Can Twitter Generate Revenue?

If Twitter can find a business model, it may be due to the good fortunes and marketing savvy of Microsoft and Google. Both may be willing to pay Twitter to organize a search engine around its tweets. "The deals represent the latest evidence of the intense interest in what is known as the real-time Web — the constant stream of posts and updates on Twitter, Facebook and similar services. Unlike traditional Web pages and blogs, that real-time information has not been easily integrated by search engines."

As 99% of posts seem inane to me, what is there really to search for. Isn't the real news, already searched on web sites, simply linked to Twitter to spread the news. Is there anything fresh and unique only on Twitter that needs to be searched. I doubt it. It seems to me to be at first glance to be deals only in the best interest of Twitter and not of real long term value. We will have to wait and see to prove out my prediction.

TV Everywhere; Not Quite Yet

Comcast's alternative to Hulu is Fancast and with it, the chance to marry online content with cable subscription. I mean why buy the cow if the milk is free. Ideally, that subscription would lead to viewing outside the TV screen, on any other device authorized by your cable provider. Unfortunately, as long as Hulu is around, that authentication doesn't matter. Perhaps that is ultimately why Comcast will buy NBCU ( a founding partner of Hulu), to kill Hulu off. But back to Fancast, its authentication process today is limited to the wired home.

"On Demand Online will move from trial to reality later this year but not as the TV Everywhere wonderland all the hype might lead subscribers to expect: the streaming on demand will be limited to some cable shows and movies, access will be limited to in-home computers—and, at first, access will be possible only through Comcast’s own ISP, barring anyone who does not pay Comcast for video and broadband. But, as promised, the actual service will be free to cable subscribers; access will be through Comcast.net or the company’s video portal Fancast."

Ultimately, a deal will be needed with a wireless carrier to support the authentication process; with Verizon and AT&T doing their own thing, cable may have to do a deal with Sprint to add this piece to their puzzle. Will customers try Fancast or On Demand Online? It certainly depends on the content. If they offer full length shows not available on Hulu, TV.com, iTunes, or elsewhere, and can establish themselves as the only place for valuable online content then they may break through the current clutter.

Today though with so much video content available on these aggregators as well as other cable and broadcast websites, finding unique content to own may not be easy for Comcast and On Demand Online. They need to build their authentication process quick and demonstrate to content creators the importance of limiting their content sharing to authenticated sites in order to save the subscription revenue business.

To Survive, One Must Adapt

Barnes and Noble is acting like a survivor. Unlike the brick and mortar record stores, Virgin, Tower, etc, Barnes and Noble recognizes that in order o survive, one must change and adapt to the times. That is especially true with the rise of digital technology. Brick and mortar stores can survive even when the only thing being sold is data; hence the introduction of their E-book reader, the Nook. "The device features color touch-screen controls and a gray-and-white reading display. It will cost $259, matching Amazon.com’s most recent price cut for its latest edition of the Kindle."

The next step is to truly embrace it in the stores. With digital download stations, samples, and other means to keep customers coming into the store. make digital symbiotic with the store experience so both can survive, together and separately. It is how Barnes and Noble will ultimately differentiate itself from Amazon.

As usage will soar, Barnes & Noble can be positioned to adapt as digital takes hold and stores become less necessary. At the same time, consumers like getting out of the house to try new things, share and talk about content. That is Barnes and Noble's edge.

New Mobile DTV Standards

Here's an interesting tidbit in today's Cynopsis.com:

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) approved a mobile DTV standard on Friday, clearing the way for broadcasters to transmit digital TV signals to a plethora of mobile devices. The formalization of the standard, in the works since May of 2007, gives chipmakers and gadget manufactures the template they need to develop handheld TVs, DTV-compatible netbooks and tuner-integrated mobile phones that can pick up ad-supported local news, weather and sports programming. In addition to live television, the new ATSC Mobile DTV standard also provides an application framework to enable receivers to bake in a number of interactive services. Look for iTV apps including live viewer voting, polling, advertising applications and audience measurement components to be built into the mobile DTV platform.


So a new DTV standard for mobile phones will enable more interactive applications. Why isn't it first happening in set top boxes? These bricks with wires can barely switch from one channel to another without a noticeable lag, freeze up when trick features are used, and cause more aggravation than enjoyment. And so as phones become more enabled, TVs become less so. It's time for some real convergence of technology. Put similar standards in the converter box and enable consumers to use the device that best appeals to them. For me, a Tivo without the need for a Cablecard or two, just a code that authorizes the cable company to talk to it. It's time to put some 21st thinking into the converter box ASAP.

Will Hulu Save Or Destroy Traditional TV

Hulu is a change agent. Full programs, not just clips, to the viewer provides an alternative to TV viewing. So is it complementary or a predator? The answer is that it depends. Will consumers stop purchasing cable TV subscription because their online subscription provides enough viewing or will consumers recognize that it is not an either or decision and will ultimately consume both.

TV Everywhere is a concept designed to take that choice out of the consumer's hands. It says that only cable subscribers get access to viewing content on other platforms; one must be authorized through cable to get access on the other devices. Hulu currently does not work under the TV Everywhere concept. It offers free viewing, most with less commercials than current cable inserts. So there is an added appeal to switch.

Will Hulu change to a subscription model? Will consumers buy one without the other? Or will Hulu adapt to a TV Everywhere mode and get authorized access via its cable partnerships. If Hulu can get an incremental fee from the MSOs, that seems like a likely route. At the same time, Comcast has created Fancast, a Hulu wannabee. Change is in the air.

Can Twitter Make Money For Itself

Many companies have figured out a way to use Twitter to augment their marketing tactics. It enables better communication to customers, reaches the brand fans, and enables quick feedback on how well the relationship between customer and company is doing. It is working for many companies save one, Twitter. Twitter cannot make money on itself.

I know of two ways to make money - subscription and advertising. As a free service, it would be very difficult for Twitter to start charging for subscription. And what else can they ad to try and build a premium level for a fee. And as for advertising, with only 140 characters and ideally suited for mobile devices, as well as the computer, there is not much room for an ad. Pop ups, no way; banners, how effective can they be. Twitter is an ideal mechanism to support marketing communications for others, but not itself.

There also seems to be two types of users: active twitterers and voyeurs. One constantly inputs info to the point of ad nauseum, the other likes to read what others are doing but has no interest in contributing to the banter. At some point, won't the first group get tired of writing tweets and move on to the next thing. Won't the latter group get bored of reading nothing more than nonsense and find something else to do.

At least for other social networking sites, like Facebook and My Space, there is more to do than post. And with more options come more potential opportunities to add advertising. Twitter seems so limited when compared to others.

Time Warner To Comcast: Some Mergers Don't Make Sense

Time Warner's CEO Jeffrey Bewkes doesn't think NBCU makes sense as an acquisition target for Comcast. Their experience with AOL is prime example that synergy is not easy to come by. And content and distribution together may be a deadly combination. They recently separated the two into different companies, Time Warnr Cable for distribution, Time Warner for content. "Mr. Bewkes pointed to Time Warner Cable's recent spin-off from its corporate parent as a sign of media disaggregation done well." The two didn't play well together in the same sandbox.

Should Comcast heed this advice. Does an NBCU-Comcast entity make sense? Can Comcast compete with ESPN in one area of its company and work closely with them in another. "Speaking at a keynote Q&A at TV Week's Innovation 360 conference in New York, Mr. Bewkes described NBCU as a "very complicated" business that might not make total sense for a cable company such as suitor Comcast with a portfolio that includes a broadcast network and a movie studio." Perhaps it is worth listening to this wisdom. Perhaps content and distribution work better separately, than together.

Bloomberg Wins Business Week

Mike Bloomberg has done extremely well in his career. Building a business, running a major metropolitan city, noticing opportunities and making a mark in the world. His latest, the purchase of Business Week Magazine. "With the move, Bloomberg takes on BusinessWeek’s faltering financial situation, plummeting ad sales and all—and gains its resources, products, standing and valuable brand. Bloomberg’s execs expect to strengthen Bloomberg Television, using that brand and the magazine’s “world-class” journalists, and the company’s web presence." It is a shot in the arm for magazine publishing.

What it says to me is that there is a profitable business opportunity to be exploited. Bloomberg's multimedia approach recognizes that content can live and breathe in multiple forms. His financial backing demonstrates that with better management, a keener approach to using its content and credibility across platforms, and vision of what may be possible with the web and e-books, Business Week can live on quite well. I'm excited for what Bloomberg can accomplish with this well regarded magazine.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat as Needed (Same With Your Cable Box)

Now that the digital conversion has taken affect, every TV requires a cable box to receive channels once accessible directly to the TV set through the cable wire. And now with more boxes, more problems. So why call the cable company for assistance when the answer is always the same: unplug the box, wait 30 seconds, plug back in. What it didn't work; repeat, try again. That is the number one solution for every cable problem! Is it that the cable box is overworked or just a brick in sheep's clothing. These problems don't occur nearly as often with computers, Tivos, Playstations, Wiis, or other devices; the cable box needs continual rebooting. Stuck channel - reboot; no cable guide - reboot; no service - reboot.

Frustrating to say the least. And does it seem that every cable box that gets put in the field has been refurbished. Who is getting the new boxes? And when will Comcast finally get me a Tivo guide in their cable box at my home? I remain frustrated, ready to switch providers and missing the days when I had a Tivo directly connected to the TV WITHOUT a cable box to slow me down. Why do customers switch providers; cost may be one reason, but service and connectivity is definitely another.