I'm a Streaming Media All-Star! Presenting The 2009 Streaming Media All-Stars

For the past two years Streamingmedia.com has been recognizing the online video community through its annual list of Streaming Media All-Stars. As Streaming Media editor Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen writes, "This year's Streaming Media All-Stars represent the diversity of the online video industry today, from the entertainment industry to education and the enterprise, and from hard-core technologists to conceptual visionaries. But one thing ties them all together: A passion for online video that goes beyond merely advancing their own personal and professional agendas to pushing the entire industry forward. They're all superstars, but they're all team players, too."

I am incredibly honored and humbled to be on this years list of Streaming Media All-Stars and I thank Eric, Joel Unickow, Dan Rayburn and everyone at Streamingmedia.com for the great work that they do to support, educate and promote the streaming media and online video industry. I also congratulate my fellow All-Stars and thank you my faithful readers, industry colleagues and friends and while it goes without saying, I must thank my family for their love and support.

While the economy is the worst it's been in generations that hasn't stopped the innovation and creativity in the online video space. Views continue to rise, new streaming formats, more robust analytics and advertising standards evolve, our content can be now viewed in the living room and on mobile devices and independent producers can now play in the same space as the big Hollywood studios. We are truly in a renaissance time.

So without further ado, here's Eric's article from today, see his full post for stats on each of this years All-Stars.

The 2009 Streaming Media All-Stars
Our annual team of the most innovative, influential, and important players in the online video arena.
by Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen
April 9, 2009

Last year’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game was one for the ages, a 4-hour, 50-minute affair during the final season at the old Yankee Stadium. Last year’s Streaming Media All-Star Team was one for the ages, too: 25 of the most important people in the history of the industry, going back to the 1990s when online video was more promise than reality. Since it was the inaugural All-Star Team, we looked back as much as we looked forward, choosing people whose impact was historic as much as it was current. (You can find last year’s team here.)

Some of the members of this year’s team have been in the game since the beginning too, but we also decided to emphasize industry leaders whose impact was felt most notably in the last year or two, the people who are pushing online video forward today. Once again, though, we selected the team members based not only on their personal successes, which speak for themselves, but also for their commitment to streaming media at large, whether in advancing it via technical innovation and business strategies or via their efforts to help the entire industry through education and evangelism in ways that go beyond an “inside baseball” approach.

Some have made their name in the media and entertainment field, while others have innovated in the worlds of enterprise video and education. But all of them share a commitment to helping online video realize its vast potential.

Here’s this year’s team:

• Jeremy Allaire, Chairman and CEO, Brightcove
• Ron Berryman, SVP, GM, Digital Publishing Group, Fox Interactive Media
• Larry Bouthillier, Media Technology Architect, Harvard University
• Ezra Davidson, in memoriam
• John Edwards, CEO, Move Networks
• Rob Green, Board Member and Managing Director, Abacast
• Reed Hastings, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Netflix
• Eric Hards, Lead Multimedia Engineer, Lockheed-Martin
• Mike Hudack, Co-Founder and CEO, blip.tv
• Jason Kilar, CEO, Hulu
• Larry Kless, Founder and President, Online Video Publishing
• Jim Louderback, CEO, Revision3
• Tara Maitra, VP and GM, Content Services and Ad Sales, TiVo
• Justin Shaffer, Founder, Hot Potato Media, Inc.
• Dave Stoner, President, CEO, and Director, ViewCast
• Andrew Swart, VP, Content Markets, Level 3 Communications• Kevin Towes, Product Manager, Flash Media Server, Adobe Systems

Here's my stats:

Larry Kless, Founder and President, Online Video Publishing Other job title: • Production Manager of Videoconferencing, Multimedia Communications, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. Previous job titles: • Supervisor, Broadcast Production, National Video Communications at Kaiser Permanente Information Technology • Lead, Broadcast Production, National Video Communications at Kaiser Permanente IT • Teleconferencing Specialist/Producer at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan

Proudest achievements:

• Launching Online Video Publishing in 2008, as a consulting resource for sharing strategies and best practices for online video publishers
• Promoting streaming media and online video through my blog, other online publications and at Streaming Media West
• Having a fulfilling career of nearly 20 years in the enterprise video communications and event production industry
• Winning two Telly Awards in producing and directing medical education and training e-Learning programs
• Overseeing the design and creation of a state-of-the-art broadcast videoconferencing facility at my employers corporate headquarters
• Still having a copy of the first issues of Wired and Streaming Media magazines

Next big thing:

• I'm working on my business plan for Online Video Publishing to involve sponsors and guest authors.
• I'm developing ideas for new sessions at the next Streaming Media West conference.
• I'm working on an ongoing series of entrepreneur interviews for Vator News

Biggest trend in online video:

• Internet connected TVs, Full HD video on digital still cameras, adaptive streaming, customized players and more robust viewing statistics
• Consumers are cutting the cord and dumping cable for free content on the web
• An emergence of independent web studios and destination sites that produce and distribute original branded entertainment (For Your Imagination, 60 Frames, Next New Networks, Strike TV, EQAL)
• Independent online video publishers are joining established ad supported syndication networks for wider distribution to maximize their revenue streams.
• Hybrid forms of distribution from companies like Netflix, Hulu and TV.com and open source platforms like Boxee has given rise to a subscription-based video as a service model for the office, living room and mobile viewers.

Biggest challenge facing the industry:

• In the face of our worst economic downturn in generations, the biggest challenge facing the industry is communicating the value proposition of streaming media to consumers, advertisers and investors.
• The lack of online video standards across the three screens and standard metrics and nomenclature to accurately capture and report user engagement
• Competing with Google

Also, if you haven't yet registered for Streaming Media East - Register NOW and save $100 ( deadline is April 17 .) Also, the Hilton New York (Streaming Media East's official conference hotel) has AGAIN lowered their rates. Attending Streaming Media East has become even more affordable! Book today!

Now in its 12th year, the Streaming Media East show is the number-one place to come see, learn, and discuss what is taking place with all forms of online video business models and technology. Content owners, viral video creators, online marketers, enterprise corporations, broadcast professionals, ad agencies, educators and others all come to Streaming Media East to see and hear the latest online video technology but, more importantly, to discuss the business models that are coming of age.