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5 News Items of Interest for the Week of Aug 16th
I've received positive feedback on the Friday feature I introduced 2 weeks ago, highlighting 5-6 of the most intriguing online and mobile video industry news items that I noticed during the week. As a result, I'm continuing on today and look forward to your further reactions.
As a reminder, each day in the right column of both the VideoNuze web site and email you'll find the "Exclusive News Roundup" which includes the most relevant online and mobile video industry articles that I've curated from numerous sources around the web. Typically there are 35-40 links rounded up each week, which means VideoNuze now has thousands of links available, all fully searchable. This is an invaluable resource when doing research and I encourage you to take a look next time you're hunting for a specific piece of online/mobile video information.
Now on to this week's most intriguing news:
Hulu is Said to Be Ready for an I.P.O.
The big news leading off the week was that Hulu is testing the waters for a public offering valuing the company at $2 billion. Investors beware: while ad sales are up, exclusive deals with key TV networks are short-term, subscription service Hulu Plus is still unproven and competition from Netflix and others is intensifying. If the deal works, it will be a huge milestone for the company.
Rumored $99 iTV Could Pave Way for $2,000 Apple-Connected Television
A Wall Street analyst conjectures that Apple is well-positioned to offer a high-end, connected TV. Apple has been on the sidelines as online video makes its way to the TV, surely this won't remain the case forever.
Netflix Lust for "True Blood" Is Unrequited As HBO Blocks Path
Though Netflix just landed Epix, it is unlikely to get a deal with HBO any time soon, as the big premium network is committed to its current distribution partners, and to its own online extension, HBO Go. Netflix will still find plenty of other willing partners given its strong motivation to acquire streaming content rights.
In Battle of Smartphones, Google Has the Right Answer
With Google's Android phones proliferating, the iPhone's market share is slipping. And with Android tablets coming, the iPad will soon be in the crosshairs from competitors. For mobile video this means more choices and flexibility.
Net Profits for BermanBraun
Big ad agency Starcom MediaVest commits up to a $100 million to upstart Hollywood producer for deeper brand integrations. More evidence that ad spending is moving online and in more creative ways.Categories: Advertising, Aggregators, Cable Networks, Deals & Financings, Devices, Mobile Video
Topics: Apple, BermanBraun, Google, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Starcom MediaVest
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #72 - Aug. 13, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 72nd edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for August 13, 2010.
In this week's podcast, Daisy and I dig further into this week's Netflix-Epix deal. In particular, we discuss the deal's possible implications, including what it might be mean to the pay-TV industry (cable/satellite/telco).
As I argued in my post this week, "Netflix-Epix Deal Ratchets Up Importance of TV Everywhere," the cable industry should be taking note of how much closer Netflix is continuing to come to its traditional turf, and use TV Everywhere to aggressively counter it. However, my perception is that TV Everywhere rollouts are lagging, which is to the detriment of the industry. Listen in to learn more.
(Note that in the podcast I say it's not clear whether Netflix is actually getting access to all movies that are available on Epix. I've since clarified that with a Netflix spokesman who told me Netflix will get everything Epix has rights to.)
Click here to listen to the podcast (15 minutes, 42 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Aggregators, Cable Networks, Podcasts
Topics: EPIX, Netflix, Podcast
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With Its Epix Deal, Netflix Once Again Shows Data is King
Among the many speculations surrounding this week's Netflix-Epix deal is how much Netflix is actually paying. While there have been rumors
suggesting the tab could run as high as $1 billion, nobody except the principals really knows. However, after talking with a Netflix spokesman yesterday, it is likely that whatever Netflix's is paying, it is virtually guaranteed to receive a satisfactory ROI. That's because Netflix has once again mined the extraordinary value of its user data to inform a critical business decision.
Categories: Aggregators, Cable Networks
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Netflix-Epix Deal Ratchets Up Importance of TV Everywhere
Today's Netflix-Epix deal should be setting off alarms in the CEO suites of major cable operators around the country that TV Everywhere must get rolled out ASAP. The Epix deal underscores the extent of Netflix's financial resources and its ambition to gain a bigger chunk both of consumers' entertainment mindshare and their spending.
The first, a shift in mindshare, is already underway. With 15 million subscribers, an expanding streaming library, countless ways to view (e.g. iPad, Xbox, Roku, Blu-ray, etc, etc), a value-packed $9/mo entry tier and a customer-focused brand, Netflix has established a reputation for itself as the cutting edge video leader. In social settings these days, it is practically inevitable that someone will bring up how they're streaming Netflix content to the device of their choosing and how cool it is. Conversely, despite the cable industry's numerous positive digital TV efforts, it is still dogged by lagging customer service, often confusing pricing tiers and suboptimal user experiences.
Categories: Aggregators, Cable TV Operators, Telcos
Topics: Comcast, EPIX, Netflix, Time Warner Cable
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Netflix Lands Epix for Significant Expansion of Streaming
Netflix is announcing this morning that it has licensed both new release and catalog movies from premium cable network Epix for instant streaming. Epix is owned by and has rights from three studios, Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM. While the partners didn't specify which movies are covered under the deal and digital distribution rights can be confusing, MGM is the studio behind the James Bond franchise, and Paramount is behind the Indiana Jones franchise, so among other titles, Netflix could be getting some major attractions with the deal.
Aside from its deal almost 2 years ago with Starz, the Epix deal is the most significant license Netflix has yet reached. It is also further evidence of how important Netflix, with its strong desire to gain content rights, is becoming as a Hollywood customer. The multiyear deal will kick in on September 1st.
Categories: Aggregators, Cable Networks
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CBS-Comcast Deal Underscores Importance of Subscriptions
Yesterday's 10-year retransmission consent deal between Comcast and CBS further underscores the importance of subscription revenue streams in addition to advertising. Under the deal, CBS is rumored to receive between $.50-$1.00 per subscriber per month from the biggest cable operator in the U.S., putting it in the top tier of cable network compensation. When combined with other deals CBS has previously struck, plus additional ones it will likely conclude in the future, CBS has laid firm claim to the same "dual revenue" (monthly payments + advertising) business model as cable TV networks have long enjoyed.
The CBS-Comcast deal is more evidence of how dynamic the relationships have become between broadcast TV networks, cable TV networks, pay-TV operators and new distributors like Hulu and Netflix. The online/mobile/on-demand era has set off a scramble by premium content providers to lock in payments for their programming, while also remaining nimble enough to gain new distribution opportunities. Likewise, distributors are hungry for exclusive well-branded content.
Consider what's happened in just the last 8 months:
Categories: Aggregators, Broadcasters, Cable Networks, Cable TV Operators
Topics: Cablevision, CBS, Comcast, Hulu, Netflix, Time Warner Cable
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #69 - July 23, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 69th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for July 23, 2010.
In this podcast I lead off by discussing some further details of Qlipso integrating with Veoh. Daisy weighs in on whether linking virtual economies to online video through social viewing experiences makes sense. I continue to think of Qlipso-Veoh as a fresh approach worth watching.
On an unrelated topic, Daisy then discusses the Old Spice man ad campaign which has taken the online world by storm over the past few weeks, generating 40 million views, 40,000 comments and 100,000 tweets. Daisy is among those impressed with how well Old Spice harnessed social media, but notes that the campaign has been active for months, dating back to the last Super Bowl. Daisy has some additional insight based on an article she's preparing for AdAge next week for which she interviewed the campaign's creative masterminds at the Wieden+Kennedy ad agency. Daisy's conclusion: social media campaigns succeed after lots of preparation and often with the tailwind that traditional media creates. Listen in to learn more.
Click here to listen to the podcast (16 minutes, 12 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Advertising, Aggregators
Topics: Old Spice, Podcast, Qlipso, Veoh
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5 Key Takeaways from Netflix's Q2 '10 Results
Netflix reported its Q2 '10 results late yesterday and once again the company turned in an impressive performance. Netflix added 1,034,000 subscribers, by far its best Q2 ever, to end the quarter at just over 15 million subs. NetflixCEO Reed Hastings said right up front in the management discussion that streaming is the key catalyst in the company's accelerating growth, with 61% of current subs now streaming at least 15 minutes in Q2, up from 55% in Q1 '10 and 48% in Q4 '09. After reviewing the company's Q2 results and listening to the earnings call, following are my 5 key takeaways:
1. Netflix really is becoming more about streaming with each passing quarter
It's hard to underestimate the pervasive role streaming now has on the company, in its value proposition, subscriber acquisition model, content acquisition approach, DVD and postage expenses, competitive situation, technology infrastructure and R&D agenda, partnerships, etc.
Though 61% of all subs are now using streaming, I would guess that practically all recently added subs are. The company is going through quite a transition. This quarter, CFO Barry McCarthy mentioned that early streaming adopter's behavior of reduced DVD usage has now reached Netflix's mainstream subscriber base. DVD shipments are still growing, but at a slower rate, due to streaming-for-disc substitution, which in turn improves margins (it costs Netflix around $.85-$.90 round-trip to deliver a disc and less than a nickel to deliver a full streaming movie). Anecdotally I continually hear about users now first surfing Netflix's streaming catalog before they surf the cable dial.
2. Exclusive content gains in importance, increasing competition for movies
I've long believed that Netflix's move into streaming would eventually compel it to license movies that would have traditionally gone to premium networks like HBO/Showtime/Epix. Netflix's growing financial strength, brand loyalty and large sub base all position it as a potent new outlet for movies.
When I interviewed CEO Reed Hastings in May, he maintained that Netflix wants to be an outlet for premium cable networks rather than a competitor. Now however, Netflix is saying "At this point we can start to afford some major TV shows and movies on an exclusive basis, and plan going forward on a mix of more-expensive exclusive content and lower-cost non-exclusive content." That means Netflix is essentially going to compete for content with traditional premium TV networks. This will begin modestly, as with its recent Relativity Media deal for exclusive rights to a smallish set of its movies. And Netflix will still be a great outlet for premium networks' stellar original programming. But it will clearly be another voice at the negotiating table for electronic distribution of movies.
3. Going forward, TV is as important as movies
While Netflix is traditionally associated with movies, with streaming moving to center stage, Netflix now sees licensing TV shows as equally important. To the extent that its licenses are exclusive and/or pre-empt traditional distribution paths, this could be quite significant. Recent acquisitions of full seasons of shows such as 24, Nip/Tuck, The Family Guy and others, from networks/producers such as Fox, MTV and Warner Bros is an indication of Netflix's push into TV, with an emphasis on catalog, not current seasons. As Netflix grows its roster of TV programs I see at least 2 key implications: first, that Hulu Plus's value proposition gets pinched (more on that below), and second, that the traditional role of TV syndication for re-runs gets narrowed.
4. Competition from Hulu Plus and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs)
During Q2 Hulu Plus launched and there's been a lot of speculation about how competitive it is with Netflix streaming. Hastings acknowledged Hulu as a direct competitor and that "we're not going to underestimate them." Still, on the earnings call he also noted "they're too small to matter yet." I agree Hulu Plus should be on Netflix's radar, but with Netflix making an aggressive move into TV, Hulu Plus has steep challenges to compete and grow beyond its core broadcast network catalog. The issue comes down to resources. In this battle, Netflix is Goliath, able to write far bigger checks to Hollywood than can Hulu. The recent Nip/Tuck example is illustrative - a reasonably popular, tier 2 cable network show that Netflix won.
While Netflix acknowledges Hulu Plus, it's real competitive concern is how it fits into a landscape dominated by MVPDs (or pay-TV provider as I usually call them). Netflix believes it is a low cost supplement to pay-TV and not a replacement that causes cord-cutting. In the May interview Hastings called TV Everywhere efforts "frustratingly brilliant" and while their rollout has been underwhelming, if they start to ramp up that could put pressure on Netflix's growth. We'll see.
5. Netflix availability on 100 million devices is huge competitive barrier
Netflix also said yesterday that by end of year it expects its streaming to be available on 100 million devices (e.g. Blu-ray, gaming consoles, connected TVs, iPads, Roku, etc.). In a world that still lacks application integration standards, Netflix has done the heavy lifting to get onto all of these devices that nobody else has (by contrast for example, Hulu Plus is only available on iPad/iPhone/iPod and Samsung connected devices). While others scramble to catch up, Netflix is already moving on to improve its streaming experience, for example, planning a new UI for PS3 among other things. Until connected devices embrace an open, standardized, browser-based model (which will begin with Google TV's launch later this year), Netflix has erected a huge competitive barrier. Once again, having deep pockets has real benefits.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Aggregators
Topics: Hulu Plus, Netflix, Relativity Media
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Qlipso is Now Integrated With Veoh
A few months ago the assets of Veoh, the well-funded, but ultimately unsuccessful online video aggregator, were sold to a tiny company named Qlipso, which is backed by Jerusalem Venture Partners. It was a highly
unconventional deal and the rationale Qlipso provided at the time seemed vague to me. However, Qlipso has now done its initial integration with Veoh and after seeing it and talking with Qlipso CEO Jon Goldman last week, I have a better sense of what's going on and what's ahead.
When you visit Veoh.com now and select any video to watch, you'll see an invitation above the video window to "Share live with friends." Clicking that link invokes the Qlipso social platform, in which the video plays. When you sign in to Qlipso you're then able to create your own avatar or insert webcam video of yourself, either of which is displayed alongside others in the room. You're also able to communicate with others through text and audio chat.
Categories: Aggregators, Deals & Financings, Games
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Why Netflix Has All of Nip/Tuck and Hulu Plus Doesn't
Last week I happened to be reviewing the catalog of Netflix Watch Instantly TV shows available and noticed something curious: all 6 seasons of Nip/Tuck were available. Not only was this the only TV series where all episodes were available, the finale episode had only been aired just a few months ago. That's unusual for Netflix, which typically only has sporadic, older seasons of TV shows available for streaming. I then checked out Hulu Plus and didn't find any Nip/Tuck full episodes available, just a smattering of clips. Considering Nip/Tuck was an FX show (a network owned by News Corp, which is a Hulu owner) and a perfect candidate to bolster Hulu Plus's mainly broadcast TV catalog, I wondered what was going?
This morning's WSJ answers my question: Netflix has signed a deal with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group to carry Nip/Tuck, as well as other lesser series such as "Veronica Mars," "Pushing Daisies" and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." (Warner Bros. produced the show) The deal illustrates the challenges Hulu Plus has ahead of it in trying to position itself as a comprehensive subscription service for more than just broadcast TV shows online.
The deal also underscores Netflix's relentless pursuit of additional content for its streaming catalog. Speculating a bit, I think it's also a dividend from the company's 28-day DVD delay deal with Warner Bros. from earlier this year. At the time I asserted that Netflix was trying to be a valuable partner to Warner Bros. by agreeing to give the studio a little breathing room to eke out some additional DVD sales before Netflix rentals kick in. First and foremost that deal made good business sense for Netflix, but I think it also showed studios that Netflix is trying to play nicely rather than trying to disrupt the ecosystem. Lo and behold a few months later the deal for Nip/Tuck and others occurs.
Netflix is being smart about building its streaming catalog. As the recent deal with Relativity Media also showed, Netflix is nibbling around the edges, getting access to better and better content, while continuing to demonstrate the value of its streaming feature to Hollywood. Next week Netflix will report its Q2 earnings, and no doubt it will show further big subscriber gains, adding to the almost 3 million subscribers it has added in the last 2 quarters. Though Netflix isn't directly competitive to Hulu Plus, the more deals Netflix can strike for shows like Nip/Tuck, the harder it will become for Hulu Plus to be much more than what it already is.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required)?Categories: Aggregators, Cable Networks
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Hulu Plus Should Drop the In-Stream Ads Immediately
I activated my 7-day Hulu Plus trial last evening and spent some time with the new subscription service on my Mac. The overall navigation and video quality was excellent, consistent with the high standards Hulu has set from the beginning on Hulu.com. I particularly liked how Hulu has chosen to display the many episodes of past seasons. They are listed by title in reverse chronological order, with run-time, original airdate, length, and the ability to add to your queue well-displayed. For shows with multiple past seasons Hulu Plus lets you drop-down to see particular seasons as well.
Net, net, though I haven't spent a ton of time with it, my first impressions are generally positive, except for one major, major thing: Hulu Plus programs carry the same full in-stream ad load as programs on Hulu.com. In my "7 Quick Reactions" post earlier this week, I called this out as both a big surprise, and also a key detraction from the service. Now that I've experienced the ads, I can say even more emphatically that Hulu Plus must relinquish the ads.
The biggest problem with the ads is that they are discordant with consumer expectations for a paid subscription service. The right comparables for Hulu Plus should be premium cable channels like HBO, Showtime and Epix, and a DVD/streaming service like Netflix. In the former, you'll routinely see cross-promotions for other programs, but you'll never see a commercial break. In the latter, aside from previews, you never see any ads at all.
Categories: Advertising, Aggregators
Topics: Hulu Plus
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #66 - July 2, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 66th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for July 2, 2010.
This week Daisy and I discuss Hulu Plus, which was launched earlier this week. There has already been a lot written about Hulu Plus, with most early users reporting favorably on the user experience. I just activated my 7-day trial and gave it a whirl last evening. Reactions are here.
Click here to listen to the podcast (15 minutes, 59 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Aggregators, Podcasts
Topics: Hulu Plus
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7 Quick Reactions to Hulu Plus
Hulu unveiled its much-rumored subscription service this afternoon, dubbed
"Hulu Plus." I haven't used the new service, but based on the explanation and the teaser video, here are 7 quick reactions:
1. Is there consumer demand for Hulu Plus? - This looms as the fundamental question that will be answered as Hulu Plus rolls out. From CEO Jason Kilar's blog post, it appears that, at least initially, Hulu Plus is a bet on consumers having an appetite for a library of broadcast network programs since that's all that's been highlighted so far. Hulu identifies about 2,000 library episodes in addition to current seasons. Unless Hulu Plus really beefs up its catalog, it won't be long before the library holds few surprises for returning visitors.
2. Hulu Plus lacks many of Netflix's advantages - It's tempting to think of Hulu Plus competing directly with Netflix, and to an extent of course they're after the same general target consumer. But Netflix has several very significant advantages: a brand that's identified with subscriptions and 14 million+ currently paying subscribers, a deep DVD library of 100,000+ titles (which has every single episode Hulu Plus will be offering), a streaming library of 17,000+ titles (offered at no extra cost to subscribers) and integrations with all the same devices Hulu Plus is touting (except the iPhone, which is coming soon). Further, Netflix has far deeper resources; it is a public company with a $6 billion market cap that spends $250 million/year on marketing and has publicly-stated commitment to obtain more streaming rights from Hollywood. With Netflix on one side and cable on another, it's unclear how Hulu Plus will expand its menu. I don't see Hulu Plus diminishing Netflix's rapid growth.
3. Ads in Hulu Plus would be a big-time buzz-kill - I did a double-take when I first read this line in Jason's post: "Hulu Plus is a new revolutionary, ad-supported subscription product that is incremental and complementary to the existing Hulu service." Whoa - are there going to be ads in Hulu Plus? That will be a flat-out non-starter for many prospective subscribers. Yes, I know about ad-supported cable networks, but that's for first-run programming, not for library or catch-up fare. Hulu Plus must be an ad-free zone. Meanwhile, it's important that Hulu still prove the 100% ad-supported business model for its existing experience. With much in flux regarding ad loads there's new messaging Hulu will likely be rolling there too.
4. Why wasn't Android or Google TV mentioned? - Is it a little weird that there was no mention of Android or Google TV in today's unveiling? I think so. Android is fast-gaining on the iPhone (surpassed by some metrics) and Google TV is poised to make a big splash in the fall. Why no mention? Is there an anti-Google bias at work?
5. Hulu Plus adds more support for HTML5 - Hulu Plus is another boost for HTML5 and another small dent for Flash. By making Hulu Plus available on non-Flash supported Apple devices, the it seems the Hulu team has been willing to make the investment to diversify beyond Flash, which it has used since launch.
6. Comcast must already be considering how it exits the Hulu joint venture - When the Comcast-NBCU deal clears, Comcast will inherit NBCU's ownership stake in Hulu. With Hulu Plus it's hard to see why Comcast will want to retain that stake. There's no discernible benefit to Comcast owning a minority position in a new over-the-top subscription service that whets the appetite of potential cord-cutters. It's one thing for selective NBC programs to be freely available for catch-up on Hulu.com, but a deeper library in a paid subscription service? No way, especially not as Comcast is trying to build value in its own TV Everywhere service.
7. Hulu gets credit for a well-executed launch - Stepping back, the Hulu team deserves credit for keeping its subscription under tight wraps and executing a solid launch. There have been no shortage of rumors, but to my knowledge there haven't been any specifically identifiable leaks in the Hulu ship. That's a big accomplishment, especially when you consider how many people must have had knowledge of the plans. The launch includes a well-articulated CEO message, a nicely-done sizzle reel (that is in Flash, which makes it not viewable on the iPad or iPhone!), several device integrations and a roadmap of add-ons, and a slow-rollout plan that will generate excitement among early adopters.
There are still many unknowns about Hulu Plus, but for now this is plenty to chew on.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Aggregators, Broadcasters
Topics: ABC, Android, CBS, FOX, Google, Hulu, NBC
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YouTube Surges to Almost 15 Billion Views in May
comScore has released its May online video rankings and at the top of the list, as usual, is YouTube. In May it racked up a record 14.6 billion video views, up 11.5% from April. YouTube's market share actually dipped slightly in May, to 43..1%, still its 3rd-highest monthly share since comScore began releasing this data in Jan '07. Total video views were also at a record high of 33.9 billion views in May.
The chart below shows how remarkable YouTube's growth has been since Jan '09. YouTube has more than doubled its monthly views from 6.3 billion. Meanwhile, YouTube's market share has hovered right around 40% each month, with its lowest level at 37.7% in Oct '09 and its highest of 43.5% in April '10. YouTube is generating more than 10 times the monthly views it was when Google acquired it.
Categories: Aggregators, Music
Topics: comScore, Hulu, VEVO, YouTube
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Look Who's Advertising on YouTube's Homepage Now: VISA/Toy Story 3 and Xbox's Kinect
Want a sense of just how far YouTube has evolved from its scruffy user-generated roots to a premier site for big brand launches? Then head over to YouTube.com now and you'll see huge rotating rich media campaigns running for VISA, with a tie-in for the new Disney/Pixar film Toy Story 3 (opening tomorrow) and for Xbox's new Kinect motion-sensing feature (the "Wii-killer" unveiled earlier this week at E3).
From a brand launch perspective, these are about as big as they get, with huge money and franchises at stake for all of the companies involved, not to mention the positive or negative career impact for the marketers driving the media strategies at these companies. The fact that both are advertising prominently on YouTube says volumes about the site's importance in the online advertising world and its evolution from its UGC start.
It wasn't that long ago when YouTube was derided an un-monetizable jumble of amateurish clips. It's also worth noting that, as best I can tell, neither the Kinect nor VISA/Toy Story 3 campaigns are running on Yahoo, AOL or MSN right now, the traditional online homes for big brand launches. Now imagine when YouTube is available on TVs via Google TV and you get a sense of just how important YouTube is going to be, and how strategic it has become for Google which is trying to expand beyond search ads.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Advertising, Aggregators
Topics: Toy Story, VISA, XBox, YouTube
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Total Video Viewership Down Slightly in April; YouTube Share Jumps
comScore has released its new online video rankings for April '10 which show total videos viewed of 30.3 billion, down almost 3% from the prior month's 31.2 billion. As a result, YouTube, which was roughly flat in April at 13.1
billion videos, saw its market share increase to 43.5%, its highest level since July '08. It was also YouTube's second highest share since I started tracking the comScore numbers in Jan '07 (when YouTube had a relatively paltry 16.2% market).
The 3% decrease in total videos from March '10 to April '10, compares with a 5% decrease from March '08 to April '08 and a 16% increase from March '09 to April '10. While it's hard to discern any trends around these 3 year numbers, one thing worth noting is that over the last 6 months, with the exception of blips up in Dec '09 and Jan '10, total video views have stayed relatively stable right around 30 billion. I'm not sure exactly what to conclude from that, but I'll certainly be watching the coming months to see if viewership is flat-lining or just taking a breather.
Categories: Aggregators
Topics: comScore, Hulu, VEVO, YouTube
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With Leanback, YouTube Could be the First Big Beneficiary of Google TV
A couple of weeks ago at the Google I/O conference, YouTube provided a tantalizing glimpse of a new UI called "Leanback" which optimizes YouTube for viewing on TV.
With Leanback, YouTube videos can be navigated and consumed in more of a TV-like manner - more passively and for longer durations. Converting YouTube - the king of short online video clips - to a more conventional TV experience might seem like a surprising ambition for Google, but in the context of Google TV, it's actually quite strategic. Not only should it help Google TV gain acceptance, it could also position YouTube to be the first big beneficiary of Google TV.
Way back in March, 2008, in "YouTube: Over-the-Top's Best Friend," I argued that providing full, open Internet experiences was the best path for new OTT devices to succeed, and that YouTube would be their perfect partner. YouTube is so valuable for OTT devices like Google TV and others because it dominates the online video world, accounting for 40% of all video views every month for the past 2 years. For many users it is the only online video brand they know and by far the most heavily used.
Categories: Aggregators, Devices
Topics: Google, Google TV, Hulu, YouTube
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Roku Ready to Push Snazzy New Netflix UI
Roku will begin pushing out a snazzy new UI for Netflix Watch Instantly users tomorrow. I've been playing around with it today and can enthusiastically say it's a huge step forward over the prior UI. First and foremost the new UI allows on-screen search, browse and Watch Instantly queuing - features that eliminate the process of teeing something up on your computer and then flipping over to your TV to watch. These have been available on the game consoles for some time and are an important step forward for Roku.
Roku owners will be able to use their remote controls to scroll through cover art and select what they want to watch. The cover art is arranged in nearly identical categories to those displayed in Netflix's own Watch Instantly online UI (e.g. new arrivals, comedy, kids, etc.). It's impressive how fast the Roku app interacts with Netflix online. I added and deleted movies in each and toggled back and forth to see if the other was updated. In all cases the queue was immediately current.
Categories: Aggregators, Devices
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Kylo TV Browser Can Now be Tweaked to Watch Hulu
Hillcrest Labs, maker of the Kylo browser, which lets users browse the Internet on their TVs, is announcing the Kylo 0.7 beta release this morning. The new release includes updates allowing advanced users to change the
browser's user agent string in order to view Hulu. Just two months ago, when Kylo was introduced, Hulu very quickly blocked access, just as it had when boxee tried delivering Hulu to TVs. The new workaround represents another step in the cat-and-mouse game that Kylo is playing with Hulu.
In the press release, Dan Simkins, Hillcrest's CEO and founder said, "It remains our position that Kylo is simply a Web browser based on open-source Mozilla code, like Firefox. We fully respect the rights of content owners and aggregators, and as such, we do no deep link, re-index, divert users past ads, or overlay different user interfaces on video players. However, we believe consumers should be able to use the Kylo browser to visit any site on the Web on the display screen of their choice. Our hope is that a respectful dialog with Hulu will encourage them to consider changing their policies."
To my knowledge Hulu hasn't ever publicly addressed this situation and I'm guessing it's won't this time either. It is extremely likely that Hulu will once again block Kylo, as it seeks to enforce its computer-only viewing model. As I wrote last week in "5 Reasons Google TV Looks Like a Winner," this insistence is really backing Hulu into a corner marginalizing the site for users who just want to watch whenever, wherever they'd like.
Aside from the Hulu tweak, Hillcrest is also announcing new features including a Windows Media Center plug-in, auto-hide control bar, improved zoom, keyboard hiding, multi-screen support for Mac, printing and updated links. Hillcrest is also putting its Loop pointer on half-price sale of $49 through June 11th. The Loop lets you easily navigate Kylo.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Aggregators, Technology
Topics: Hillcrest Labs, Hulu, Kylo
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Video Interview with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings
Last week when I was in CA for the Cable Show, I did a side-trip to Los Gatos to meet with and interview Netflix CEO Reed Hastings at the company's headquarters. We met up in the "Green Acres" conference room, one of the building's many meeting spaces named for popular TV shoes and movies. As I've written over the past several months, Netflix is on a huge roll, having grown its subscriber base 25% in just the last 2 quarters from 11.1 million subs at the end of Q3 '09 to almost 14 million subs at the end of Q1 '01.
Watch the interviews to learn more about topics like what Reed thinks is really driving Netflix's rapid growth, what Netflix pays to stream a movie online vs. deliver a DVD, whether streaming will remain unlimited, why Reed thinks TV Everywhere is "frustratingly brilliant," who the real competition is, what's on Netflix's streaming product roadmap, why sports are so important to cable, how net neutrality will be resolved and importantly, why Netflix's message to Hollywood is "our checkbook is open."
Reminder: Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos will be on the VideoSchmooze breakfast panel on Tuesday, June 15th at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Click here to learn more and save with the early bird discount.
Part 1 (9 minutes, 27 seconds):
Part 2: (9 minutes, 20 seconds):
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Aggregators, People
Topics: Netflix, Reed Hastings
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- Kickstarter-funded films are coming to Tubi The Verge
- Amazon Doubles Prime Video Ads to 6 Minutes Per Hour Adweek
- Amazon is about to be flooded with AI-generated video ads The Verge
- Tim Cook Reveals Apple’s Vision for Movies and TV Variety
- Disney, NBCU sue Midjourney over copyright infringement Axios
- Bob Iger Says Disney Unlikely to Follow Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery In Exiting the TV Channel Business The Hollywood Reporter
