VOD news

2 things caught my interest this week in the press:
- Kangaroo, a JV between BBC worldwide, C4 and ITV
- Virgin Media claiming its VOD service has more viewers than Five (and then retracting the statement)

It shows the press, broadcasters and platforms all believe VOD has reached an important point of maturity. Or does it show the broadcasters need to club together to compete.....ITV.com has been no success since its relaunch.

Kangaroo is well placed in the UK to compete with Joost, Babelgum and portals such as MSN, as long as it can secure the rights to its programmes.

TV dinosour defends their medium

TV viewers are not switching off for the internet, Guardian 22nd Nov 2007

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2214907,00.html

In this article, Tess Alps, CEO of Thinkbox (setup to defend the use of advertising on broadcast TV) argues that BARB and other self serving research organisations have proof that younger people aren't turning off their TVs to use the internet.

I am not sure we (as audience, as advertiser, as content provider) care......we will go where ever the audience goes.....perhaps only the dinosour TV broadcasters are too slow to adapt.

Analysis:
- Tess Alps quite rightly points out that TV and internet can co-exist, but missed the point that these are two different delivery platforms....and depending on that preference of the audience/viewer/customer both platforms are capable of supporting TV/video. The internet allows you to watch broadcast TV (simulcast or via a TV tuner) or watch it on demand (as per 4OD, YouTube, iTunes TV etc.)
- TV companies and their executives should be embracing the internet and should be creating new advertising opportunities across both platforms, not trying to stick to the one they know best.
- The BBC has shown it can get it executives to embrace the internet as well as TV. BBC3 being the best example, who have announced a proper 'platform' agnostic approach to delivering content to their audiences.
- Perhaps Tess Alps has released that the commercial TV companies' attempts at serving an on-line audience has been less than successful (ITV.com being the biggest disatster)......meaning they really do need to defend their TV audiences who watch them via their traditional TV sets. YouTube has a 60% market share of all video viewing on the internet! Perhaps YouTube has understood what the audience wants on-line!

BBC New Media Rights

From NMA

Pact wins content rights for new media producers22.11.07
TV production trade body Pact has created a new media rights framework that gives interactive and digital content producers ownership rights of their commissioned content for the first time....

Analysis
- a great step forward in recognising the ownership of ideas by new media production companies
- after the BBC we hope commercial broadcasters, public sector and advertisers will also recognise the value of ideas
- production companies now can increase their margins by re-selling their catalogue of ideas

'In its 25 years, Channel 4 has been a pioneer among broadcasters in new media. But as its rivals start to catch up, can it keep ahead of the pack?'

From New Media Age, 15/11/07: http://www.nma.co.uk/Articles/35842/Channel+4.html

Analysis:
- currently, the answer is 'no'.....it can't make up its mind if it is a public service publisher in the new media world or a commercial heavy weight - 4Docs or Big Brother? it can't seem to do both under Andy Duncan's management.........but we all hope it can catch up......the appointment of Jon Gisby (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/16/channel4.digitalmedia?gusrc=rss&feed=media) as director of new media and technology is a hope that they can do better
- the BBC has recently announced its multi-platform strategy for BBC Vision under Simon Nelson (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/speeches/stories/nelson_multiplatform.shtml) ...... that has shown the Beeb has caught up broadcaster rival C4 through a simple strategy (find, play, share), a commitment to proper 360 degree commissioning (one commissioner, one budget) and an iPlayer that finally works
- ITV seems to have lost itself up its own arrogance and has pumped millions in to a new website (itv.com) that is more high tech, but just as nasty looking and difficult to navigate as its previous incarnation. Even with the purchase of Friend's Reunited it can't quite move from a web 1.0 world and has over sold out to PartyGaming by creating Emmerdale Bingo and Friend's Reunited Bingo as slightly cynical revenue earners in the wake of lost telephony revenue
- the less said about 'five' the better, so 1995

Social Networks becoming content distributor?

Media Guardian

Online drama proves a lucrative hit
They cost thousands, are watched by millions and attract big sponsors. No wonder social network Bebo is about to launch its third reality drama

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/12/mondaymediasection.technology

Analysis:
- the low value display advertising on social networks is making these companies look for premium content to attract premium advertising

Digital Medja in the UK

An occassional blog on digital media content in the UK