Larry Kless' Weblog: video destination site

Showing posts with label video destination site. Show all posts

Thursday, May 19, 2011

blip.tv: "We're Building the Next Generation Television Network" - Mike Hudack, CEO, blip.tv

Blip.tv was founded six years ago in May 2005, by a group of five friends who love web series, and has grown to become one of the Internet’s largest independently owned and operated video properties. CEO and founder Mike Hudack says that what they've doing all along is building the next the generation television network. Since it's founding, New York City-based blip.tv has cultivated some the world’s top web series producers, advertisers and video distribution platforms with the mission of making original series both profitable and scalable. This past week, blip.tv relaunched its new blip.tv destination site to better curate and promote the best original web series on the site and make them more discoverable. Additionally, blip.tv announced that it's reached more than three billion views to date, and on pace to reach one billion views per quarter.

I caught up with Hudack at NewTeevee Live 2010, where he discussed the founding of the company, its vision and where he sees it going. Hudack says the world has fundamentally changed since the early days of NBC in the 1940s, which was originally founded to sell TVs, and that we've gone from an economy of scarcity where you can only put out one show at a time, to a world where you can put out any number of shows. He attributes this to the less expensive production costs, which has given rise to a new generation of stars and producers.

"There are more independent show producers today than there have ever been in history," says Hudack, "and that will keep happening, and our job is to make those shows sustainable and profitable over the long term, and scalable – help people go from 10,000 people watching to a 100,000, to a million people, and some people really make money."

Thousands of shows are using the platform and distribute to most of the video Internet, including YouTube, AOL, MSN, iTunes, and to the TV set through partnerships with Roku, Google TV, Boxee, Verizon FiOS, TiVo, Sony TVs and others. Blip.tv works with advertisers to associate brands with the targeted audiences of web series and shares all advertising revenue with producers on a 50/50 basis. Top show producers on blip.tv have made over $500,000 in revenue in 2010, with largest check paid out to a producer at $143,000 in Q3 2010.

Some of Hudack's favorite web shows include, The Philip DeFranco Show, Old Jews Telling Jokes, Big Book of Lies and Status Kill, all of which he says are some of the best examples of what you can with web television today. His advise to anyone interested in producing a web show is to pick something that you are fanatical about, and that the best shows are the ones people make for themselves.

"The other thing that's so important is need to pick white space," suggests Hudack, "so if you make another police procedural drama people are going to say, "oh, I can watch CSI, NCIS, Law & Order", you name it. But if you make a show for an audience that is not being served well by the traditional entertainment system and it's something you're passionate about – you will be successful, I promise. You gotta work hard too."

Just a year ago blip.tv raised $10.1 million in funding and has been growing very quickly building out the platform, adding global sales teams all over the US and in London, and in the last year rapidly transitioning to HTML5. For Hudack, it's been remarkable to watch this industry grow into an industry, because it wasn't here before and he says it's not there yet, but getting there. Right now there are a number of sustainable web shows and more and more people are consuming web shows as their prime time viewing as they shift from television to the web.

"The Internet is a very different place than television," Hudack says, "and we are literally building a television network for the Internet, instead of a television network for television."

About blip.tv
Blip.tv is the place to discover the best in original Web series from both professional and up-and-coming producers. It gives viewers free access to a wide variety of dramas and comedies, series about sports, videogames, food, fashion and more, and makes it easy to find what you want when you want it. The company currently distributes series to iTunes, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, roku, Verizon FiOS, TiVo, Sony TVs and elsewhere. Blip.tv hosts more than 300 million video views per month and shares all advertising revenue with producers on a 50/50 basis. Please visit http://blip.tv for more information and follow blip.tv (bliptv) on Twitter.

About Mike Hudack

Mike Hudack is a co-founder of blip.tv and serves as the company's president and CEO. He is responsible for blip.tv's overall business strategy, focusing in particular on community relations along with syndication, distribution and advertising partnerships. Prior to blip.tv, Mike worked as a developer and administrator for the National Hockey League, where he managed the team responsible for one of the biggest IT projects in the history of the League — consolidating and re-developing the NHL's internal applications, which serve hundreds of employees using dozens of technologies. Mike also developed the content management system for NHL.com and redesigned the software used to bring scores and statistics from dozens of simultaneous hockey games to fans in real-time.

Mike has spoken at SXSW, Streaming Media West, Beyond Broadcast, the Open Media Developers Summit, TelcoTV and dozens of other conferences and has served as a guest lecturer at NYU and elsewhere as an expert on video, blogging and citizen journalism. He has created and maintained more than a half dozen independent media projects, including warstories:CC, warblogs:CC and the Index of Evil. His independent projects have been covered by the Washington Post, USA Today, the PBS Newshour, NPR and Forbes, among others. Follow Mike Hudack (mhudack) on Twitter

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Online Video Conversations: Steven Horn, Metacafe - Part 2: Metacafe and the Power of Premium Content

In part two of my interview with Steven Horn, vice president of programming for Metacafe, he further expands on our previous conversation about how Metacafe has decided to focus on premium short-from content, and how Metacafe's recent acquisition of action sports site Go211.com helps bolster its unique editorial voice within the online video entertainment genre. According to Horn, Metacafe has taken a different approach than other online video entertainment sites by the way it build packages around its premium content. In particular, as Horn previously noted Metacafe's editors provide "deep content experiences" by programming related premium content around new movie releases. For example, with Ben Affleck's recent bank robbery film, The Town, the editors programmed other classic band robbery films like Heat and Dog Day Afternoon to give context the bank robbery genre and made Ben Affleck the featured celebrity of the week.

"These are the things you can do with editors, versus, just a random collection of videos that people are expected to search and sift through themselves. We cherry pick the best and put them together in these compelling unique content packages."

Within the premium content space, Horn says, the Hollywood movie studios are the ones that have been playing the most online. They were the first on the Internet and have spent a lot of time and effort into their digital strategies. He reiterated that Metecafe's editors have those relationships with the studios and understand the content gives Metacafe the edge over other entertainment sites.

Horn also says that comedy has also been very successful for Metacafe, and that its approach is to put comedy into everyday situations. For instance, when Metacafe go to a film junket film to interview a celebrity – they don't ask the same questions that everyone else asks (because likely they could get those type of interviews from their partners anyway), so they send in comedians to do songs, interviews and create fun and unique ways to create exclusive premium content. For its "Iron Man 2" interview with Scarlett Johansson, Metacafe's Matt Zaller took the opportunity to get some make up tips from the actress firsthand rather than doing a traditional question and answer interview. The video was a success and had a viral effect getting picked up by Huffington Post, Gawker, StumbledUpon and other sites.

"When we think about what's working for us, we're hanging a lot of our strategy on comedy, and not only comedy, but a non-traditional approach to staged events... and the studios are loving it."

Horn is very excited by Metacafe's recent acquisition of Action Sports, Inc. the parent company of Go211.com, the popular site that features live webcasts of and video highlights from top action sports events around the world. Horn says that Go211 has carved out a really strong niche in live events and streaming, and Metacafe will be leveraging the expertise of Go211's digital video production team to introduce more original and exclusive content into its other premium entertainment hubs – Movies, Video Games, TV, Music and the recent launch of Metacafe Sports, that features Go211’s extensive catalog of action sports videos in Snow, Skate, Surf and Bike. According to comScore Media Metrix, July 2010, Metacafe, with the inclusion of Go211, will now reach nearly 17.5M unique monthly U.S. viewers.

"Anytime you take two mature content organizations and put them together – the amount of creativity that comes out of that from a programming standpoint but also from a technical background scales very fast."

Regarding the current state of the the online video space, Horn says he's excited to come to work everyday because it reminds him of the early days of the Internet.

"We all know that there's something big here, we all know it, we feel it, we sense it. Everyone is trying amazing new things online. I feel we're way too early to know who's going to end up winning – and actually I don't know if it's a win-lose if not a zero sum. I think there's a lot of different positions that people are taking. Metacafe is taking this premium short-from position, and there's a lot of other players out there.

In terms of where we go and where we consume this video – I don't even think we know – in 5 years we may have implants in our eyes that show us video or we see it in our refrigerators – the actual, where this content is consumed is a lot less interesting to me than to what that content is. So whether it's on my phone or on my TV or whether it's on my 3-screen, 4-screen, whatever – what it is and who's serving it to me and what they're doing with that content, I think, is where the most excitement is with this industry now. It's a blank slate and we're having a lot of fun."

See part one of this interview: Online Video Conversations: Steven Horn, Metacafe - Part 1: Metacafe's Editorial Voice Drives Consumption of Online Video

Also, see these related interviews:

For more information, go to: http://www.metacafe.com/

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Online Video Conversations: Steven Horn, Metacafe - Part 1: Metacafe's Editorial Voice Drives Consumption of Online Video

I recently sat down with Steven Horn, vice president of programming for Metacafe, to talk about how he is defining Metacafe’s distinctive editorial voice to drive the consumption of online video, specifically around exclusive, premium short-from content. Horn has more than 15 years in digital media, and lives and breaths entertainment content everyday. He loves to connect audiences with the right content for them. He joined Metacafe earlier this year and was named Vice President of Programming in August 2010. Prior to Metacafe, Horn served as director of programming and content at VUDU. He also previously served as vice president of editorial at Fox Interactive Media, where he led editorial programs for: Rotten Tomatoes, MySpace and IGN.com. In this role, he developed deep connections with Hollywood studios and television production companies which has says helps give Metacafe an edge on acquiring and programming premium content.

According to Horn, his editors make better programmers than machine driven algorithms, because editors know what readers want. That's the big differentiator, he says, between an editor and a search engine or algorithm:

"To us, it comes down to this very simple philosophy... being an editor is a bit of an art form. There's nuance in programming."

Horn believes that there's a certain craft to programming and that Metacafe's approach provides greater value to consumers and to content creators. He and his team all deep ties into Hollywood as writers, editors and programmers. He says their style is a bit of a throwback to the old school newspaper bullpen style. He and his team get together every day, exchange ideas, build packages around entertainment properties, find creative and fun ways to involve advertisers, and create deeply integrated content experiences with the movies, games and other intellectual properties. Editors can also pick up the phone and call a studio for an exclusive that can appear on Metacafe days before other sites, or only on Metacafe. This, Horn says, gives the site emotion and the human element.

Horn challenged his team with Metacafe’s recent Shocktober Showcase initiative to see if the editorial model works, by producing 30 content exclusives – one in movies and one in video games – every day throughout the month of October. Horn says that Metacafe is setting a new standard in online video by bringing an entire month of daily exclusives and originals, but he acknowledges:

"It's been a big challenge, 30 exclusives in 30 days, we just sort of woke up one day and said, 'That is going to be intense,' but we really wanted to push ourselves and prove out this editorial model."

The most recent statistics has proven that this model works. The Shocktober Showcase exclusives garnered a total of 2 million views as of the last few days of the campaign, which is trending with success shown in the first couple weeks of Shocktober. The top 5 movie exclusives + the top 5 video game exclusives collectively drove nearly 1.5 million views over the course of the month. Active Facebook and Twitter users (fans/followers who participated in the Shocktober content, such as like, share, comment, retweet) increased by nearly 20% month over month.

Horn says that Metacafe has built up trust with the studios to take care of their content and provide the best audience and context.

"What Hollywood cares about and what any premium content creator cares about is what happens to their video. Do they want their video next to an American Idol reject, or a couple of cute kitties hanging out? Most likely they want their video next to other premium content."

Horn says that the combination of the editors voice and their relationships with studio help create those "deep content experiences."

"We're telling the story with video. We're getting this piece of premium content, we're putting context to it, not only with what we follow with that content, but what we package it, how we get it out to our audience and our own voice bubbles into that content as well."

Horn is also excited by the conversation that is happening within Metacafe's social media networks, on Facebook and Twitter, and how the editorial voice has extended into those channels. Metacafe movies has over 60,000 Facebook fans and the quality of conversation around the content is much richer with having editors engaged in the conversation.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Online Video Conversation with Steven Horn about Metacafe's focus on premium and how Metacafe's recent acquisition of Go211.com and how this deal advances Metacafe’s strategic vision delivering value to their audience of 18 to 34-year-old entertainment influencers and for the brand advertisers who market to them.

About Metacafe – Entertainment That Connects

Metacafe® is the first entertainment destination solely dedicated to showcasing the best videos from the world of Movies, Video Games, Sports, Music and TV. We are the trusted source that keeps millions of viewers plugged into their entertainment passions every day, and we connect marquee brand advertisers with their target consumers via close association with the most popular entertainment content on the web. Metacafe attracts more than 10 million unique monthly U.S. viewers . The privately held company is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, London and Tel Aviv. For more information – and millions of entertaining videos – visit www.metacafe.com. Media Contact: Suzi Owens for Metacafe: sowens@blancandotus.com, 415-856-5125

Online Video Conversations: Erick Hachenburg, Metacafe - Part 1: The Launch of Metacafe Movies and the Future of Online Video

This post is part one of a two part conversation I had with Erick Hachenburg, CEO of the online video entertainment site Metacafe®, to discuss the recent launch of Metacafe Movies, how his company has shifted its business model to focus on showcasing premium content from the entertainment industry and how it will change the face of online video entertainment. Metacafe Movies launched this past May, and as Hachenburg explained, it's a channel dedicated solely to showcase videos about and from the movie industry. It's more than just trailers, he said, and includes unique original programming, exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, interviews with the directors and actors, featurettes, restricted red band content and a first-of-its-kind 3D showcase to give viewers the inside scoop of their favorite entertainment genres.

The online video market continues to grow and Metacafe has seen a huge growth in its audience year-over-year. Movie trailers and clips are currently driving nearly 10 million video views per month on Metacafe, and the Metacafe Movies Facebook fan page launched with more than 23,000 fans. In June, Metcafe unveiled the findings of its annual sponsored study on online video consumption conducted by Frank N. Magid Associates, that found a dramatic increase in consumers turning to the Internet for entertainment, with the highest percentage among 18 to 34 year-olds. Metcafe sees this as a ripe opportunity to connect advertisers with the, "Entertainment Drivers," enthusiasts and influencers who drive entertainment decisions, define pop culture and determine breakout hits in the social media world.

Metacafe has assembled an editorial team of movie experts, led by Mark Poggi, formerly of Netflix, and Steven Horn, formerly of Rotten Tomatoes, who just today was named Vice President of Programming responsible for managing Metacafe’s five premium entertainment studios of, Movies, Video Games, TV, Sports and Music. Metacafe has taken the approach of investing in premium ‘quality’ content which Hachenburg says is disruptive for the online video industry. In the press release, Metacafe Launches First Online Video Destination Dedicated to Movies, Hachenburg pointed out that:

"Our singular focus is on building the premier movie and entertainment online video site, delivering a great experience for our viewers and valuable marketing results to our advertisers. The launch of Metacafe Movies is an important milestone in this endeavour and one that we will continue to build on in the coming months."

This short marketwire video was included as part of the press release and offers a quick snapshot of Metacafe Movies, with sound bites from Hachenburg, Horn, Poggi and Mike Vorhaus, President of Magid Advisors, a leading research firm.

While Hachenburg acknowledged the stiff competition from YouTube, but he's optimistic that Metacafe's singular focus on professional and premium content about the entertainment industry will continue to attract that coveted 18 to 34 year-old audience.

Hachenburg noted:

"What we're doing is evolving into a focus on a particular channel, just content form the entertainment industry, and we think that's what's going to change the way consumers think about how do get online video. So instead of being something for everybody, it's the best, the deepest, the richest offering for a particular type of content for audiences that are fans of the movie industry."

Hachenburg also said that YouTube has been very clear about where there focus is, and that's being an online video platform, where people can upload whatever content they want and can connect it with friends and fans through many sharing channels. Metacafe sees YouTube as an important platform for the industry and has helped online video become more pervasive. But it's very different from Metacafe's business model as a media entertainment site working with brands to target young entertainment enthusiasts.

As for where we are currently within the online video world and what the future holds, Hachenburg suggested that:

"We're very much in the early stages of the online video industry. If we're doing $1 billion of advertising this year and there's $70 billion in television advertising already being spent every year, you can see how much potential for growth. The same is true with views. For a typical site the whole month worth of views may be only one television show in primetime, but that growth rate is accelerating. We're seeing, two years ago, 50% growth rate in viewership, last year 100% growth of viewership. So that means the exponential curve is well on its way and we're still heading upward. When you're in an industry that has more viewership and is accelerating, more advertising dollars and is accelerating, and more access to content, you can imagine we're in the very early stages of an exciting opportunity."

About Metacafe® – Entertainment That Connects
Metacafe® is the first entertainment destination solely dedicated to showcasing the best videos from the world of Movies, Video Games, Sports, Music and TV. We are the trusted source that keeps millions of viewers plugged into their entertainment passions every day, and we connect marquee brand advertisers with their target consumers via close association with the most popular entertainment content on the web. Metacafe attracts more than 10 million unique monthly U.S. viewers (1). The privately held company is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, London and Tel Aviv. For more information – and millions of entertaining videos – visit www.metacafe.com
(1) comScore Video Metrix, March 2010

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