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Read the full post August 22nd, 2006
Archive for August 22nd, 2006
‘Johnny’ screens out copyrighted video
The video-sharing site Guba says it’s developed a technology dubbed “Johnny” that compares submitted video files with a database of commercial videos to identify copyright violations. Named named after the Keanu Reeves character in “Johnny Mnemonic,” the system reduces videos and their accompanying audio tracks to mathematical fingerprints. When a fingerprint of a submitted clip matches a clip in its massive copyright database, it’s quarantined and flagged for review. Guba says “Johnny” is so accurate, that only one percent of the flagged video files turn out not to be copyrighted. But others are skeptical. “Updating such a large and fast-growing fingerprint database, and making it efficient enough to be used in the filtering of copyrighted material from a site like Guba, seems utterly impractical,” writes Bill Rosenblatt, editor of Jupitermedia’s DRM Watch. Nevertheless, Guba is using “Johnny” as negotiating leverage as it talks with the networks and studios about selling downloads on the site.
1 comment August 22nd, 2006
The big money blogs: Who’s making the bucks
$1 million per year in ad sales. I’d take it. Apparently there are blogs that are pulling in that kind of coin, and more power to ‘em. Business 2.0 looks at the blogs that are making money off ads. (Disclosure: Also profiled in this piece is John Battelle, whose company - Federated Media - sells ads for Lost Remote.) Interestingly, PaidContent, mentioned as a $1 million a year baby, is issuing a caveat about the story.
Add comment August 22nd, 2006
Colbert ‘freaking brilliant’ with web
The crazy kids at the Colbert Report never cease to amaze us. Over the past few weeks, Colbert fans have posted fake stuff on Wikipedia and crashed an online vote to try to get a Hungarian bridge named after him. And now, Colbert has grabbed a lightsaber and pulled a Star-Wars-kid routine in front of a green screen with the idea that fans will create their own video remixes. And off they go. Take a look at all the clips on YouTube so far. Writes the HuffingtonReport, “While everyone else frets about YouTube, web TV, and platform integration, Stephen Colbert & Co are already galvanizing the online to action and integrating fan content into the show, to hilarious effect. It is, in a word, freaking brilliant.”
11 comments August 22nd, 2006
Video sites as new route to fame & (maybe) fortune
Broadcasting & Cable’s Anne Becker rounds up the latest web-video-to-riches stories in her article “TV’s New Greenhouse.” Used to be you needed a $50,000 student film to be seen in Hollywood. Now you need a couple of minutes of cheap, interesting video put up on YouTube, Google Video or the like. I like the concept of amateur web video hosting sites as “greenhouses.” Survival of the funniest. Very Darwinian.
6 comments August 22nd, 2006
NBC considers ‘TV for Me’ promotion
MediaPost does a little snooping around and finds that NBC has trademarked the line “TV for Me.” Perhaps an upcoming promotion campaign? The new “Must See TV?” Who knows, but it’s clear that the internet ideal of personalization is becoming a popular marketing approach, even for stuff that can’t be personalized. Take, for example, News Corp’s new MyNetworkTV, which launches in a couple weeks. (Free reg. req.)
5 comments August 22nd, 2006
TBS gets funny with online video
These online video announcements are coming fast and furious. Coming this fall, “Laugh Lab” on TBS.com will feature standup performances from more than 80 comedians as well as entire episodes of My Boys and 10 Items or Less. And TBS is launching a new site on Wednesday called Veryfunnyads.com, which mirrors the network’s airing of The World’s Funniest Commercials. Viewers will be able to watch the ads online and email their favorites to their friends. As an aside, I think TBS is making the right move by creating this separate site — which has plenty of potential as a standalone destination outside TV.
4 comments August 22nd, 2006
Fox streaming shows on TitanTV.com
Here’s a unique distribution deal. The interactive program guide site TitanTV.com is now streaming the latest episode of Prison Break and Vanished in their entirety. The episodes appear online after they air on TV, and Fox will make the first three episodes available. Last week, Fox began streaming TV shows on its redesigned Fox O&O websites. Press release follows…
Read the full post 5 comments August 22nd, 2006
ABCNews offers first video for sale on iTunes
The news division is offering video in three categories: ABC News Specials (archives of specials), The Day it Happened (archives of major news events) and Celebrity Flashback (archives of actors and musicians). Each clip will sell for $1.99. Also today, NBC announced it’s adding more archive video on iTunes. It’s a good move for both networks in monetizing the best nuggets from their vast archives. As Chris Anderson says in The Long Tail, “Only television treats its premium content as disposable.”
5 comments August 22nd, 2006
YouTube introduces video ads
You may have noticed the video ads that have started to appear in the upper right of YouTube. The company is now making it official: it is rolling out the ad program program that will also feature video ads on advertisers’ custom content pages. First client? Paris Hilton, of course. Well - her record label, anyway. Warner Bros. Records is buying the first custom page, and will use it to promote Paris. For those who have been crying all along “where is the business model?” - there it is. For starters.
4 comments August 22nd, 2006
Another reason for pols to switch to web advertising
The political campaigns are starting to understand: we TiVo through their ads on TV. We don’t care. But advertise a meaningful message online that isn’t another 30-second “I love America” piece of B.S., and you will get more attention. (WaPo free sub. req.) THEN AGAIN: Political TV spending is on a record pace.
1 comment August 22nd, 2006
Kansas City Star issues guidelines for reporter blogs
The Kansas City Star is adding blogs from its political reporters. It has sent guidelines to its staff about how they should approach the blogs editorially. Before giving the reflexive “Blogs don’t follow rules, man!” take a look. They seem sensible to me. (Via Jonathan Dube)
1 comment August 22nd, 2006
