Apple to now offer rent option to their itunes

Such a natural fit! Apple already dominates with a great site that allows easy streaming and search as well as the ability to download to their player. Consider all the pieces that Apple is now touching: iphone, Apple TV, itune, etc. They have the hardware and software and most importantly, a dominant share of the market, with users continually visiting itunes for new content. It is a natural fit for Apple to offer a rental option. So what will the next announcement for Apple? It seems with all the pieces in place, Apple could be the company that comes up with the effortless way to search, organize, save, and share all this entertainment content, to your phone, your ipod, your tv. Wrap around an advertising play, and Apple is building the pieces to be the dominant entertainment viewing and listening site.

Live Ad invades the Tonight Show

So why does this in-program ad deserve discussion in today's Wall Street Journal? It certainly isn't a first. Have the writer or editors not watched American Idol - Ford and Coke ads inside each show. It is not a new phenomenon. I am a Letterman fan and frankly there are some comic bits that could be mistaken for in placement ads. And yes, this practice of a live commercial has been a part of TV before, albeit it has not been recent since American Idol. Shows like Milton Berle and his Texaco Theatre, Jack Benny and Jello and Lucky Strikes, and many more examples integrated these sponsors and wrote fun scripts to push the product. So don't mistake this for TV 2.0 or interactive advertising, this is plain old in-program ad placement.

It is not new, but it will help folks that DVR or TIVO to not fast forward and stay tuned for the entertainment value of these sponsored spots. And that is the key phrase, because if they stop being entertaining, viewers will stop paying attention.

Rent or Own? The New Cable-TV Dilemma

Interesting article from the Wall Street Journal today, except it's not just about the cable card. Consumers want easy access to their communication choices, not just through the cable box, but also through their pc and other equipment that want access to the fiber pipeline. A cablecard, a password protection keystroke, or whatever it needs to be, its time to think more broadly. Perhaps OCAP can figurre out how to make a plug and play philosophy work more efficiently for the cable tv experience.

Television 2.0

A recent commentary in Forbes echos the blogs I have been writing lately; that is , the interoperability of web, phone, and tv because of technological advances. Dubbed Television 2.0, it relies on consumers taking all their communication services from one provider, "the triple play" and thus simplifying the interactive processes.

So are the cable companies making the necessary investments in their plants, are they contracting with their equipment providers to enable all these wonderful new services, or will the dynamics finally change and the consumer will go to their electronic retailer to buy the devices they want - set top box, remote cameras, dvr, etc - all enabled by a plug and play connection to your cable wire. For the cable company today, the primary rationale for the triple play is ROI, more revenue from the investment of capital in building a fiber backbone by offering more services through it. The interoperability may be nice, but for the operator, the next investment is toward other services that will provide a new revenue stream from this existing backbone: business services, security, file back up protection, etc.

And lastly, is the consumer ready to finally see who they are talking to on the phone - a "video phone", do they want to have their phone calls and voice messages pop up on their tv screens, do they want to pick which stories they want to watch on the news. How much change is the consumer ready for and how much will they embrace. While I believe interactivity will be embraced, consumers still want each of their devices to do what they each do well. TVs to provide an experience where you sit back to watch, PCs to provide an experience where you sit forward and interact, and phones to comunicate - and while each application may crossover, consumers will still prefer them to do their primary function first. So how fast Television 2.0 truly occurs...I say not as fast as web 2.0.

And that's my 2 ¢

Cablevision Fights DVR Ruling

It seems to me that Cablevision makes excellent points why it should be allowed to build a remote DVR service, provided that they agree to not affect the content being recorded. This centralized approach would allow the sharing of video content more easily among the customer devices - cable box, pc, and perhaps other mobile devices. This centralized server would also be useful for other in home applications like security cameras, baby cams, remote viewing capability, etc.
And should a live event, like say the American Idol finale go over its time, a centralized system could easily capture the added time without the hassle that this year's finale caused to all DVR users, a missed ending. And beyond TV viewing, a centralized server approach might just simplify the communication of a home pc to its home cable box, allowing home videos, photos, music and other files to be accessed and shared more simply. Perhaps consumers would pay extra for that fexibility.

Digital rights management, content control, and application are important issues to consider. Perhaps content and cable companies can find contractual opportunities to authorize such arrangements as well. It may just prove additionally profitable to all parties as well.

Cynopsis: Weekender: Joost Aims for The Living Room, But Faces Big Hurdles

I read with interest today's weekend edition of Cynopsis by Daisy Whitney on Joost. While I think Joost has the potential to be the aggregator for all the best digital video on the web delivered to your screen, I don't expect it to replace cable operators "as their primary entertainment platform"; rather, I expect that Joost will only support the cable experience.

Cable programmers may provide "channels" or "videos" to the Joost platform, but they will never allow them to replace the revenue model that cable currently offers. Unless technology enables Joost to offer content directly and Joost is paying a fee comparable to cable for access to the same content that cable currently receives, the programming will be more additive to the current experience.

My expectation is that a company, like Comcast or Time Warner or through their partnership iN Demand, acquires Joost and adds the platform to the functionality of the cable box. The consumer than accesses all of this content regardless of the screen, either from the pc or the big TV screen, and even mobile phone. Yes phone, because the triple play will soon be the quadplay (fourplay is not a good marketing term.) And to cable programmers don't give away the farm; offering programming to all these endpoints provides great leverage for keeping license fees competitive.

On The Lot

Yes, I am watching Fox's On The Lot, although I do TIVO it first so I can fast forward past the fodder to get to the best stuff. The show has great potential. First, it synergizes short form video on TV with the web, and offers great potential for video uploading, social commenting, and revenue potential.

My concern lies mainly with the show on TV. The latest 2 hour show on Monday had more time devoted to clapping and a meaningless host, than on the filmmakers, the judges, and the films. There is no reason to have a host or audience; other than turn a half hour show into 2 hours. And folks like me will fast forward to get to the meat of the show. Perhaps when the show reached the final 6 people could an audience care, but for now, the live element actually works against the show.

Carrie Fisher could act as both host and judge and Gary Marshall needs to stop with the sexist remarks. What makes the show work for me are the videos. Watching them and getting the judges comments. I would like that the show had continued to cut the group to 8 or 10 people with only the judges deciding, then bring in the viewer vote for the final group. I also would like to get the judges to talk more about what they liked and didn't like.

The TV show could push the website more, especially in providing more complete analyses from each judge. Also an opportunity to present better definitions of some of the technical language that the judges use - i.e. insert shot, long lens, etc. I would have modified voting in the later rounds where viewers ranked the top 10 directors and their work. A more interesting perspective which would also differentiate it from the voting procedure on American Idol. There are some amazing films coming out of these young directors; I'd love to use the excess time from clapping and inane host remarks and replace it with more footage of each director in pre and post production getting their film to final cut.

The show has great potential and does a great job synergizing the linear element of TV with the on demand and interactive element of the web. Keep tweaking it and let folks share these videos across other websites, the audience will come to On The Lot.

NY:MIEG Panel: Silicon Alley 2.0

Bill Sobel has created a terrific media information and networking group called NY:MIEG, that each month provides panels that delve deep into the understanding of learning in this new media environment. Less than 1 year old, this group has grown rapidly and I have had the pleasure of experiencing three of those monthly meetings. Each panel is filled with an esteem body of knowledge offering their own insights into this brave new world.


Earlier this week, the panel assembled explored New York's "Silicon Alley" and the relationship between large and small companies. Panelists included Sean Morgan, CEO Critical Mention, Scott Meyer, CEO, About.com, Cliff Sobel, President/CEO The Phoenix Group, Mark Zimmerman, Managing Partner Z Team Media Advisors, and Fred Seiber, Founder NextNewNetworks. And the moderator was Nina Ziv, Academic Director Polytechnic University.

A fast paced hour, the discussion than moved to breakout sessions. In previous panels, open Q & A would follow. Bill continues to test winning formulas, but regardless, he bats 1000% in getting top notch leaders in the industry to speak to his group. And attendance fills the room.

My key takeaways from the panel:
1. In Large vs Small, large tends to win in the long run in that the big fish tend to eat the small fish. Larger companies have the capital to make the financial mistakes and buy out smaller companies to gain their expertise.
2. Big fish try to behave like small fish but have a difficult time maneuvering and being flexible to change. Small fish lack the muscle, hoping the dollars don't run out first. Small firms are nimble, large firms have more resources.
3. Regardless of size, companies should challenge their employees to make an impact and they should pay off when those achievements are met.
4. To win in the digital landscape: build early adopters, know who the incumbants are and stay nimble to keep the lead, remember that sometimes competitors can become partners, build direct relationships, and have fun.

Sean Morgan offered an interesting prediction near the end...he forsees the newspapers becoming the largest video creators. It certainly seems a necessary extension of their core business. It will be intersting to look back in a few years to see the results!

My Crystal Ball

Back in the early days of cable tv, a number of networks tried tried to entertain its audience with short form programming: E!, Comedy Central, Bravo, IFC, and others. And in each case, the lesson learned was that television audiences preferred longer form programming and so did the advertisers associated with it. These networks and others changed to traditional half hour and longer programming blocks with regularly scheduled hours to promote, find, and keep its audience.

So will short form video programming work on the internet? To a certain extent, it is an ideal way to find an audience, but is that audience large enough or segmented enough to find the advertisers to finance it. Today, it feels a bit like a fad. I say the lesson learned from TV is that it will not last. It seems to me that when things finally settle down, the following scenario will occur regarding video entertainment:

1. Viewers will still go to their TV to watch long form programming.
2. The cable box will talk with the internet and the DVR and on-demand features will be easily managed by pc, mobile, and/or remote control. Any TV in the household will have access to programming saved for later viewing.
3. The cable box will enable more social networking in real time with the programming being watched on the box. Blogging about our shows will stay strong.
4. Comcast, Time Warner, and other distributors will each partner with (or purchase) an internet video platform (Joost, Maven, Blinkx, etc) to integrate with their technology and help manage a positive consumer experience.
5. New laptops and other handhelds will wirelessly communicate with their cable box.
6. Short form programming will still be seen on the web so as to easily share the best of the best video programming. Extra programming - associated with long form content (i.e. Heroes extras, etc) will remain, but again accessible to suit the user experience across ALL devices - TV, pc, mobile.
7. Many other short form programming, not connected to a network type format will either fade away, or combine into longer form type programming. And those that remain will be done for fun, but not for profit.
8. All digital video will be watermarked and traceable to its source; companies will heavily prosecute illegal video sharing activity.
9. New word "transferability" - what you purchase on cable (NFL, MLB, Concerts) will be available on your multiple devices: cable tv, pc, mobile. We are a mobile society and want our programming to follow us. And advertisers will pay for those synergies.
10. NBC brings back Must See TV on Thursdays!

So that is my prediction, for whatever it's worth. Put it in the envelope, hide it for 5 years, and re-read - let's see how many of these points come true.