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Kmart's 'Ship My Pants' Ad Sequel Promises 'Big Gas Savings'The management at CBS (NYSE: CBS) has caught onto something that should have been obvious. Most internet users don't watch full-length video on their PCs. It could be the small screen size or lack of remote control.
Part of the success of YouTube may be that the typical video on that site runs just a few minutes. It captures attention and keeps it, often until before the viewer gets bored. CBS is trying to adapt its video model to the reality that shorter clips appear to be watched much more often.
CBS will launch CBS EyeLab, a production operation that will put together short clips from a number of its shows and distribute them to a wide variety of websites. According to The Wall Street Journal "CBS says the EyeLab-produced clips will both entertain viewers and serve a marketing purpose."
Everyone already knew that most internet videos, especially on sites like YouTube, are watched by teenagers and young adults. People in this age group have the attention span of a house pet, so catering to their inability to stay focused for long is a brilliant idea. Especially since CBS is controlled by an owner who is past 80.
Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-28-2007 @ 12:14PM
dave said...
"People in this age group have the attention span of a house pet, so catering to their inability to stay focused for long is a brilliant idea."
My beagle has a longer attention span,and a higher IQ than today's young adults.
9-28-2007 @ 7:35PM
jay5 said...
I think you err in the part that you state "People in this age group have the attention span of a house pet, so catering to their inability to stay focused for long is a brilliant idea. Especially since CBS is controlled by an owner who is past 80." Is quite off base. The average young adult would put most of us to shame with their ability to process information. Also, I think insulting them in the manner you did, does little for you to increase the size of your readership. But then again, you're blogging...
10-18-2007 @ 7:15PM
Hedges said...
How dare you. To insinuate that we 'all' cannot pay attention to anything other than 5-10 minute clips is incredibly insulting. Have you or any of the ignorant people who keep perpetuating this overtly "tech using people are ADD induced morons" stereotype ever stopped to grasp the fact that many of us may simply use the internet to search for information in a manner that's somewhat untraditional? Have you ever considered that there are also young people who can grasp the essence of an article or piece of information within an extremely short amount of time and move on, not because their attention span has ran out, but because they may be able to comprehend the gist of what the article is saying? It's not that hard to do.
Personally, I've already spent 6 hours studying for a fairly lengthy mid-term tonight and intend to spend several more hours preparing for it. I prefer to watch my television shows in lengthy marathons without commercials to interrupt them, not short clips. If I read a book, I want to give it my full attention, not take it in in 20 minute segments. Games are best played in lengthy segments, not short half hour cuts. I know several people who prefer the same kind of focus in their tasks, both older and younger.
While I can see the truths in your stereotype, I still despise this continuous bullying my generation receives in regards to our use of technology. Yes, we were immersed in it. We're familiar with it's effects. Books and publications can educate and inform, social interaction is healthy, blah. blah. blah. However, one should not just immediately assume that the opposite will be true within all members of today's youth culture. The world is changing, the sub-cultures of the tech savvy have benefitted individuals as well.