Follow up coverage to YouTube deal
7 comments October 9th, 2006
Archive for October 9th, 2006
Leno debuts webisode on NBC.com
The Tonight Show host is taking the wraps of a webisode on NBC.com, and it’s about… cars, of course. Each week, “Jay Leno’s Garage” will take users into his legendary garage, show off some of his favorite cars and offer mechanical advice. He’ll also answer emails in the “GM Minute,” sponsored by General Motors. Smart idea.
44 comments October 9th, 2006
Lessons learned from YouTube
It’s hard to describe the magnitude of today’s YouTube deal, not in financial terms but as further evidence that traditional television still doesn’t get it. How it is that Apple and now Google have become the destinations and marketplaces for video on the web? They’re the new networks using the same currency — video — as TV has for years. It’s because they’ve not been constrained by old media thinking. The level of naysaying that continued up to the final hour of the Google-YouTube deal proves my point. First it was “who would ever watch stupid clips online?” Then “they’ll never make money” and finally “they’ll get sued out of business.” The networks wrote cease-and-desist letters, then weeks later started posting video on the site. In Apple’s case, it was “who wants to pay to watch TV shows on a PC or a tiny iPod?” Lots of people. It’s not about control, it’s about choice. It’s not about mass, it’s about niche. It’s not about publishing, but facilitating and connecting. It’s not about us, it’s about the user. “The thing that tipped us over was not the great business success of YouTube,” Google CEO Eric Schmidt said today. “But in fact the vision of serving their end users.” While traditional media scrambles to protect and incrementally improve its bottom line, companies like YouTube, Google and Apple are pursuing new opportunities focused on the user. And that’s what sets them apart.
26 comments October 9th, 2006
Details of the Google-YouTube deal
From the conference call announcing the acquisition (listen here):
12 comments October 9th, 2006
Google buys YouTube
The naysayers have spoken, and Google didn’t listen. This afternoon Google and YouTube have agreed to a $1.65 billion sale — the biggest and arguably the most important internet acquisition of the Web 2.0 era to date. It’s also the most expensive acquisition in Google’s eight-year history. “We are natural partners to offer a compelling media entertainment service to users, content owners and advertisers,” said Eric Schmidt, Google’s chief executive officer. YouTube will retain its brand and its 67 now-very-rich employees. “I’m confident that with this partnership we’ll have the flexibility and resources needed to pursue our goal of building the next-generation platform for serving media worldwide,” said Chad Hurley, CEO and Co-Founder of YouTube. Press release follows…
Read the full post 4 comments October 9th, 2006
Murdoch on Fox Business Channel, Democrats
A bit of news and a classic quote from a Rupert Murdoch interview with Multichannel News. First off, Murdoch says the Fox Business Channel (as it’s called now) is scheduled to launch mid-next year with a target of 25-30 million homes. They’re building a new studio and control room to accommodate it. Oh, and what if the Democrats win the next two elections? “It’ll be terrific,” Murdoch said. “People will be watching Fox News like crazy.”
7 comments October 9th, 2006
NBC5.com debuts MotionBox video
Following in the footsteps of NBC10.com in Philadelphia, NBC5.com in Chicago recently launched a user video section powered by MotionBox. I would imagine more NBC owned stations will follow soon. MotionBox recently added “deep tagging” functionality that allows users to tag selected portions inside of a video, jump to the best parts and share them with others. “It cuts through the noise and hassle of getting to the video you want to see and share,” said Chris O’Brien, Motionbox’s CEO & co-founder.
3 comments October 9th, 2006
Google moves closer to YouTube deal
After marathon negotiations over the weekend, Google could announce a deal to buy YouTube for about $1.6 billion as early as this afternoon, reports the NY Times. The two companies sped up negotiations after the story hit the press late last week.
9 comments October 9th, 2006
Meredith Vieira now blogging… on iVillage
The NBC Today Show host now has her own blog, but on NBC Universal-owned iVillage, not on MSNBC.com. By design, iVillage is playing an increasing role inside the broadcast. (Link via TVNewser)
2 comments October 9th, 2006
CBS strikes strategic alliance with YouTube
In a network TV first, CBS along with Showtime and CSTV have partnered with YouTube to provide a wide range of short-form video clips to the site. (On the music side, Universal and Sony signed similar deals today). Clips will include excerpts from CSI, Survivor, 60 Minutes and the CBS Evening News. CBS will share in the ad revenue. But the biggest development is CBS will be the first network to test YouTube’s content identification and reporting system. If a user uploads a CBS copyrighted clip — as identified by the system — CBS can decide whether to leave it up or take it down. If CBS lets the clip remain on YouTube, the network receives a share of the ad revenue. “We’re now able to offer select entertainment, news and sports programming to a new significant audience, get paid for it, and learn a few things along the way,” says CBS President Les Moonves. Adds YouTube CEO Chad Hurley, “Today’s agreement demonstrates that YouTube has become a revenue-generating distribution channel for major networks and other media companies.” Full press release follows…
Read the full post 14 comments October 9th, 2006
PBS stations ‘bleep’ swear from ‘Eyes on the Prize’
The chilling effect of the FCC has hit more than two dozen PBS stations. They will be bleeping out a swear word from the Oct. 16 airing of Eyes on the Prize, a documentary about the battle for civil rights in the U.S. It’s the biggie - the “F-word” - and one $325,000 fine would spell the end for many PBS stations that simply can’t afford that kind of coin. Of course, the stations can’t know if they’ll be fined until after they air a show, so many are simply not taking a chance anymore. Eyes on the Prize has aired, unbleeped, many times before without garnering an FCC fine. As Bob Dylan noted, Things Have Changed.
8 comments October 9th, 2006
