ABC gears up for i-Caught debut

ABCNews.com has launched a promotion section for i-Caught, the network’s new user-generated content initiative with a companion TV show. The idea is to combine existing user video with new clips submitted by viewers to offer “the incredible stories behind the video.” The show has been given an initial six-week run beginning on August 6th.

Watch the promo video below…

3 comments July 12th, 2007

ABC News taps long tail with DVDs

In a deal with CustomFlix, ABC News will make hundreds of hours of historic programming available on DVDs here on Amazon.com and ABCNews.com. For example, you can buy ABC News’ coverage of the JFK assassination, Princess Diana’s royal wedding and old Nightline episodes. The DVDs are priced from $9.95 to $19.95. “ABC News owns an amazing archive of content capturing pivotal moments of our era, but the high cost of traditional DVD manufacturing and distribution has kept many of these gems locked away,” said Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, co-founder and managing director of CustomFlix Labs. “Our DVD on Demand solution is the perfect way to unlock this content and make it broadly available to news buffs everywhere.” Press release…

Read the full post 2 comments July 12th, 2007

Sunday the day of reckoning for internet radio

Despite legal appeals and nationwide protests, massive royalty fee increases for internet radio stations will kick in on Sunday. Not only that — the increases will include retroactive pay stretching back to last year. “This is just about the artists getting paid fairly,” said Richard Ades, spokesman for SoundExchange, an association created by the recording industry. “Artists and labels just want a fair share of the pie.” If you ask me, SoundExchange’s greedy corporate motives and old media thinking will only serve to bankrupt hundreds of internet radio stations that can’t generate enough revenue — by nature of the medium — to pay the royalty fees. “Nobody wins when internet radio gets shut down, including artists who ostensibly are being represented by SoundExchange, the organization pushing for high rates,” Tim Westergren said, founder of Pandora. “It’s ironic. If SoundExchange gets their way, it means less money for musicians because people will cease to pay royalties all together.” Exactly.

Update: There’s last-minute negotiating and perhaps a reprieve of sorts.

3 comments July 12th, 2007

Lost Remote live in Sun Valley

We’ll do a little live blogging from Sun Valley, Idaho tomorrow - hopefully we’ll snag some photos and give you the lay of the land for the 25th annual Allen & Co. media conference. Have any ideas or tips? Drop me a line.

1 comment July 12th, 2007

Postcard from Valencia, Spain

I’m one of the trainers at the EU-sponsored Streaming Media Training program in Valencia, Spain. It’s remarkable to be in a room full of people who are devouring the information in this program. There are people here from 10 countries, all focused on one question: How do you make a business out of online video? Steve Mack is a fellow trainer, as is Phil Haggar and Alexander Cameron. Thanks to Dan Rayburn for hooking us up.

The Prince Phillip Museum of Science (right) in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.

2 comments July 12th, 2007