Ooyala's 2012 Global Video Index is Great News for Online Video Publishers

According to Ooyala's Global Video Index, "2012 was another historic year in online television," and by 2016, 1.5 billion people will watch online video. Ooyala released its 2012 Q4 video index report last week, which measures the monthly viewing habits of nearly 200 million unique viewers in 130 countries. The report found several key trends of its video publishers reflects the overall state of online video, such as live video matters, premium content matters on all screens, larger the screen = higher engagement, branded video viewing and conversion rates surged during the holiday season, mobile and tablet share doubles, and iPhone users watch twice as much video than Android users.


via Ooyala

Ooyala CEO Jay Fulcher says that three key themes stood out in the report.

 "First, live streaming is the new norm. Online viewers tuned in to the Tour de France, Wimbledon and the U.S. Presidential debates right as they happened, and the data shows viewers watch live video longer on all devices. Second, Tablet TV is surging. The share of tablet video viewing more than doubled last year, as mobile, social and video converged on a single device. And Smart TVs and Gaming Consoles continue to change the way people watch TV. New findings in this Video Index show how viewing patterns change seasonally."

The Lines are Officially Blurred

"One of the most important takeaway of 2012, is that the lines between traditional media and streaming media are really starting to blur," says Ooyala Co-Founder and President of Products Bismarck Lepe. 

It's not just about media being consumed across all devices, Lepe emphasizes, business models are also starting to blur. For example, Netflix is now going direct to consumers with original streaming content, and also going the traditional route by licensing its content to television companies in markets where it doesn't have a streaming business.

"We're probably going to see that 2013 and 2014 are going to be the tipping point period for this industry," says Lepe. "As technology improves and business models catch up to where consumers are obviously headed."

Video Consumption Trends Shift

Lepe says that for online video, we're in the middle of phase one and phase two. Distribution platforms like iTunes, Amazon and Hulu Plus have expanded their selection and made it easier to find and view premium content, replacing Torrent sites and the need for DVDs and physical media. The majority of streaming content is still consumed on smaller screens, but as more connected TVs make it into the home, people will move into the third phase of wanting to see streaming content on bigger screens, which is more of the traditional living room lean-back experience. 

Ooyala sees a spike in mobile video in places where public transportation is more prevalent, for instance, in Japan video consumption on mobile and tablets is more than double of that of the U.S. Viewers are watching video on the screens that are most convenient to them based on the availability of content and quality of service. 

Lepe also predicts that the smartphones war, between iOS and Android will shift over the next year to favor Android platform by 50%.

There's Still Work to Do

"There’s still a lot of work to do," Lepe says. "The industry has yet to agree on standards for online video ad measurement, making it difficult to demonstrate the efficacy of paid streaming content. Network speeds and data-caps also create institutional barriers between viewers and videos. In order for “online video” to fully transition to “online television,” media and technology companies must work together to find common ground in this new media landscape." 

Lepe's view of the online video industry, and specifically, the online video platform market, is that we'll continue to see the cookie-cutter, templated video platforms trying to compete with YouTube for free.

"We're very focused on the top end of the market," says Lepe, "where half a trillion dollars changes hands every year, either with episodic television content or theatrical content – and these companies have historically worked with large systems integrators and consultants to build the spoke systems. But the problem with the spoke systems is that they solve the immediate problem, because there isn't a roadmap that supports the long-term trajectory of a particular industry."

Lepe says Ooyala remains committed to its primary mission, to provide value to its customers with video analytics and monetization tools to help them personalize the video viewing experience across all screens, maximize audience engagement and increase revenue.

Key findings from Ooyala’s 2012 Global Video Index

Live Matters

• In Q4 2012, viewers watched live video 18X longer than VOD on desktops, 5X longer on tablets and 4X longer on mobile. 

Premium Matters on All Screens

• About one third of the total time spent watching tablet video last quarter was with premium, long form content running more than 60 minutes. 
• The percentage of time spent watching long-form video (over 10 minutes) on tablets increased 37% from Q1 to Q4 in 2012. 
• Publishers are fueling the growth trend by making more premium long form content available to consumers

Branded Video Consumption Surges Between Black Friday and Christmas Day

• Conversion rates for branded videos jumped 91% from the start of the quarter to their peak in mid-December. 
• There’s a huge opportunity for retailers, e-tailers and consumer brands to connect with online audiences between Black Friday and Christmas Day. 

Mobile and Tablet Share Doubles

• Measured together, the share of all hours spent watching streaming video on tablets and mobile hones increased 100% in 2012. 

 Home (and Online) For the Holidays

• Short-form video* viewing spikes on Black Friday and Christmas, presumably because people are unpacking and tinkering with new connected devices.
•  The amount of time people spent watching short-form video on Connected TVs & Gaming Consoles increased 500% in the two days following Christmas. 
• The share of time spent watching online video on tablets jumped 73% on Christmas

Phone Wars: iOS vs. Android

• Although Android phones are outselling iPhones globally, last year Apple users watched twice as much online video on their mobile phones.

Download the Global Video Index: 2012 Year in Review here.

OTTCONversations: Sean Knapp, Ooyala - Developing the Next Generation of Connected Media Experiences

I caught up with Sean Knapp, Co-founder and CTO of Ooyala, earlier this year at OTTCON 2012 to talk about some of the latest trends in multi-screen video delivery, monetization and personalized video experiences. Knapp was there to speak on the executive panel discussion, "Over-the-Top TV 2.0 – Developing the Next Generation of Innovative Connected Media Experiences."

According to Knapp, a lot of questions are being asked as the growth in online video explodes across the web and devices, in particular, how do we make online video more monetizable and more of a revenue stream? How do we solve this problem of the old adage of, analog dollars to digital pennies and now, justifiably digital dimes, and how do we make that digital dollars?

Video has to be more of a personalized experience

Five years ago online video consumption was only 1% of video viewing, and today that's grown to 9%. That brings with it, some very serious implications, as Knapp notes, "We're no longer in an experimental phase, we're in a viable revenue stream phase. But we're also in a potential cannibalization phase."

Knapp says, video has to be more of a personalized experience for each consumer and each piece of content on each device. Whether it's a mobile phone, tablet, set-top box or PC – they all provide an opportunity to engage the consumer in very different ways that ultimately will build a much stronger one-to-one relationship with every consumer.

"This has huge potential for the market, but it does require a shift in mindset from broadcast, which is a one to many – to personalization, which is a one-to-one dialogue with each and every consumer."

Online Video is still only a small percent of the market, but it's growing...

If you go by hours of content consumed, YouTube is 2.7% of all video viewed online based on statistics from earlier in the year. According to comScore's most recent comScore Video Metrix, an all-time high of 188 million U.S. Internet users watched 37.7 billion online content videos in August 2012, while video ad views totaled 9.5 billion. The notable findings showed that 87.3% of the U.S. Internet audience viewed online video, and video ads accounted for 20.1% of all videos viewed and 1.4% of all minutes spent viewing video online.

While the growth of online video viewing has seen a hockey stick trajectory over the last few years, Knapp notes that it serves as a really good reminder.

He says, "In the online world, we often times get caught up in this whole notion of revolutionary technologies and revolutionizing industries. We could go check Merriam-Webster, but I'm pretty sure "revolutionary technology" requires more than 2.7% of the market share."

That's not to underscore the impact that YouTube has had for the industry, and he acknowledges that it's been an incredible catalyst for the market and has accelerated huge massive growth and consumer adoption.

"But I think it serves as a very good reminder that we have a very long way to go, and that we're in very early innings. What is happening now in online video is that we're moving away form the early adopters, from the user-generated content and simpler business models, and we're actually taking that large body of content that you and I and every consumer has watched for decades, and we're helping that transition to screens. That's the great opportunity here. It takes a different approach and harder product and technology to build to do it, but that's really the promise of online video."

Also, with the growing adoption of OTT services, like Netflix, which boasts 27 million streaming members in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom and Ireland, it's clear that we're quickly moving into the next generation of connected media experiences.

Will all video be available over IP in the next few years?

During his OTTCON panel discussion, Knapp and his fellow panelist were asked their opinion of Anthony Wood's prediction that in four years time, all video will be available over IP.

Knapp says, "It depends on the definition. WIll all content be available over IP in four years? Yes, I think so. Because in four years I think we'll have solved a large number of these monetization problems. Will all content consumption be over IP? Absolutely not. I think we can expect in the next four years that we'll move from approximately 9% in the U.S. to a little bit internationally, to breaking through the 50% barrier in four years. I think it will be a significant turning point, obviously, but again it's very much dependent on availability of content on devices and the appropriate revenue models for that content."

Knapp believes that it will be a long time before all content consumption shifts to IP. But the primary need today is the availability of content, in new packages or bundles and through different monetization models.

What are Ooyala's customers asking for now and in the future?

Knapp says that along this evolutionary path the needs of the market are evolving as well. Three or four years ago, the needs of the market were largely around content management. Today, the needs have evolved to the second phase, he calls reach. Even though, content publishers can extend their reach across all connected devices, there's still a lot of fragmentation in the "10 foot" experience, and these problems are hard to solve. How do you create an engaging experience for consumers while keeping the performance fast and tightly integrated with your monetization model?

Knapp says that it's all about optimizing the experience for the consumer. Different customers have arrived at this set of needs sooner than others, and ultimately, two years from now all anybody is going to care about is the third phase, which is monetization.

"The reach problems will largely have been solved to some varying success. But the primary focus will be on monetization. How do I ultimately monetize my content better? The trick isn't, how do I show more ads or how do I just increase the CPMs of my current ads? That's absolutely part of the picture, but there's a lot more to it than that."

Knapp says it's more about using your analytics wisely to help you decide, how many ads should I show and where? And for each and every consumer, how do I change that? Some consumers respond differently to pre-rolls than overlays. It all depends on where they're at in their consumption cycle, and what state of mind the consumer is in.

"We're recommending content, and trying different pieces of content, and if we're in this exploratory phase, we should actually monetize less aggressively. Whereas, if we're in the recurring consumption phase, we should actually monetize more aggressively. And this is where the big opportunity is, that a few customers are starting to get to, but we will see this as the dominant need in the next two years."

Knapp says Ooyala designed its platform with studios, media companies and brands in mind, which has helped it attract big customers, including ESPN, Miramax, Bloomberg, Yahoo! Japan, Victoria’s Secret, Telegraph Media Group, The North Face, Rolling Stone, Dell, and many more on a global scale.

Where is Ooyala going and where will it be in four years?

As CTO and President of Technology, Knapp oversees Ooyala's technology and product roadmap. He notes that since its inception, Ooyala's focus has always been on how do they help their customers make more money. Not just in the short term, by showing more ads, but in the long term through better user experiences.

Ooyala is well known in the market for their analytics, their approach to data and monetization, and Knapp notes,

"We will continue to make major investments around monetization. It is the fastest growing and largest component of our R&D expenses. We all see this as a key component, not to just grow Ooyala's business but to growing the overall industry."

Just this past June, Ooyala announced that it had raised $35 million in new capital to drive standardization of its platform for online video streaming, monetization and discovery.

Where is content going and how will it change?

Knapp says that if we look at the introduction of online video, we're largely seeing the consumption of similar forms of content, and now we're simply seeing a transitioning of screens. Content producers are creating new forms of the same content, like the print industry had done when it when digital. We're staring to see major consumer brands like Victoria Secret, Dell and REI advertise through branded entertainment or tightly integrated into long-form content.

"We're seeing budgets shift as a result, while at the same time we're seeing premium content you and I consume everyday simply move to these same distribution channels. So it is the introduction of new content, but largely it's the same form."

The only caveat, he says, is that we're seeing mobile devices more clip based. ESPN as an example is repackaging it's popular television program, Sports Center, as clips and they're monetizing it incredibly well on mobile devices and on the PC.

"Similar types of content," says Knapp, "just different distribution strategies now fit to the devices."

Related

• Ooyala CTO Sean Knapp Discusses TV Tech, Monetization | Sierra Ventures Blog
• Ooyala Goes Over the Top at OTTCON | VideoMind
• Ooyala CTO: An IPO is likely…at some point - FierceOnlineVideo
• Ooyala: The Online Video Startup That Isn’t Out to Destroy Hollywood | Xconomy
• OTTCon - FierceOnlineVideo
• Beet.TV: Ooyala Focused on Global Broadcasters
• How To Build A Successful Company From The Ground Up | TechCrunch
• comScore Releases August 2012 U.S. Online Video Rankings - comScore, Inc

About Sean Knapp
Sean Knapp is a co-founder of Ooyala. As CTO and President of Technology, he oversees all engineering and helps define and execute Ooyala's product strategies. Before founding Ooyala, Sean worked at Google, where he developed and launched iGoogle, the company's popular, customizable home page. He also was a tech lead for Google's legendary Web Search team, helping that team increase Google revenues by $1B. Sean has both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science from Stanford University. He is a member of Ooyala's board of directors. Follow @seanknapp on Twitter

About Ooyala 
Ooyala delivers personalized video experiences across all screens. It is the leader in online video management, publishing, analytics and monetization. Ooyala’s integrated suite of technologies and services give content owners the power to expand audiences through deep insights that drive increased viewer engagement and revenue from video. Companies using Ooyala technology include ESPN, Pac-12 Enterprises, Miramax, Bloomberg, Victoria’s Secret, Telegraph Media Group, Tennis Australia, The North Face, Rolling Stone, Dell, Sephora and Yahoo! Japan. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Ooyala has offices in Los Angeles, New York City, London, Sydney and Guadalajara, Mexico; and the company works with premier reseller and technology partners throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Follow @ooyala on Twitter

Comparing Online Video Platforms – A Market in Transition

The Online video platform (OVP) market has matured over the last few years distinguishing itself from the free solutions by providing value added features, functionality and control. OVPs have made it easier for customers to buy their hosted video solutions vs. building it themselves. This infographic by Devious Media made the rounds over a month ago, and compares four of the top video management companies in the online video platform category, Brightcove, Kaltura, Ooyala and Longtail Video. While this is a just small sampling of the market and only scratches the surface of each platform's capabilities, it's important to know what to look for when choosing an OVP and what's available from each platform.

Kris Drey, Founder of free online OVP comparison service VidCompare, says we're seeing a market in transition and smart companies are adapting to the changes in the marketplace. Currently, there are 91 companies in the OVP market that he's tracking in his online interactive OVP directory. He says differentiation is key to standing out in the crowded field, and we’re beginning to see new business models arise in small pivots.

An OVP provider is typically a SaaS (software as a service) solution providing end-to-end tools to manage, publish and measure online video content for both on-demand and live delivery. The key components of an OVP include: content management, hosting, encoding, customized video players, analytics, syndication, interactivity and monetization through a variety of 3rd-party online advertising options.

According to a Frost and Sullivan report, World Online Video Platforms Market, six key vendors define the OVP space (and capture over 75 percent of the market), and more than 20 other vendors make more than $1.0 million a year each. The report sees the considerable opportunity for the OVP market which is set to grow 11 percent during 2010-2015 and has the potential to look very different in 3-5 years.

The Brightcove IPO Effect

If you follow the space, you know that the most notable news of late is the Brightcove's recent IPO. Ooyala CEO Jay Fulcher noted the significance of the Brightcove IPO in a blog post on the Ooyala website.

"This IPO is an important milestone in the evolution of online video technology and demonstrates that the category is now maturing," says Fulcher. "Brightcove will be the first of many online media firms to go public in the coming years. There’s tremendous potential for other players to innovate and monetize the online video realm. Accessing the public market is likely critical for Brightcove, and it’s great news for the streaming media universe in general."

So Many Choices, But How to Choose?

The differentiation of video workflows and toolsets are key for OVPs, since the standard features across platforms have become commoditized, with all the choices from current and new OVPs and offerings like Vimeo Pro. Brightcove has expanded its offering with its App Cloud development platform. Ooyala competes directly with Brightcove in the media and entertainment space and is known for its analytics and monetization solutions. Kaltura has a broad educational and open-source platform and offers both a free and hosted solution. Longtail Video is the home of the world-famous JW player and a leader in video management and delivery with Bits on the Run.

vzaar and Wistia are known for their clean user interfaces and affordable platforms for businesses, Twistage and Unicorn Media's extensible workflow management tools work with existing platforms. Sorenson Media has extended its industry-leading encoding software into a CMS for video professionals, RealGravity is focused on video content syndication, DaCast operates a live streaming SaaS platform, Buto.tv targets brands and marketers, Liveclicker has a comprehensive video commerce platform for retailers, Magnify.net is an industry leader in curation solutions, VMIX has both iPhone app and video platform solutions, VPFactory has customized players and affordable plans, KIT digital has a global video platform and has amassed a formidable customer base through its acquisition strategy, and the list goes on and on...

But with all the diverse offerings from the crowded OVP market, Drey says there' hasn't been much change or major points of differentiation among the 91 OVPs in the past 6 to 12 months.

"New OVPs have sprung up like VidCaster, and MediaCore, we saw RealGravity acquired by Scripps Networks and we've witnessed our first OVP IPO" says Drey. "But other than the fact that publishers have plethora of options there really hasn't been any major movement as it relates to technology innovation." 

The key to choosing an OVP, says Jan Ozer is to choose wisely because not all OVPs are alike. So most importantly, make sure it supports your business model. Ozer cites VidCompare as a great launching point for starting your search as well as testing the platforms through their free trials. He also just published a new Buyer's Guide: Online Video Platforms on Streamingmedia.com.

For a unbiased and detailed evaluation of the OVPs from the infographic and more, check out Charlie Davis' blog:
 • Online Video Platform Test Drive – Brightcove
 • OVP Test Drive – Kaltura (SaaS Version)
 • Online Video Platform Test Drive – Ooyala Backlot
 • OVP Test Drive – Longtail Video: Bits On The Run
 • Online Video Platform Test Drive – Limelight Video Platform

Also, check out my pal, Joe B's (@zbutcher) Online Video Provider (OVP) List. He's done a great job tracking and evaluating all the OVPs that have come to market and is curating it on Scoop.it.

To Be an OVP, or Not to Be? That is the Question

While it's easy to categorize all the companies into the same market, some OVPs in the space don't even see themselves as being just a video management company. In an interview with Charlie Davis, Ooyala co-founder and President of Products, Bismarck Lepe said:

"We don’t consider ourselves an OVP. Our video platform, Backlot, is just one of the many products and services we sell. Small to mid-sized companies are fine with a one-size fits all approach to video publishing, monetization and analytics, but the large broadcasters and operators require a lot more flexibility."  - Getting to Know Ooyala – My Interview with Bismarck Lepe — A Product Named Charlie

Bill Sewell of Wiredrive, an online media sharing service for business, thinks that OVPs are still not truly mainstream and well understood. Sewell says that the OVP market has similarities to the Digital Asset Management (DAM) market which he spent years in witnessing the same level of confusion.

"Clients have a painful purchase cycle - vendors promise the moon, the integrations become more complex and expensive and the client often ends up with unwieldy solutions they're stuck with for years... just in time to go through the same process again with a new vendor down the road," says Sewell. "If people don't understand the challenges of today's OVPs, how will they move towards the inevitable world of integrated SaaS technologies." 

The Growing Opportunity for Online Video Platforms

As the layers of the online video stack begin to flatten as Telcos and CDNs start to get into the OVP business we'll see an even greater transition in the market. Drey points out that we'll see some thinning of the OVP market and the innovative OVPs will focus on convergence in 2012.

"Users of online video will no longer have to sign multiple contracts with different vendors looking for CDN, OVP, AdNet, and monetization solutions."

According to Brightcove, there is a large and growing market opportunity for OVPs and it estimates the total addressable market to be approximately $2.3 billion in 2011, growing to approximately $5.8 billion in 2015. But as Dan Rayburn points out, with Brightcove's revenue of $63 million in 2011, it only captured 2.7% of the market, and that leaves a lot of high stakes opportunity for the rest of the OVP providers.

We'll see though, if the numbers play out.


Disclaimer: VidCompare is a sponsor of this blog

Big Moves in Online Video: Ooyala Scores Yahoo! Japan

Last week Ooyala issued a major announcement that it has signed a multi-year agreement strategic relationship with Yahoo! Japan which will open up its access to 80 million users – the world's second  Internet economy. Ooyala CEO Jay Fulcher said that it's one of the largest, if not the largest industry deals at this point. Yahoo! Japan is the 12th most trafficked site in the world, and 1st for all Internet traffic in Japan – "about 60% of the Internet traffic in Japan today. The partnership paves the way for rapid evolution of the delivery, analysis and monetization of online video in the Japanese market." As far as video goes, Yahoo! Japan serves approximately 40% of its online video, about 200 million page views per day, and is growing 25% per year.

On the Ooyala blog, Fulcher wrote:

"Over time, Yahoo! Japan will standardize on Ooyala across all of its properties. They will leverage our advanced technologies for wide ranging video initiatives such as cross-platform video delivery, subscription, and advertising services. Yahoo! Japan will deliver rich video experiences on connected PCs, smartphones, tablets and ultimately TVs in the Japanese market."

Fulcher said that this deal is very complementary for both companies and Ooyala will help advance video delivery and monetization in Japan. Video is no longer just a business imperative, but a strategic imperative and the convergence is underway, as he says in this Ooyala video release:

Streaming Media industry analyst Dan Rayburn noted that this is a big customer win for Ooyala which will lead into big profits:

"While it will take time to get Yahoo! Japan up to scale, I think this deal could bring in a substantial amount of revenue for Ooyala twelve months from now. By substantial I mean multi-millions, especially since Yahoo! Japan's stream count is in the billions each year."

Rayburn added that Ooyala is a "clearly a force to be reckoned with":

"In the online video platform space, the market is currently dominated by Brightcove, Ooyala and Kaltura in terms of market share. For some time I've thought that it would be very hard for any company to really give Brightcove a run for their money, but Ooyala seems to have really picked up a lot of momentum as of late and this deal is probably one of the largest seen in the OVP space."

Just a few months ago Ooyala raised a $22 million fourth round Series D funding which was used to build up its presence in Asia. Since its founding in 2007, Ooyala has raised $42 million and has 120 employees with corporate offices in Mountain View, California with offices in New York, London and a new office in Sydney and is working on Tokyo. Ooyala reaches over 50 million unique users a month via their player from their 500 media and non-media customers globally.

See this paidContent post for more on Ooyala's investors and partners.

Related:

• Yahoo! Japan® and Ooyala® Form Strategic Partnership to Bring Professional Video to 80 Million Users in Japan
• Ooyala Blog: Ooyala partnership with Yahoo! Japan delivers professional video to 80 million users
• Ooyala Signs Yahoo! Japan In Big Customer Win For The Company
• Ooyala Lands Yahoo! Japan In Big Customer Win
• Ooyala lands Yahoo! Japan; investment in APAC region begins to pay dividends - FierceOnlineVideo

Related Ooyala posts from this blog:

• Ooyala Adds YouTube Video Management Tool to Backlot
• Online Video Platform Summit - Ooyala to Showcase Video Publishing, Analytics and Monetization Platform
• Ooyala Raises $10 Million to Fastrack Global Expansion
• Ooyala Sees Growth in the Crowded Online Video Platform Market
• Ooyala is Focused on Personalizing the New Media Experience
• The Joost-Ooyala Hookup
• Next Generation Ooyala Player Coming Soon to a Site Near You
• Ooyala Co-founders Featured in the Mercury News, "Sons of migrant farmworkers co-found promising Silicon Valley tech startup"
• Ooyala Is On A Mission To Make Content More Personal, Launches Innovative Video Advertising Feature Set

About Yahoo! Japan
Yahoo! Japan Corporation operates Yahoo! Japan, a search engine and online information portal. The company is based in Tokyo. Japanese telecommunications and web company SoftBank is Yahoo! Japan’s majority owner and the company is affiliated with US-based Yahoo!. Yahoo! Yahoo! Japan operates in a variety of divisions, including auction services, media development, Yahoo! BB broadband services, shopping and general business solutions. Users can also register for Yahoo! e-mail, personalized web pages, a social network (Yahoo! Days) and access to message boards.

About Ooyala
Ooyala is the leader in online video management, analytics and monetization. Our integrated suite of technologies and services give content owners the power to expand audiences and the deep insights that drive increased viewer engagement and revenue from video. Ooyala serves hundreds of global media companies and marketers including Telegraph Media group, Yahoo Japan, Fremantle Media, Vans, Endemol, Vice Magazine, and Glam Media. Visit Ooyala and follow @Ooyala on Twitter.

Video Publishing Platforms and the Value They Bring to the Market

This video is from a panel session I moderated at Streaming Media East 2010 on, Media Framework: Video Publishing Platforms, and features a diverse panel from the online video world, including Bismarck C Lepe, President, Products, Ooyala; Krish Melon, CTO, Synaptic Digital; Ron Yekutiel, Chairman, CEO, Kaltura and Jason Liebman, CEO, Co-Founder, Howcast. The goal of the session was to describe what publishers need and how much they should expect to play for managing content, what are the process and main features of publishing platforms, and the viability of build vs. buy. In the presentation, each speaker shared customer use cases that demonstrated how businesses are using online video, along with capabilities and new features available from their platforms.

I conducted separate video interviews with Ron Yekutiel and Bismarck Lepe, which you can watch for a demonstration of the new product features available from both Kaltura and Ooyala. I also spoke with Jason Liebman, in this Qik video interview, who gave an overview of Howcast, where it is within that market and why every company should be a media company.


A103: Media Framework: Video Publishing Platforms
Moderator: Larry Kless, Founder, President, OnlineVideoPublishing.com
Bismarck C Lepe, President, Products, Ooyala
Krish Menon, CTO, Synaptic Digital
Ron Yekutiel, Chairman, CEO, Kaltura
Jason Liebman, CEO, Co-Founder, Howcast


Session description: A number of vendors offer video publishing platforms, the features and functionality-not to mention cost-vary widely. Some vendors focus their solutions on content management and monetization, while others are geared towards enabling syndication and interactive advertising campaigns. Adding to the confusion is the fact that different platform vendors have different metrics for billing, and costs rise as content owners become more successful. This session will lay the groundwork for content owners to better understand what type of publishing platform they need and what they should expect to pay for managing content.

While the description of this panel session focused primarily on the cost perspective of video publishing platforms, the panel session took a different course, and the speakers described more of the core components and value that platforms bring to the market and shared customer use cases. The following is a summary of the highlights of the panel discussion.

What is an online video platform? What are the components and what are people asking for?
Ron Yekutiel pointed out video is becoming an integrated portion to everything on the web, and companies any size need video tools for the variety of business, training, marketing and e-Commerce applications. The core components of a platform that are needed to publish video for online and mobile experiences include tools to upload, encoding, manage, syndicate, monetize and view analytics. Important aspects of online video platforms are the ease of integration and flexibility to scale and customize the feature sets for specific customer needs.

Krish Menon spoke to the importance of businesses having delivery methods that best fit the communication need. He said that for his clients it's key to "create once and deploy many" and the overall platform serves the purpose of getting your content out to the right audiences in the right way.

Bismarck Lepe also emphasized that video platforms make it easier for customers to build businesses with online video, and that it's not just about on-demand content but also live streaming. He noted that video platforms are on the forefront of the market and better understand the consumer's video viewing patterns, and are best suited to help businesses better innovate with video.

Jason Liebman shared a different perspective with Howcast, and how they have built their own platform to help third parties tap into their ecosystem to create high quality content and syndicate it in a lot of different environments. Howcast thinks more of the video end-to-end video life cycle, and uses data on what people are searching for and viewing to drive creative and business decisions.

How do I get started? What's it going to cost?
Bismarck Lepe said that first and foremost, you need to ingest your content into a system and transcode it, then add metdata, apply permissions, syndicate it, monetize it using ad networks and analyze the viewing data. Ron Yekutiel pointed out the Kaltura has both a SaaS offering that is a good fit for smaller companies and you pay a monthly service cost but they also have a completely free Community Edition that you can download and put behind your own firewall. Overall, there was consensus among the panel the costs are varied, and can range from a few hundred to several thousand a month. Yekutiel also noted that all the platforms have a full featured 30-day free trial.

How about cost savings for using a video platform?
Liebman noted that analytics are key and getting accurate viewing data has helped drive their business decisions. Lepe acknowledged that not having to build out your own encoding and analytics clusters are huge cost savings to businesses – but we're getting to the point where it's not just about cost savings, but adding value. It's about creating more revenue using analytics and monetization tools, as he said, this has to be about the creation of a value center and not just about a cost center.

To see more videos from Streaming Media East, go to: http://www.streamingmedia.com/ConferenceVideos

Ooyala Adds YouTube Video Management Tool to Backlot (Demo from Streaming Media East #smeast10)

A few weeks ago, at Streaming Media East in New York City, Bismarck Lepe, Ooyala Co-Founder and President of Products, demonstrated the new YouTube video management functionality within their Backlot video platform. Ooyala tapped into the YouTube APIs to give publishers the ability to search and discover YouTube video directly from Ooyala's Backlot interface and deliver them within the Ooyala player. This feature was unveiled in April 2010, free to all publishers until today (5/31/10).

What that means is that any publisher can now easily manage and publish any content from YouTube within an Ooyala player. It's easy to add content from YouTube, from the "Add New Content" menu within Backlot. You can either enter the URL for a single YouTube video or import multiple YouTube videos. The YouTube videos have access to the same Backlot functionality as videos uploaded directly to your account, including analytics, player branding, and set syndication rules.

Ooyala is targeting the video bloggers and newpapers sites that are creating a lot of text-based content but may not have a lot of video content. They noticed that a lot of their publishers were using YouTube videos to complement their content, which was no surprise to Ooyala as Lepe noted, "We all know video increases overall engagement."



In a blog post announcing the new feature, "The World's Videos at Your Fingertips" Lepe said:

"This will be great for any publisher looking to add rich media to a primarily text-based article. For example, if you're writing a story on electric cars and you'd like to include images or videos on the EV-1, GM's early 90s foray into the electric car business, you will easily be able to search, find and embed the video directly from Backlot."

Lepe further explained:

"We had noticed this behavior, but it wasn't until one of our publishers asked us to help them with their YouTube workflow that we decided to do something about it. By leveraging the YouTube APIs, we've added the ability to search and discover YouTube videos directly from Backlot and then deliver the videos in the Ooyala player. Because the video is hosted and delivered by YouTube, but in our player, videos are added to Backlot in seconds and the sophisticated management, syndication and analytics tools that you use every single day are supported for the YouTube videos."

He illustrated this by showing how Business Insider used Lady Gaga's video "Bad Romance" within the Ooyala player for their article,  Lady Gaga's Bad Romance Will Be YouTube's First Video To 200 Million Views.

As you can see below, I actually tried Ooyala's YouTube Video Management Tool myself using my Backlot account. It was easy to find my own YouTube video of Bismarck using the URL and display it within the Ooyala player:



The YouTube Management tool is one of 10 new products enhancements that Ooyala has launched in the last month, which are outlined by in an Ooyala blog post by Alex Holub: Product Enhancements 2019-05-29.

About Ooyala
Ooyala is the leader in online video technology, analytics and monetization. Ooyala's comprehensive online video platform gives content owners the deep insights that drive stronger viewer engagement and greater revenue from video content. Ooyala serves hundreds of global media companies and marketers including Telegraph Media Group, Fremantle Media, Dell, General Mills, Vans, Endemol, Vice Magazine, The Glam Network and Electronic Arts.

Choosing an Online Video Platform, A Case Study and Twitter Conversation with @JustinEdmead of TDot TV

Justin Edmead launched TDot TV several years ago as a lifestyle and entertainment site in the Toronto area. He's a 12 year IT Professional/Web Developer who's had a similar journey as most high tech software engineers/entrepreneurs with a career that has spanned several sectors including education, consumer goods, government, and Entertainment. I met Justin through Twitter and we've exchanged a number of messages around the video industry and Online Video Platforms (OVPs). Recently, we had an interesting conversation on Twitter about his exhausting process of selecting an OVP to power the video on his lifestyle video destination site. Justin wanted to replace the platform he built on his own with a scalable hosted video solution. He ultimately selected Brightcove and explained his rationale in a series of 140 character messages which we exchanged over the course of a few hours. Justin sent me a Tweet a few days prior to that, saying he was close to completing his process of selecting an OVP which started with searching VidCompare, the online video platform comparison site.

There are over 80+ OVPs that are tracked by VidCompare and each one offers great value to the many customers both large and small. This post is not an endorsement of any one platform over another. It is presented as case study of a publisher who went through the process of comparing and selecting an OVP that was the right fit for his video portal. Justin learned a lot in the process and openly shared his findings with me and the Twitterverse through our open conversation.

The OVP space continues to evolve with new providers coming into the market and others falling out. Each have expanded their offerings, pricing packages and capabilities, and we'll see more innovation as well as consolidation throughout the year. In a recent interview with Fierce Online Video, Ooyala CEO Jay Fulcher forecasted that half of the OVPs will be out of business by the end of the year.

According to VidCompare, an Online Video Platform Provider (OVPP) is:

"typically a SaaS (software as a service) solution providing end-to-end tools to manage, publish and measure online video content for both on-demand and live delivery. Typical components of an OVPP include video hosting, encoding, custom players, syndication, analytics, as well as interactivity and monetization through a variety of online advertising options typically 3rd-party ad-servers/networks. Most OVPPs offer scalable product packages for both self-serve SMB publishers up to large media companies."

Following our exchange, I asked Justin to provide a little background on how he got started in online video to help give our Twitter interview some context. Here's what he shared:

"In the Summer of 2003 a friend introduced me to the idea of putting video online. It wasn't previously on my mind at that time but I definitely saw the possibilities. It is at this time that I started giving thought to launching my own media company based exclusively on online video. Up until this point my dream was to develop a piece of software and have a million people buy it, so I was a little hesitant about engaging & managing human resources. 

I took all of 2004 to think through the concept for TDot TV and whether or not it was something I wanted to pursue. The concept behind online video was so compelling that the idea wouldn't leave me. I took this as a sign that this was an opportunity I had no choice but to take. I also realized that my expertise in technology would enable me to enter into the online video business faster and at a lower cost than others. Mind you, at this time there really wasn't an Online Video industry to speak of so I developed our first video player myself. Our first team was assembled in the Fall of 2005 and TDot TV's first segment appeared online in the Summer of 2006. Since then our recognition and reputation in Canada's largest media market (Toronto) has grown rapidly.  

I am considered one of the pioneers in the Greater Toronto Area (and perhaps Canada) in using online video for the delivery of local entertainment & lifestyle programming. We were seriously courted by a much bigger media company prior to the recession of 2008, and are now being courted by a large Canadian publication for a content partnership. We have established relationships with the biggest Publicists and Public Relations firms in Toronto and are regularly sought out as the "online component" of their promotion/PR strategies. This growth has necessitated improvements to, and the streamlining of our video content management process. We have been performing manual content updates which are labor intensive and have had an impact on productivity. I scoured the Online Video Platform industry for a solution and settled on Brightcove."

Here's the actual Twitter stream of our conversation from several weeks ago:


JustinEdmead @klessblog You crossed my mind earlier - several Online Video Platform Vendors asked me for feedback as to why I chose @Brightcove #OVP8:29 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

JustinEdmead @klessblog The path to @Brightcove was quite interesting. I started surveying the OVP landscape at @VidCompare and came up with a list.8:52 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

JustinEdmead @klessblog Of the 80+ OVP listed on @VidCompare , I short listed the following: Kaltura, Fliqz, Delve, Twistage, Oooyala, Brightcove & VMIX8:54 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead How did you decide your short list of #OVP providers? What were the key features you were looking for in an OVP?8:55 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead@klessblog Let me back-up a step: Before the short list I had to get a good understanding of what our needs were in an OVP tool. #OVP8:55 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead Of course, needs assessment is key to help clarifying your goals. #OVP8:57 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead @klessblog Top of our list was the following: streamline our video management process, auto generated thumbnails, social media integration..8:57 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

JustinEdmead @klessblog ....monetization tools such as pre-roll, dynamic playlists, the opportunity to white label the player, tagging, permalinks etc.8:59 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

JustinEdmead @klessblog A current site deficiency is that we could never provide PR folks with a link directly to their story - cost us traffic9:01 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog


klessblog @JustinEdmead In your business, PR traffic is key and something you needed to fix. Make it easier for them to find/share your content. #OVP9:04 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead @klessblog After the needs assessment phase, I started looking at various Vendor packages and organizing product demos and trials. #OVP9:03 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead How about ease of use? Do you have an IT group to help with integration?9:01 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog I am the IT group! lol I'm a 12 year IT Professional so I evaluated the ease of integration and other technical details myself.9:06 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog Testing driving the tools was important because after all of the sales spin it allows you to really dig deep.9:07 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Test driving the #OVP is smart. They all offer free trials.9:05 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead @klessblog One of the key questions was "Is the tool I'm demoing reflective of the package I'm considering?" - the old bait & switch :)9:08 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Gr8! You really do need to get beyond the sales spin. How did others in your group play into the decision making process? #OVP9:09 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Involving my VP Marketing in the selection process was key. I'm the Technologist and she's the marketing/branding expert9:13 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog The branding opportunities provided by the tools such as logo overlays were essential requirements for her. #OVP9:14 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog Speaking of sales spin - one Sales Rep described embed code as "syndication" - He's technically not wrong but a stretch! #OVP9:15 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead Interesting point about embed codes, they enable syndication. #OVP :)9:18 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead @klessblog In the final analysis Brightcove was giving us most of what we were looking for at the best price & they're an industry leader.9:18 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog One Vendor required us to get into a higher end package to get HD. Another wanted you to go higher end to get playlists. #OVP9:19 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Are you mainly publishing video on online? Or did you look at mobile, HTML5 or iPad?9:19 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead Great question RT @klessblog: @JustinEdmead Are you mainly publishing video on online? Or did you look at mobile, HTML5 or iPad?9:20 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck

JustinEdmead @klessblog We publish mainly online but we are looking at mobile video delivery as well - Brightcove has an iPhone SDK9:21 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog For us to take any Online Video Platform seriously they'd better either have an HTML 5 video solution ready or in the works9:23 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog Brightcove and Kaltura have showed true leadership by bringing HTML 5 solutions to the market quickly. #OVP9:24 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Sounds like the whole #OVP selection process was very educational. How did you weed out the other ones?9:24 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog The weeding out process started with cost - Vendors not within our budget were eliminated quickly. One conversation or email.9:25 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog


klessblog @JustinEdmead I agree, with the release of the iPad today, all#OVP providers should offer a HTML5 solution. 10 Mil may be sold in 2010.9:26 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead RT @klessblog: I agree, with the release of the iPad today, all #OVP providers should offer a HTML5 solution. 10 Mil may be sold in 2010.9:27 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck
JustinEdmead @klessblog Weeding out got much harder after dealing with cost. This is where evaluating the trial version was worth the time & effort.9:28 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead How many #OVP providers did you have left after eliminating the ones outside your budget?9:30 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

klessblog RT @JustinEdmead: @klessblog Brightcove and Kaltura have showed true leadership by bringing HTML 5 solutions to the market quickly. #OVP9:31 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck
JustinEdmead @klessblog After eliminating based on budget, he came down to four Vendors: Kaltura, Brightcove, Delve and Fliqz9:34 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog I should also add that another key criteria was a clear and easy migrating path between packages. #OVP9:35 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead A migration path for scaling your operation is definitely a key criteria. #OVP9:37 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead @klessblog Kaltura wanted a sizeable professional service fee for Ad Network integration with their platform.9:38 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog Delve's package structure provides HD capabilities at a higher price point than Brightcove Express.9:40 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

JustinEdmead @klessblog Fliqz won't give you playlist functionality until around the $500/month mark9:41 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead Interesting that each of those 3 #OVP required you to pay more for those features.9:44 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Agreed. Their pricing structures in relation to they're market position made my choice of @Brightcove fairly easy. #OVP9:46 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog I think @Brightcove's introduction of the Express packages was game changing and the other Vendors have been napping. :)9:47 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Did you read the Forrester Wave #OVP report to help you with your decision on those 4 OVPs?http://bit.ly/cm8uNq9:45 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck
JustinEdmead @klessblog I did read the @forrester #OVP report as a research input. I asked the Delve Sales Rep why they weren't in there9:50 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
JustinEdmead @klessblog The other Vendors thought they were giving me a great deal by offering to price match. Not satisfactory as Non Market Leaders.9:52 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Agreed. It was a smart move for @Brightcove to release Express. They responded to customer demand for a starter package. #OVP9:49 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Brightcove gives me peace of mind that as shifts in the Online Video industry occur they'll be prepared & ready. Not only cost9:53 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Cool, several #OVP providers made the report available for free. @newteevee criticized it here.http://bit.ly/1j49uP9:51 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Thanks for the link - Delve criticized the report too - suggesting to me that those Vendors paid their way into the report! :)9:55 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead We'll definitely see more shifts in the #OVP market. As the IT dept. , peace of mind is key to your success. Not just cost.9:58 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
 JustinEdmead @klessblog I'm blown away by this convo with you! 4+ years ago there was no #OVP industry & I built my own video player myself! #Veteran9:58 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
 klessblog @JustinEdmead I know what you mean, the #OVP industry was just one comapny 4+ years ago. Now we can buy vs. build.10:00 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead RT @klessblog: @JustinEdmead I know what you mean, the #OVP industry was just one company 4+ years ago. Now we can buy vs. build.10:02 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck
klessblog @JustinEdmead There were other video companies 4+ years ago but primarily for enterprise streaming. Most have fallen by the wayside. #OVP10:03 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
klessblog @JustinEdmead I'm surprised no one from @Brightcove has RT this convo. Great case study for their platform. ;)10:05 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog lol - I'm sure Brightcove will be doing some retweets in the days to come! :)10:07 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead I noticed Ooyala wasn't in your top four #OVP list. How did they stack up against the rest?10:08 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Ooyala is a best of breed tool as well but it looks like they don't have any offerings for the lower end of the market. #OVP10:11 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead I agree that Ooyala is a best of breed #OVP and also that they don't have a low cost package. Indie starter is $500/mo. #OVP10:16 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
klessblog @JustinEdmead How important is video SEO to your video initiatives? Was that a criteria in your #OVP search?10:11 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Video SEO was a consideration though not a principle one. We hope that features like permalink will go a long way towards SEO10:20 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead There's a lot you can do with video SEO. @Brightcove has a white paper that may help.http://bit.ly/bE8b0n #OVP10:22 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Our website is being rebuilt on @drupal, so Brightcove could hook into the CMS to take advantage of some of Drupal's SEO features10:22 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Great, there are a gazillion SEO modules for @Drupal. #OVP10:25 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead @klessblog Thanks for the tip! Now that the purchase decision has been made I'm ramping up on all the white papers I can find. :)10:24 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog
klessblog @JustinEdmead Quick plug for @reelseo as a great resource for video seo, marketing, #OVP news #onlinevideo tips, tricks, trends, and more.10:28 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

klessblog @JustinEdmead Plus I post articles on @reelseo too! Got one up there now on the latest #OVP news! :)10:30 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

JustinEdmead RT @klessblog: @JustinEdmead Plus I post articles on @reelseo too! Got one up there now on the latest #OVP news! :)10:31 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck

JustinEdmead @klessblog Thanks for the links - this is exactly why I had to#FF you! :)10:32 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead Thanks! It's been great to chat with you. Would love to turn this into a blog post about choosing an#OVP. Could we follow up?10:34 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead @klessblog Absolutely! It would be great to share my experience with others.10:36 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead Awesome! My thoughts exactly. I'll ping you so we can break out of the 140 character limit. It's been fun! :)#OVP10:40 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead
JustinEdmead@klessblog Sounds good - good night!10:46 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to klessblog

klessblog @JustinEdmead Thanks, It's beena real pleasure! Good night to you too. :)10:49 PM Apr 3rd via TweetDeck in reply to JustinEdmead

Following this conversation, we heard from Ooyala..

klessblog @JustinEdmead Ooyala's self-serve platform has usage based pricing. Only pay for the video that is consumed. Sign up @ ooyala.com3:56 PM Apr 4th via web in reply to klessblogOoyala also followed up with this announcement which announced scalable pricing packages:
New Ooyala Blog Post: Simplified Pricing and Platform Enhancements http://bit.ly/axhQxG