In a move that takes it into direct competition with Youtube, Amazon is pitching YouTube networks that produce short-form videos for the digital video leader. From the producers’ perspective, it would expand their viewership numbers, and it would open up a pay-per-video revenue stream. They would also receive branded pages on Amazon that would promote their videos, much like a show page on Hulu or a Channel on YouTube. The ultimate goal is to be able to market these videos to people searching for the products the videos are about; for instance, if I’m looking for a video game, a review video might pop up in my search results on Amazon. It’s a potent possibility, and if it pans out it could mean true competition with YouTube.
Tag: Hulu
Hulu Comes To Chromecast
When Google Chromecast initially came out, its options were limited: there were few apps that supported the technology. Now, Hulu has put itself in direct competition with Netflix by offering a new app that lets Chromecast owners stream Hulu Plus content to their TV’s. Like Netflix, Google Play, and Google Chrome before it, the Hulu app allows users to tap a button on any mobile screen to cast the video up onto the TV. Hulu’s version, though, has a custom remote control with play, pause, and a 10-second rewind, with caption options built into the casting service. The next likely addition will be HBO Go, meaning that if you can get your hands on one of the devices, cordcutting is already that much easier – and cheaper.
Hulu Not To Be Sold: Receives $750 Million From Current Shareholders
Online TV mainstay, Hulu will not be sold despite months of bidding. Instead, their current network shareholders, including 21st Century Fox, NBCUniversal, and The Walt Disney Company have contributed $750 million to bolster the service. Hulu either did not receive high enough bids or believes they have significant long term value. With that said, Hulu’s network partners often host their videos on their own sites as well, thus cannibalizing Hulu views and ad sales.
Fox is Growing At Home
To mirror a five percent rise in the home video market, Fox’s home video earnings are up as well. Total revenue of the media giant is up 14 percent from last year, at $9.54 billion, with the driving force behind the growth in home video being digital services like Hulu. Digital rentals and Blu Ray are also experiencing bumps offsetting the decline in other formats. The future is encouraging for Fox’s line of digital services as the recent profitable bump shows.
Hulu’s Impressive Growth
A recent blog post from Hulu indicates huge growth for the online TV provider. Key figures show revenue up 65 percent with 28 percent more advertisers and 3 million total subscribers, twice the number from one year ago. Despite their gains, content licensing restrictions will serve as a roadblock in their global expansion.
Amazon Prime tests $7.99/month option to compete with Hulu+, Netflix — Tech News and Analysis
Amazon Prime Tests $7.99/Month Option To Compete With Netflix And Hulu+
Still think social media is a fad?
When clients visit the Lab, they always want to know:Â But what does social media mean to me? And ultimately, they want what Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character asks of Jerry Maguire.
Brands want to know they can prove their investment on social media platforms is a worthy one. They want to know it will reach wide and far–and will be as effective as television and print campaigns used to be. They want ROI, which means somehow, social media will have to prove it can not only connect people, but draw the dotted line to the cash register. They want to know it won’t backfire (we do our best to show how social media can save the day in a PR nightmare, but we also tell them that all content is viral content, for better or worse).
As new media advocates, it’s hard to know that brands MUST play in this space without being able to give them a pile of case studies and years of hard data to go on that show a direct connection to the purchase funnel. Continue reading “Still think social media is a fad?”
Boxee, Roku get infusion of cash
Over the top digital media browsers (or set top boxes) are on fire with two players receiving major investments in the last two weeks. Boxee, a software based digital media browser has just closed a round of financing for 6 million and Roku, a broadband set top box solutions has just secured $8.4 million in new venture capital financing from Menlo Ventures.
Boxee’s software enables users to engage with content stored on their PC and can be used on any type of monitor connected to that PC, paving the way for another living room on demand solution. Boxee strives to improve the consumer’s content experience by enabling a number of social features to allow sharing of content and suggestions in a very robust manner. The bulk of the investment comes from General Catalyst Partners who will also have a board seat. Boxee hopes that the GC relationship will “strengthen [their] relationships with big media and cable companies.” Boxee learned the hard way with an early battle with Hulu who blocked use of their portal on the Boxee platform.  But Boxee already has steep competition from other browser based solutions as well as hardware solutions. Continue reading “Boxee, Roku get infusion of cash”
Horton hears a Hulu
Last week the NY times reported on the insanely divergent number of Hulu users reported by Nielsen and comScore, both reputable measurement firms. Nielsen reported 8.9 million visitors to Hulu in March while comScore counted 42 million. Nielsen also shows Hulu losing audience in April while still managing to add video views, also known as streams.
So who is really watching Hulu? And why isn’t Hulu countering with its own measurement numbers; assuming they manage their servers, couldn’t they tell the world who is hitting those streams? Continue reading “Horton hears a Hulu”
CES 2009: The future of video
Ubiquitous video to the consumer was the topic of discussion in a Digital Hollywood panel I attended at CES. Rather than focusing on the publishers and media buyers, this panel was manned by those creating and running the infrastructure that allows consumers and marketers to create, optimize, distribute, measure and monetize video.
The group keyed in on IPTV, cable TV and broadband video channels and shared a variety of opinions and insight that will give a sense of the current and future business of internet connected video. Continue reading “CES 2009: The future of video”
