoNuze for the event. And I'm extremely grateful to lead sponsor Microsoft Silverlight and supporting sponsors Akamai Technologies, Digitalsmiths, FAST (a Microsoft subsidiary), FreeWheel, Horn Group and mPoint for making the evening possible.

Space is filling up fast for this must-attend event....I encourage you to register now to secure a spot and save with the early bird discount.

Click here to learn more and register for the early bird discount

I look forward to seeing you on Oct. 13th!

I'll be participating in 2 complimentary upcoming webinars that will be of interest to VideoNuze readers.

First, this Thurs, Sept. 23rd, Colin Dixon, Senior Partner at The Diffusion Group and I will present "The Terror of Terminology: Demystifying Broadband TV." Colin is a savvy broadband analyst, with whom I often compare notes on the market. We've both been hearing similar types of questions in the market, so we've decided take on 5-6 items and address misunderstandings that linger.

We'll discuss the difference between "broadband TV" and "Internet TV," whether online video ads can support long-form premium content, why so many cable programs are available online, but so few cable programs are, what's the difference between hybrid set-top boxes and Internet set-top boxes, and why TV Everywhere is so significant. Expect a fun and educational conversation, with plenty of time for audience Q&A. Learn more and register.

Then on Wed, Sept. 30th I'll be participating in a Brightcove-sponsored webinar, "New Video Distribution Strategies - Taking Video Beyond the PC." Other speakers include Chris Little, Technology Director at Brightcove and Rich Ezekial, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Connected TV, Yahoo. Accessing online video on other devices like TVs and smartphones is one of the hottest areas of the broadband video landscape, and we'll be digging in to key trends, best practices and monetization opportunities. In particular, we'll hear specifics about Yahoo's Connected TV strategy. Learn more and register.

I look forward to seeing you on one or both of these exciting webinars!

Please join me for VideoNuze's next "VideoSchmooze" Broadband Video Leadership Evening, on Tuesday evening, October 13th, 6pm-9pm in New York City. Save by registering now for the early bird rate of $60 which includes hors' d'oeuvres and a drink.

We'll start with a panel discussion I'll moderate, "Realizing Broadband Video's Potential" featuring a terrific group of industry executives:

• Dina Kaplan - COO and co-founder, blip.tv
• George Kliavkoff - EVP & Deputy Group Head, Hearst Entertainment & Syndication (and formerly Chief Digital Officer, NBCU)
• Perkins Miller - SVP, Digital Media and GM, NBCU Sports & Olympics
• Matt Strauss - SVP, New Media, Comcast

Click here to learn more and register for the early bird discount

Included among topics we'll discuss are the status of TV Everywhere trials and future strategy, how the NFL and other sports leagues are succeeding with broadband distribution, whether independent video producers are getting traction online, if advertising can support TV programs online or if a paid/subscription augment is required, and lots more. We'll have plenty of time for audience Q&A as well!

Following the panel, we'll have networking and cocktails from 7:45-9:00pm. Chat with the panelists and expand your network...whether you're pursuing business or personal opportunities in the industry, the people who come to VideoSchmooze are the ones you want to know!

Once again VideoSchmooze will be held at the Hudson Theater, a gorgeous facility on West 44th Street just off Times Square. NATPE, VideoNuze's partner since launch, is on board for the event. And I'm extremely grateful to lead sponsor Microsoft Silverlight and supporting sponsors Akamai Technologies, Digitalsmiths, FAST (a Microsoft subsidiary), FreeWheel, Horn Group and mPoint for making the evening possible.

Space is filling up fast for this must-attend event....at the last VideoSchmooze in March, we had 270+ attendees, so if you're interested in joining us, I encourage you to register early to secure a spot!

Click here to learn more and register for the early bird discount

I look forward to seeing you on Oct. 13th!