AOL Acquires Lightningcast

See the press release here
Check out all the great press here

ABC Experiment

I watched an episode of 'Lost' last night on ABC.com just to check out the experience (as for the show, I was little lost, since I'm not a regular). I thought it was a very good implementation. The initial navigation 'arc' from which you select a show is a little awkward, but not bad, and the player is good and clean and the video quality was very good -- really quite watchable in full screen (or expanded screen, more appropriately). The ad experience (its a little disturbing that my work has now caused me to watch online video with greater interest in the ads than the programming) is just OK. They are doing what MTV and others are doing with long form content which is multi asset chaptering -- i.e. using the existing program chunks and basically just putting a post roll video ad break behind them. That's fine when its one ad, one sponsor, small audience, low bar. But I think the right way to do it is single asset chaptering where a parallel data file signifies opportunities for ads and ads are dynamically inserted (or not) depending on a wide variety of targeting and business rules. At ingest one can identify a larger range of opportunities for ad opprtunities (not to be confused w/ ad breaks), tag content in a number of valuable ways and make on the fly decisions to insert advertising or branding elements, go to a break or not, depending on what and who is in advertising mix and what their objectives are. Better user experience, better advertiser experience.

MSFT Buying Massive?

If the reported $200 to $400 price tag is right that's really, really rich (I have a pretty good sense for Massive's revenues). Certainly a good comparable for Lightningcast, though.

Apple, iPods and Ads

This news shouldn't surprise anyone. It was inevitable and Ad Age report (can link from here) is just the tip of the iceberg. When growth starts to slow, subscription services often look to hybrid or ad-supported models. Mobile video is going the same way. More opportunity for the leading video ad platform.

Veoh Financing

This is a great deal -- I know Dimitry, know the Spark Capital guys well and have long thought Veoh the best of the flock in their space from a product standpoint.

Broadband Directions

If you're in the broadband video business you should be talking to Will Richmond at Broadband Directions and subscribing to his Broadband Video Focus market intelligence service. He is the one analyst out there exclusively focused on broadband video and is a smart guy w/ some very good insights. He has a couple of great reports out: 1) How Broadband is Creating a New Generation of Video Distributors: The Market Opportunity for Google, Yahoo, MSFT, AOL, Apple and Others and 2) an interview w/ yours truly.

News Flash: Broadband Video is Mainstream

OPA Broadband Video study confirming what we see everyday.

More Evidence Mobile Video Is Big and Will Be (at least in part) Ad Supported

Two more data points on what will be a very interesting space in the next few years.

eMarketer and techdirt