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Online viewing increasing
From July 29th’s Cynopsis Digital:
More than 20% of viewers surveyed watch some amount of primetime television programming online and half of these users are watching programming as it becomes available online, according to a new report by Integrated Media Measurement Inc. (IMMI). The other 50% are using the Web as a tool to watch past programming they have missed, or to re-watch segments of episodes they have already seen. Online viewing of a particular program was higher than DVR viewing of that same program, suggesting that the fairly large segment of non-DVR owners are adopting the computer for time-shifting rather than buying a DVR or dealing with cable providers’ clunky user interface. Consistent with other recent findings, the largest segment of online television viewers are white, affluent, well educated, working women aged 25-44.
The above research is certainly interesting as it re-inforces the fact that the online media space is very active. It also indicates that consumer preference of portable entertainment is higher. DVRs often restrict viewers geographically and limit access to the content. With the above strategy, viewers can watch their favorite shows anywhere in the world.
On a personal note, comparing my travels from this year to a few prior years, I myself have noticed a change in viewing habits:
- I can now watch movies on my iPod Touch or my iPhone. A few years ago, watching movies on an aircraft would require multiple DVDs, a DVD player, or a computer.
- During business trips, the evenings are usually less exciting. So, thanks to my Netflix subscription, I have access to great content (although, fairly limited). If you don’t have access to Netflix, Hulu provides great content at no cost.
Why new-media is important
A lot of people criticize new media as being just another medium. It’s not and the link above proves the reach, the depth, and the importance of new media. Please follow the links below to learn more.
Community (Digg) - The Last Lecture
None of the above would have happened without new-media. Remember — it’s all about people.
Announcing: Visual Avenue
On Tuesday, June 17th 2008, AS Productions announced the launch of Visual Avenue, an online video network geared towards people and businesses.
Many people would counter by saying that the category is very generic. However, we strongly feel that there are very few content networks geared towards people and/or businesses. Everything that currently exists is either a) tech-oriented or b) main-stream media related.
So, what’s our goal behind this network? Connect people with real-world experts. No gates and no firewalls. Just real information from one person to another.
We’ve also learned quite a bit during this process. Here are some interesting facts:
- Targeting: Yes, it’s primarily a marketing term, but it is highly relevant. When we targeted and reached out to our target market, the response was significantly higher.
- PR: Our news-release got us to the front page of Google (when we searched for The TV Star Maker, our first show). How did we accomplish this? By using free press-release distribution methods.
- Directories: The TV Star Maker is a video show, but it’s also being distributed as a podcast. So, we submitted this show to various podcast directories. Did it help? Absolutely! Searching for The TV Star Maker brings users to Podcast Alley.
- Content: One thing that we learned while developing the show and the network is that content is relevant. As co-founder of the company, I have canceled multiple episodes because they were not related to the topic.
We’re working on a few other shows that will be launching shortly. So, keep watching. If you have any feedback or comments, please feel free to contact me: aanarav at visualavenue dot com.
TV Advertising Rates on the Increase
According to Cynopsis, TV advertising rates for the 2008-2009 TV season have increased for the major networks. The increases are as follows:
- ABC +9% increase
- CBS +8% increase
- FOX +9% increase
- NBC +5% increase
This is an interesting turn of events, given the events that transpired in the television industry last year. These major milestones should have negatively affected the industry:
If the level of advertiser confidence is increasing on television, new media companies will have to wait a little longer to reap the profits online. However, independent producers must have an excellent engagement strategy, because TV continues to have the widest reach possible.
Community driven content
New media introduces the possibilities of community interaction and community driven content.
Unfortunately, very few companies have leveraged the community, either to create, develop, or enhance content.
One company that is changing that trend is Revision3. I’ve written about Revision3 in the past and have been a fan of the company since it first launched.
How does it leverage the community? By interacting with it’s viewers. Today, I attended the live taping of Diggnation at Studio B in Brooklyn, NY, and it was an experience like none other. Being in mainstream media for the pass few years, I’ve worked with some well known celebrities. Since a lot of these celebrity interviews have been hosted around fans, I’ve seen the excitement first-hand. However, the excitement factor at the Diggnation taping exceeded celebrity excitement by at least a factor of 10. Take a look at the video yourself [below]. In my years of experience as a TV producer, I’ve never seen or experienced this level of excitement.
For content creators, I believe that these factors are important:
- Involve your community.
- Make it fun.
- Keep it relevant.
- Change and adapt.
Murdoch understands New Media
Anyone who’s working in New Media or is involved in this medium is aware that it’s complicated. For publishers, it’s complicated because measurement is different. For advertisers, it’s complicated because they often have a lot of options. For consumers, it’s complicated because it’s challenging to adopt to every new technology.
Despite this, there are companies that are succeeding and doing well, because they take chance and are often confident about the direction of the industry.
I’ve been a critic of traditional media companies. However, as mentioned in this post, these companies have a lot of information and often execute complete and effective strategies. An example of this is Hulu.com, a joint venture between NBC & FOX.
Image copyright: Asa Mathat | AllThingsD.com
At the D6 conference, Rupert Murdoch had some interesting thoughts regarding dynamic media and the direction it’s taking. A must read for anyone involved in this medium.
NBC offers FREE content to iPhone / iPod touch users
Often times, new-media publishers and producers often criticize the big networks for not being knowledgeable. However, most of these individuals under-estimate the capabilities and the scope of these networks. There is a reason why TV is still a profitable medium. There is a reason why companies like FOX continue to heavily invest in online properties. There is a reason that an advertisement on these sites is not longer than 30 seconds. There is a reason that their online advertising revenue exceeds many new-media properties.
The reason? More R&D, market awareness, and the financial resources to succeed
To further validate that point, NBC has started offering episodes of select shows to iPhone and iPod touch users — at no cost and without ads. Why would they do that? Because they can experiment and try other things. In the new media space, content is king and finding content where you are is like gold, so it should come as no surprise that more content producers follow this distribution strategy.
New Media & Flexibility
One of the most restrictive policies on TV was that producers were constrained to time limits, and for good reason as well. (If you think about it just for a couple of minutes, you’ll realize that running a 24 hour channel is a challenge.)
However, users transitioning to “new media” from “traditional media” should realize that new media offers a lot of flexibility. Some of these advantages were highlighted below.
Flexibilities include:
1. Timing: No longer are you constrained to a specific duration. Create content that users will watch, without adding fluff.
2. Publishing: A defined publishing schedule is not required. Publish the file when it’s ready.
3. Approval: Given the mass reach and volume of content on traditional media platforms, it’s no surprise that these outlets require multiple approval steps. This is not a strict requirement in the dynamic media space.
However, in this case, flexibility is accompanied by multiple downfalls. Let’s take a look at some of the different scenarios:
1. Timing: If you manage to interview a highly influential individual, do you post the entire interview, regardless of it’s duration (10 seconds or 2 hours?)
2. Publishing: If your show is being downloaded by the public, they should have a reasonable sense of expectation as to when the content will be published. Failing to consistently publish content will drive viewers away.
3. Approval: A lot of “new media” shows are produced very poorly and hence fail. Don’t just publish a piece of content for the sake of publishing content.
In general, new media gives users a lot of flexibility. However, this flexibility or these options should not be ignored.
Related story:
Is the future of TV on the Web? [CNN]
Alicia Keys interview
An interview with Alicia Keys at the Samsung Four Seasons of Hope event.
