Summary: Now we have a new form of convergence: social networking and (cable) TV. Not a bad move. Verizon announced two new “products” in its “social TV” initiative. One is a set of widgets that enable viewers to connect with other viewers through various social networks—while watching TV. The second enables viewers to watch user-generated content from certain websites. One more step in convergence. Of course, it is a bit like the Zeno’s Paradox of digital convergence. You could also say: It’s about time. (Full disclosure: We also posted this at globalstrategic.wordpress.com)
Through its FIOS TV service Verizon is taking a few bold steps towards digital convergence. First, Verizon will create an application store with widgets developed together with some notable social networks—Twitter, Facebook, Veoh and a few others. So, a FIOS subscriber can follow tweets they select from a list—including the programming they are watching. They can log into Facebook (but not yet Twitter) to update their profile as to what they are watching at that moment. An SDK will be launched soon.
The second new product permits a subset of subscribers to start searching and viewing UGC from certain video sites, including Veoh and Blip.TV.
So What?
Well, it is another step closer to digital convergence. Using TV programs to tweet is an obvious stimulus to that convergence, when you consider how often TV shows are the subject of tweets. Tweeting about these programs is of course nothing new and these widgets do not (yet) enable tweeting through the TV. What it doespermit is to enable a viewer to see whose twitting what and when.
So that’s why it’s like Zeno’s Paradox. Remember: Walk halfway across the room, the half the remaining distance, then half the remaining distance—and so forth. This is a little like that: closer, closer, closer, but not quite there.
But the move is just the first and we can expect more. The application store will propel developers to pay attention to crossing the chasm between the TV, the PC and the mobile phone. Think about it: Twitter is (largely) phone-based and Facebook is (largely) PC-based-platform. This appeals to the developers. FIOS competitors will figure out their own way to merge social networks with TV programming.
OK, now the gears are churning. Think of characters using Twitter in the programs—and they are matched by Twitters available to FIOS users. And so forth.
Stay tuned.
Flash (not Gordon) in Your TV in 09
April, 2009
OK, file this one under “convergence in the home.”
At NAB, Adobe announced that they were working with partners to get Flash into home TV sets, with sales of such units to start later this year.
Snore, you say?
Well, it is quite a movement forward.
1. Flash drives about 98% of all video on the Web (e.g., YouTube).
2. It is a lot easier to make content in Flash than it is in most other authoring tools. Hollywood likes that.
3. True multi-platform migration (create once, distribute over many platforms) becomes possible.
We often under-estimate the importance of tools; this one brings us closer to the mantra:
Any content any time anywhere any platform.
Repeat that twenty times as you go to sleep.
And get out those “Flash for Dummies” books now and polish your skills. Hollywood will find a shortage.
European Newspapers Embrace the Digital Future
April, 2009
Summary: The digital ventures of European newspapers look like they are paying off with new hopes for robust newspapers. Plus, you get to lose weight, too.
We have posted quite a few blogs on newspapers (see others at globalstrategic.wordpress.com), an industry caught in a Chicken Little kind of depression. So we turned to Europe to see what’s happening and it is digital and good.
Want to join a weight-loss club? Pay $90. Through the newspaper site. Want to revise your profile? Pay more. In Norway, a tabloid newspaper, Verdens Gang, is affiliated with VG Nett, which provides news for free but charges for other premium services (like the weight-loss club).
Now, paying to upgrade your profile may be a bit much (unless the weigh-loss membership has not been successful) because of the nearly ubiquitous networking sites, but the point is to offer other services for a fee.
The Old Horse of Repurposing Content
Axel Springer, a large player in the publihsing space, revived an old concept, which makes perfect sense: Write once, distribute many times. Write the article and post it on multiple sites. This is the old concept of “repurposing” content for different platforms and different audiences.
Data as a New Source of Revenue
And lest we not forget the lifeblood of newspapers is delivering audiences to advertisers. If they think about it, the newspapers can mine vast amounts of data and deliver even better information to the advertisers. This is a good thing.
So, new thinking–including some old thinking–gives these newspapers new revenue and new audiences. They are not only building their brand, they are building it across platforms to reach both the same audiences and different ones.
And some of them get to lose weight, too.
We are trying an experiment here. Rather than rewrite a post we have made on another of our blogs we have set forth the link below. That blog is for general counsel but the point is applicable to digital matters.
Here is a summary:
An article in The New York Times Magazine on Sunday March 14th on basketball provides an object lesson that you should own whatever data may emerge from any digital initiatives memorialized in a legal agreement.
The Paper Is Dead! Long Live the Paper!
March, 2009
As of St. Patrick’s Day, much had already been written about the “death” of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer print edition, which the parent company, the Hearst Corporation, shut down on that green day. The paper is now web only, with twenty in the newsroom, down from about 160.
This is not the only news about newspapers these days but, to me, what is most important is the content plan of the P-I site. Here’s my take:
Little original content (weird).
Include existing blogs (good but unstable; if they are that good they will leave for a better gig.)
Links to other sites: While many news sites do this, is it really wise? Link to other sources within the Hearst family (see below).
Local government officials as columnists: Now there’s a thriller. Snore.
Hearst magazine content: This is a good idea. Hearst owns numerous magazines. Repurpose the content AND link to the magazine sites. Keep the traffic in the family. This is probably a good idea.
How they will differentiate themselves from the sites of local TV stations remains to be seen. At least the inclusion of commentary may make it fresh.
What seems to be missing from the reports of the plans are social networking and UGC functionality. Local Little League teams or AYSO teams should be invitted to create their pages there. It would cost the P-I little to enable such additional pages to be created.
In that approach, they could become something of a virtual community center. But whatever direction they take, they should build a brand–or build on the brand they have, which is a pretty good one. And, the good news in all this: the newspaper industry now has a testbed–one of many more to come in the very near future, like the next couple of months, given the terror felt (rightly or wrongly) by newspaper corporate owners.
Long live the paper!
Full disclosure: a variation on this blog will be (or has been) posted on the blog “Convergent Realities” at www.thectcnetwork.org.
Mobile TV to Include Over-the-Air Simulcasts
February, 2009
One more step towards true convergence:
The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) has announced plans for 60+ stations in 20+ cities to start simulcasts of OTA programming by the end of 09. Cities scheduled thus far include New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, DC and Philadelphia.
This should boost sales of the iPhone and other devices with large screens. Imagine the opportunity now with WiMax being deployed—conversely, imagine the network overload.
Hollywood Pros to Post on YouTube?
January, 2009
The William Morris Agency just cut a deal with YouTube that will enable YT to display professionally-produced videos–presumably with the famous actors in the WM stables. We like this idea: In fact, it’s about time. Here’s why:
1. Low production quality is he standard on YT; it will be good to see something worth seeing.
2. Almost paradoxically, that which is of good (production) quality is the copyrighted material from the studios–i.e., professionaly-produced.
3. The problem with the material mentioned in #2 above is that most of it is pirated–or at least no one is getting paid for it.
4. This (and their other deals with the studios) may actually make some money.
5. Besides, YT is a good platform–now it can get better.
6. Oh yes, I forgot: YT now has credible competition in this space. Hulu.com.
