The problem with UGC (User Generated Content) is, as anyone dealing with UGC already knows, err..well, all those Users really. They make a lot of noise—some is interesting, but most is noise. UGC can fill your site with a lot of content, but how much of it is 1) relevant 2) monetizable?
Example: UGC problems at YouTube. While they are serving 1.2 billion streams per day how much of it is worth watching or not infringing? YouTube has a commercial partner program to try to sift out the good from the bad and reward stuff that adds value. It is hard to imagine just how many take-down notices they process each day? Millions? When YouTube kills an account for breaking the community standards, there is a flare of angst against them.
One of the biggest distinctions between the future of what users will want to do on the internet from what they did or in fact are doing now, is the difference between being passive viewers and active participants. Old Media doesn't get this important orientation on how it needs to treat its audience. Imagine a bar where you could only talk to the bartender? It is like the mentality of the Economist to set a paywall for their content and beg for their "loyal" customers to pay.
In line with my notes about Media Convergence it is a good proof point to see that EA is launching FLIPS, an eBook product with content from Penguin and others on Nintendo DS. According to their release: "FLIPS has been designed to give children of all ages a fun new way to read their favorite books. EA has worked with some of the UK’s leading publishers of children's books and magazines." It makes a lot of sense for the game makers to attack and partner their way into the eBook market.
I think about the future of media, technology so much that I worry that I think the present is the past. But check a LED tv playing a Blu-ray disc and immediately you will see that the future is now here (and can be delivered to your home by Amazon).
The Economist, who runs Drupal like we do as their core CMS btw, sent me an email today explaining the free access to their site will change dramatically on October 13th.
It is a milestone that actually doesn't surprise anyone working in online/new media--but it is here nonetheless the IAB reports that online advertising has surpassed tv in the UK. The IAB further comments: "The UK remains the world leader in terms of market share for online, with the medium accounting for 23.5% in the first half of 2009. The results signal a significant restructure of marketing budgets as advertisers follow their audiences online and look to the internet for even more measureable and accountable methods."
Well, it is sorta nice that YouTube/Google asked a follow-up on the scare the gave us about shutting down our YouTube account--But, it looks like auto-respondo-bot . Let's see if they can start to react to and deal with some of their responsibilities as a major force on the web. I still am surprised (or maybe eyes opened now) that Google is so hard to contact and seems impenetrable to deal with support issues. But that does create opportunities for new companies to step in and offer service and related services. Check post here about how to deal with YouTube for Publishing Video.
Ok, so our scare about losing our entire YouTube channel is over--after 12 hours of downtime and still no info from YouTube. See details here. YouTube is such a major part of the web today, so you almost have no choice but to publish your video content there. But what is the best way to do this and how can you protect your assets along the way?
The video publishing process has a few important elements:
