Is The Game Really Changing?

The game only appears to be changing. Network Executives aren't screwing things up any more than they always have screwed things up...it's just that we hear about it more now because of technology. When Cinema discovered that Television was taking over people's relaxation hours, the entire industry scrambled like morons to find its way. In the end, making movies evolved on it's own and all they needed to do was keep working.

It's the same with the internet. Together, we have to make shows and projects the same way we always have. We have to unify business, technological, and theatrically creative minds and point them all in the direction we want our projects to go

(from Darren Ewing).

Hollywood's Present is Online

Many talk of online video as a wave of the future; they are flat wrong. It is now, right now. I know a government employee that 4 months ago discarded their TV and now watches only online. I know a lawyer that uses Tivo as an on-demand that in combination with online TV and DVDs doesn't watch broadcast, cable or satelite live, ever. I have never owned a television, yet I watched three shows tonight and also appear on TV from time to time. Anyone who thinks online entertainment is a future, and denies it is a growing present tense event, is either not paying attention, about to lose their job or both. All things are more online and mobile than ever before and they are right now (I write this post on my phone; please forgive any spelling mistakes ;-).

"Hollywood's future is in Bannen's hands" by Lisa Marks may be over selling a single show as some sort of vangard. I love that this show is being made and am excited to see it, but Sony is not first with web content that costs more than $1 million (Seth MacFarlane, Burger King and YouTube did that over a year ago) and the CEO of Sony Pictures (parent of Crackle) said he "...doesn't see anything good having come from the Internet... Period." This show may be Sony's late, half-supported-by-the-studio attempt to be in the now.

A month online is equal to a year offline, and to not learn from history a from a year ago (like 12 years online) is to retrace steps taken by many before, and risk being obselete before you've begun. In 3 months, the generation referred to as digital natives will be the largest and most important demographic for entertainment. This demographic is already watching, listening and experiencing their entertainment where and when they want to and media companies are only just now pretending this will happen? That is like acting as if the wheel or fire might catch on when it's already the year 1500. People's careers and livelyhoods as employees and stockholders are suffering because of antiquated thinking (yes, 3 month old is antiquated). Get present or be irrelevant; there is no half way.

Printed Newspapers Are Yesterday's News

The Daily Show pointed out online news is faster than print. This is part of what makes people prefer online news, and by extension, makes advertisers shift their focus and spend from print to online.

Google In Upfront Marketplace

Google is now buying and selling TV ads in a big way.

Google TV Ads has begun booking upfront deals with major agencies and advertisers for the first time.

Marketers are committing upwards of seven figures to buy ads through the TV spot buying system in the year ahead, with agencies like Deutsch and Saatchi & Saatchi and advertisers like Coldwell Banker coming to the table, said Mike Steib, director of Google TV Ads.

Steib explained that marketers can still buy or tweak their campaigns daily; they're simply agreeing to use Google TV Ads throughout the year.

What our customers told us if the planner can put us into the upfront plan, then the buyers are free to utilize the platform in the way they works best for them, he said.

They can also buy ads on YouTube now using Google TV Ads

(from The Hollywood Reporter).

Presidential Press Conference Without Broadcasters

Right now I'm watching the Presidential Press Conference live on YouTube. There are no 20th century broadcasters (ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC, etc.) involved in the distribution. I hope this gives them and their news divisions pause, and they realize that business as usual is not an option.

Make It Free

if you do not make your product free, piracy will do it for you (via @Awesomeosity).

Recond Labels Talking With YouTube

Universal Music Group, the world's largest music recording company, is in talks with Google's YouTube division to create a musicvid venture.

Instead of just receiving licensing fees or a share of ad revenue from the online video site, UMG is seeking an equity relationship on an ad-supported site focused on high-quality musicvideos unlike the grainy, user-generated fare common to YouTube's main site.

Other record labels such as Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI have also been contacted about the plan, although they are not part of the talks. UMG is a division of France's Vivendi.

The discussions began about a month ago but are still in the preliminary stages, said people who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are supposed to be confidential

(from Associated Press, via Variety, via msoefer's twitter).

Internet with a Side of Fail

• If your site is down for 14 hours in middle of the day, on a Wednesday: you are fail (why).
• If your page takes over 25 seconds to load at noon on a Friday, or your server is in Europe and your audience is in North America: you are fail (why).
• If you promised an episode at a given time and place, and it isn't there: you are fail.

You must delight, not disappoint. All the brilliant content and marketing in the world will never save you if you're building internet with a side of fail.

Create a Great Website

No matter the type of site, certain things are consistent among all great sites. Seth Godin's list is a great starting point, and includes this gem:

Fire the committee. No great website in history has been conceived of by more than three people. Not one. This is a dealbreaker.

Loving Fan Mash-Ups of Your Work

Cobbling, the word a PDF presentation 'Sailing the C’s of Change' by Kate Rutter, uses for mash-ups, work arounds and adaptations, can start to be embraced with these steps:

1. Accept that cobbling will happen. Look beyond the threats to see the opportunities.
2. Screws, not glue. Make it easy to open [DRM-free might be the equivalent for online video and social media].
3. Decide who has the first response: legal or marketing.
4. Identify and participate in emerging communities about your products.

When the Pope Twitters

The internet changes quickly. Last week I had in a conversation that created the title of this post as a possible title for a post discussing the future when the web becomes a reality for people not traditionally engaged online; they'll embrace the ubiquity of the internet as a communications tool (not merely information storage and retrieval). Today the Pope launched his own YouTube channel, and again we find that future = now.

DRM Has Problems

Yyesterday within a major media corporation there was discussion about iTunes removing Digital Rights Management (DRM) from their entire library. Upon learning that users will have to pay to upgrade tracks they'd already downloaded to DRM-free tracks, one employee said that is terrible, that is also why I don't buy.

Even those who work for the media companies agree with the sentiment that music or movies with DRM leads audience to break the law, and leaves audience to decide if they want to pay for that privilege:

Brands Engaging Directly with Consumers Win

A new online Word of Mouth Marketing research study conducted by OTX, a global consumer research and consulting firm, confirms the value of brands engaging directly with consumers online. The initial findings of the new study, "The Impact of Social Media on Purchase Behavior," revealed that 54% of consumers agree that information from a brand representative would be more valuable than what is typically found on a company website

(from Yahoo! Finance).

Epic Win: TSA blog

The Transportation Security Administration has a blog and a team behind it tasked with maintaining it. This is extraordinary: a government agency connecting with the public it serves in a direct way without the buffer of traditional media.

Yes, the TSA is being taken to task for various issues by various comments pointing out various issues, but the fact the communication channel has been opened is extraordinary in government in general, and even more so in the national security area.

It would be nice if the blog team responded to a few more comments directly, but the reality is that the complex world of a large organization, the law, politics, Congress and public opinion may mean that the blog team can not always post or reply candidly or quickly. There is still progress to be made.

This is a win because the TSA is doing something very American which few security forces of any nation in history have ever allowed: they are letting the public openly critique and complain on a forum they created and control.

These early efforts at transparency and public engagement can lead them to vast improvements, and I hope they continue in this direction. The efforts of the men and women of the TSA, a new agency, have been effectively guarding air traffic on both routine flights and special occasions (e.g., Katrina evacuation) for about seven years. With this social media dialog and other communication, perhaps the gulf between those securing the skies and the passengers flying them can be bridged leading to efficient, safe and convenient air travel.

Epic Win: Hulu Support

After I posted about Hulu skipping, Hulu took note, and is effective and engaged enough to comment back. Their support person, Ilya Haykinson, commented with links to concise Hulu technical requirements and one of the more effective support request forms I've ever seen.

Hulu's monitoring of the blogosphere, prompt personal response and clear useful documentation keep me a fan, show they care, and get them this flattering blog post ;-). In his Keynote at NewTeeVee Live 08 Hulu CEO Jason Kilar says Hulu works to "Listen. Take action (quickly)." They do. This makes them the "brain-spray awesome quality" they want to be.