Daily Marauder

THE END OF CONTROL

In the above video, Ask a Ninja discusses the future of online video and more importantly why the availability of online video is so important in this 2.5 world (I’m tired of 2.0).  Every second, 10 minutes of online video are uploaded to the internet.  In a week, more people in the US watch YouTube videos than the top 10 network shows.  These statistics may not mean much to you now but maybe more when the ninja drops it.  Check it.

All jokes aside, this video caused me to think more about the distribution of content and the loss of control media companies are experiencing in this regard.

That’s when I came across the book and online blog entitled The End of Control by Gerd Leonhard.  In the past, content publishers controlled distribution of their content primarily to the television and DVD platforms.  That control and limited distribution has been terrorized by the consumer’s desire for content anywhere they go.  Based on this consumer desire, the availability of content has been ripped from the content publisher by way of uploads to a global audience almost immediately after release on linear television.

Don’t Make Me Angry

Most media companies choose to fight this loss of control using their extensive legal teams and incessant cease and desist letters.  While this does address the larger issues, the scale of the internet is most difficult to contain by any company no matter how large the legal team.  It’s like being in a relationship.  One person tells the other it’s not working out and the other ignores it.  Even ignoring the situation or fighting back doesn’t make the relationship any stronger.

Paying for Content

DVD sales were and continue to be a huge driver of revenue for media companies.  That said, paying for content does not only include a transfer of $$.  As a user, I can pay for content either with $$ receiving an ad-free product or pay with my time and sit through the pre-roll.  The video above illustrates Leonhard’s three methods for payment of online video.

Where To Go From Here

I wouldn’t dare say that I have all of the answers but what I do know is that controlling the internet is a futile exercise.  If consumers have demanded a new product and forced that product to come to fruition, media companies should pool as many resources as possible to discover how to re-package that product in a form the consumer is willing to pay for.  I truly believe that most people will pay for a product if provided a high quality video and seamless user experience (cough iTunes cough cough).  And for those experiences that consumers are not willing to pay for, concentration should be placed on other methods of payment: attention and engagement.

And I Leave You With This

And OK, This Too

The rapid rate at which broadband is being adopted around the world will lead the number of Web video viewers to quadruple by 2013, according to a report by ABI Research. The study also says that Web video sites are increasingly finding more efficient ways to distribute their content. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9952659-7.html 5/27)