Archive for the ‘Online Video Platform Space’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Move Networks on the Move

June 30th, 2010

There’s a lot of talk this morning about recent activities over at Move Networks, an early leader in IP video delivery. It seems they’ve laid off the entire staff as mentioned by Will Richmond at VideoNuze leaving only the CFO holding the bag, or what’s left of it. And Ryan Lawler at NewTeeVee pointed out an interesting Tweet by Move this morning suggesting they’re looking for a buyout worth $150 million. We removed Move from the VidCompare directory several months ago when they hired Roxanne Austin and changed their business model, moving further from providing online video platform services.

It’s unfortunate to see another online video business go the way of Veoh, and SesameVault but it’s as we all predicted for this and next year. We’ll definitely see more M&A activity in the OVP space this year and even a few more shutterings but that’s not to say the sector is hurting, not by a long shot. Again, it’s specialization that will keep the big “C” (commodotization) from creeping up on us. Recent announcements from Ooyala with their focus on monetization and analytics, advanced analytics from VMIX, and new technologies from Unicorn Media’s workflow solutions all point to a move towards finding a niche, a need, a purpose.

I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Move, as we haven’t yet of Veoh (recent Tweet: Hey everyone, it’s been a while. But Veoh is coming back in a big way. We can’t wait for you all to see what we have in store.). My guess is they kept CFO, Jamie Harper in place to recap the company in an attempt to hang on long enough to find a buyer.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Online Video Platform Providers, Online Video Platform Space

Tags:

Brightcove and Long Tail Video get Pay Per View Micropayments via Invideous

June 9th, 2010

Online Video eCommerce is quickly ramping to become a very real and easy option for revenue generation in online video. London based Invideous, parent company Swiffen founded in 2008, recently closed a six-figure round of funding and is announcing an impressive customer list starting with Brightcove and Long Tail Video (Bits On The Run). The service offers publishers the option to charge per view for content via micropayments built directly into the video player which, according to Invideous, takes only 10 minutes to integrate. They offer subscription or pay per view via credit card or SMS with clear and easy to use menus (screen caps below). According to Jack Thorogood, co-founder and Commercial Director, larger publishers can co-brand within the video with a favicon, or logo. And they are also set to roll out two new customers at the end of the month, Kaltura and VMIX.



The Invideous service is very stratighforward which may encourage further adoption of the pay for play model but there have been others in the past that have tried with lackluster results including YouTube, and http://www.vidcompare.com/video-provider-detail.php?id=19although not entirely the same solutions. For example, YouTube tried a pay per download model charging a “personal license fee” and Ooyala’s offering is available in their Backlot allowing viewers to pay for a limited number of shows via an Ooyala branded PayPal account.

There are other interesting OV eComm solutions out there like SundaySky who offer eCommerce websites a service that will take images and product information and mash them into a product video that will dynamically update as the product does. So if specs on a particular camera change, so will the SundaySky video that is associated with it. Pretty slick.

As these services emerge making the monetization of online video easier we are still years out from a unified, standard, and widely accepted means by which to generate revenue from video. Until then, keep monetizing your highly valuable and already monetized web pages with video by syndicating your videos driving traffic back to your site,  increasing engagement, and extending reach.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Online Video, Online Video Platform Space

Tags:

VMIX Following Ooyala’s Lead Hiring New CEO

May 20th, 2010

Today VMIX announced that they’ve replaced long-time CEO Mike Glickenhaus, with new to Online Video, Patrick Burns. On the surface, the hiring of Burns to VMIX sounds similar to why Ooyala brought on Fulcher; to lead the company into new waters, to expand internationally, and to use their industry contacts to better position the company in an ever changing environment. But in an interview with FierceOnlineVideo’s Jim O’Neill, Burns suggests the board was losing faith in Glickenhaus stating, “…there won’t be something that presents itself that the CEO won’t be prepared to deal with. That’s the real hard truth.”

There’s no doubting the fact that OV is growing up, we’ve truly shed our training wheels and are venturing out of our infancy full-force into toddlerhood.

Read Jim’s full interview with Burns.

And read the VMIX press release.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Online Video Platform Providers, Online Video Platform Space

Tags:

Google Acquires Online Video Platform Episodic, No April Fools Here

April 2nd, 2010

Today’s news from Episodic founder, Noam Lovinsky that they’ve been purchased by Google, is very important to the OVP space. There are not many details about the deal in the form of purchase price, future plans, etc. but Noam offers a bit of info including a small FAQ for customers on their blog (link above).

As we mentioned in our 2010 OVP Predictions last December, this would be the year for M&A activity in Online Video.  We heard from Kit-Digital early on acquiring not one, not two, but three OVPs. Multicast was the latest, announced just last month. We saw SesameVault, a young OVP put itself on eBay, and we witnessed one of the early YouTube competitors, Veoh completely shut its doors after failing to reinvent itself or to garner further funding.

But this acquisition is different, it’s hopeful in my humble opinion. Google, the Internet’s dominant presence, has further validated our space after the purchase of YouTube for an astounding amount of money. We’ve heard from little birds that, while this purchase price is nothing in comparison, it is still a healthy amount of money all things considered. What things you ask? Well, Episodic by comparison is a relative newcomer in the OVP space with fewer customers than most of their competitors. They had just recently publicly launched their business just a few months ago, and had taken $2.5 million in funding. This is not to say that Episodic does not deserve to be bought by Google, they absolutely do.

I have the privilege of knowing Noam and have seen the insides of his product. It was very impressive back when I first saw it and they’ve had a lot of time to further enhance the technology which is clearly the reason for Google’s purchase of them. Google is about technology and talent, two things Episodic has to offer Google with their stellar product line and highly talented team of engineers. Congratulations Noam, Matias (a Senior Web Developer at Google), and team. We look forward to learning more and watching you flourish within the Google walls.

Here’s to a healthy year of further growth and prosperity in Online Video.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Online Video Platform Providers, Online Video Platform Space

Tags:

Kit-Digital Acquires Multicast Media, Q&A with Lou Schwartz, Multicast CEO

March 29th, 2010

Earlier this month it was announced that Kit-Digital, who’s been on a recent buying spree gobbling up competitive businesses Narrowstep and The Feedroom, had acquired Multicast Media, one of the earliest media companies to establish themselves as an Online Video Platform, for roughly $18 million. Multicast was founded in 2000 and launched their first OVP product in 2007 with VidegoPro which eventually took on the corporate brand, Multicast. By 2010 Multicast was generating $12 million in revenue from platform licensing which is more than probably 80% of the other OVPs, but had been in talks with Kit-Digital for the past 6 months to merge their services.  The deal comprised of $4.9 million in cash, 1.3 million shares, and a debt assumption of $4.6 million.

I asked the Multicast team for a quick Q&A to dig into the acquisition to learn a little more about what the new organization will look like, what will happen with Multicast’s brand, and what will be the layout of the corporate structure.

VidCompare: How long have you been working on this deal with Kit Digital?

Multicast: The deal had been in the works for roughly 6 months.

VidCompare: The release mentions that your team will remain in tact in GA. Do you expect to integrate the services into one business unit eventually?

Multicast: Our Atlanta office will remain in tact and will serve as the headquarters of KIT digital’s technical operations in the Americas region.

VidCompare: If not, will the Multicast name remain in play as a separate offering?

Multicast: For now, the two brands will remain the same – Multicast and KIT digital.  Over the next few months, Multicast will become KIT digital.  However, our Streaming Faith and 316 Networks brands will remain the same. Multicast and KIT’s technology platforms will be fully maintained in the foreseeable future.  Over time, we will integrate the two platforms together to create the “best of breed” platform that brings the most benefit and value to our clients.  There will be no lost functionality.

VidCompare: What will be your new roll within the company?

Multicast: Lou is now the head of the Americas. Multicast is very excited about joining the KIT digital family and the opportunity to bring even more value and exceptional customer service to our clients.

The Kit-Multicast merger is a sign of the times in my humble opinion. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I think 2010 is the year of streamlined OVP business models and the beginning of the shakeout in the space.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Online Video Platform Providers, Online Video Platform Space

Tags: