901am

New Media News Every Morning

iReport.com: CNN’s portal for citizen journalists

By

cnn-logo.gifRealizing the power and penchant of the average citizens to gossips and other newsworthy topics, CNN will be launching a new video-sharing site called iReport.com as the hub of user-generated news.

Though the site is still under construction, Reuters claims it has the same look and feel of YouTube and other popular video-sharing sites. Users can easily upload audio clips, photos, and videos.

iReport.com is very different to the ever stringent CNN because users are allowed to submit whatever topic they have in mind. Currently, CNN holds more than 100,000 news-related videos and photos from citizen journalists but less than 10% were published on the site. With this new portal, the community and not the editors will decide what the news is. Still, CNN will monitor and remove contents considered offensive or inappropriate.

But, CNN will make extra effort to clear that news shown in iReport.com do not reflect its editorial views.

Originally posted on February 13, 2008 @ 7:19 am

Comcast launches Fancast.com

By

Comcast Interactive Media (CIM) announced the launch of Fancast, the first online destination that enables users to watch, manage and find entertainment content wherever it is available– on Fancast, on television, online, on DVD or in theaters. On Fancast, users can view an expanding free library of full episodes and clips from top networks and movie partners, find the content they are looking for across multiple platforms and create a personalized entertainment experience.

“Our goal with Fancast is to make entertainment consumption amazingly simple,” said Amy Banse, President of Comcast Interactive Media. “In this new age of interactive media where entertainment is available everywhere, Fancast helps consumers find what they are looking for and manage their entertainment experience across multiple platforms. For people who want their content and information immediate and easy to find, Fancast is the ultimate one-stop shop.”

fancast.png

Originally posted on January 8, 2008 @ 3:59 pm

Goodbye YouTube!? China to restrict Internet videos

By

china.pngI have this funny feeling that the Chinese government wants to be known as the world capital of Internet censorship. Soon after the Australian government announced its intention to filter online contents, China has taken another major step much to the dismay of privacy groups.

This time, the government wants to limit broadcasting of Internet videos to state-controlled companies. Will this be the end of video-sharing sites such as YouTube and popular Chinese site, Tudou.com? According to a news article, the fate of these companies is not yet clear. Both companies did not respond about this inquiry yet.

As usual, the objective is to fight malicious video contents, protect the reputation of China, and prevent anyone from broadcasting videos about the country’s national secrets.

The policy dictates that only state-owned and state-controlled companies can apply for government permits to broadcast and upload video contents. The permit is renewable every 3 years. The problem is that majority of Internet video providers operating in China are private companies.

What could be next? Ban the music lyrics?

Originally posted on January 3, 2008 @ 10:41 am

YouTube remains the top online source for video viewing

By

The latest survey of Harris Interactive among 2,455 adults shows YouTube’s dominant position as the one-stop site for online video viewing. More importantly, overall online viewership has increased from 74% last year to 81% this year.

harris.gif

Approximately two-thirds (65%) of U.S. online adults say they have watched a video at YouTube, compared to 42 percent at the same time last year – with strongest gains among those over age 25. Over two in five (42%) YouTube viewers say they visit the site frequently, up from 33 percent last year. Mirroring last year’s results, just over two in five U.S. adults have watched videos on a TV network site (43% vs. 41%).

However, the future might not look bright for this powerful video sharing site. The survey indicates TV episodes and full-length movies top the list of the type of videos people want to watch. To make matters worse, only 8% prefer to watch more amateur or user-generated videos, the core strength of YouTube. This serve as a warning signal for the company to keep a watchful eye on the alleged YouTube-killer, Hulu.

The research echoes ChoiceStream’s 2007 Survey of Viewer Trends in TV & Online Video where 65% of the consumers watch professionally-produced TV programming while only 39% are into UG videos.

[Read more]

Originally posted on December 19, 2007 @ 11:19 am

Consumers favor TV programming over user-generated videos

By

inthttp://www.901am.com/?p=5694&preview=true Consumers favor TV programming over user-generated videos | 901amernet newsUser-generated contents might have spurred the growth of online video sharing but a new national survey reveals that majority of consumers still prefer professionally-produced TV programming.

According to ChoiceStream’s 2007 Survey of Viewer Trends in TV & Online Video, 65 percent of consumers who watch video on their computers, mobile devices or digital media players are watching professionally-produced TV programming. On the other hand, only 39% watch user-generated videos.

Moreover, finding something interesting to watch remains a very frustrating task for majority of viewers.

“Consumers, especially those in the younger demographic, have grown accustomed to watching TV programs, sports, news and video at their own convenience and do not want to spend time searching for meaningful content every time they turn on their TV, PC or mobile device. It’s imperative that companies and advertisers embrace this shift and implement personalization strategies that will put relevant TV programming and video content at the consumers’ fingertips wherever they choose to watch it,” said Toffer Winslow, EVP of ChoiceStream Sales and Marketing.

Video-watching is no longer dominated by TV. More than half of viewers watch videos on alternative devices like computers, media players like iPod and mobile devices. Nearly 70 percent of younger viewers watching video on alternative devices indicate they watch traditional TV programming.

With these results, it seems NBC Universal’s video sharing site hulu has higher chances of grabbing market share from the dominant market leader, YouTube.

Originally posted on December 12, 2007 @ 2:46 am