Continue reading Google Acquires Episodic as YouTube Looks for More Capabilities

Google Acquires Episodic as YouTube Looks for More Capabilities originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Once upon a time, retailers measured success by the number of people walking by in the mall, how many entered the store, the percentage they spent, and basket size. Now, a world of zeroes and ones has changed their perspective entirely. Social media is expected to be the star during the coming holiday season, with retailers pushing Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter content to get in front of consumers and affect either online or in-store purchases. Smaller Christmas budgets are expected, so the fight is on to garner as large a share as possible of a shrinking pie.

Of course, nobody would come out and say, "Social media is nonsense, and I'm not getting anything for my investment." So, when the likes of Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), JCPenney (NYSE: JCP), and Target (NYSE: TGT) say that social media is connecting them with their customers and leading to more effective campaigns and product launches, do take it with a grain of salt. What can't be ignored, however, is that they're committing more resources to social media marketing, even though it's still far too soon to tell if it will be effective.

Continue reading Retailers push social media, want bigger wallet share for Christmas

Retailers push social media, want bigger wallet share for Christmas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Corporate advertisers are not flocking to YouTube despite the fact that the video sharing site attracts one billion views a day, upsetting Google Inc's (NASDAQ: GOOG) expectations for a strong revenue stream, according to the Wall Street Journal. Total ad revenue for Google this year will be about $200M from the site, where the company is counting on growth beyond its text ads from Web searches.
• A day after Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) said it would be interested in reopening talks to acquire some of all of Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) if Carl Icahn's proxy battle succeeds, the Wall Street Journal reported that Yahoo! CEO Jerry Yang accused Microsoft of "trying to destabilize" the company "without a real desire to complete a deal".

• The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that Comair, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL), is set to cut 300 pilots and 220 flight attendants from its staff. The paper said the layoffs will go into effect in September when Comair cuts its flight schedule as part of Delta's capacity cuts and will affect crew members based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

• Iran successfully test-launched a long-range version of its Shahab-3 missile, according to Iranian news service Al-Alam. The missile can reach U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf and Israel.

Newspaper wrap-up: Google has a difficult time getting ad revenue from YouTube originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (GOOG) cans pay-per-video originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With YouTube and other movie sites, the Internet is going video-crazy. Well, Amazon.com wants a piece of the action and plans to launch a movie download service in August, according to a report in Advertising Age.

Although, this is not the short-form stuff. Rather, Amazon.com is going all-the-way: that is, you will be able to download full-length movies.

Essentially, Amazon.com wants to create an iTunes-like portal. Although, it looks like consumers will have different ways to purchase the content, such as through a subscription model or pay-per-view.

Since Amazon.com already sells huge amounts of DVDs, the company has a database of movie-loving customers. What's more, the company owns IMDB.com, which is a huge movie database, which is likely to be a powerful marketing force.

So far, full-movie downloads are in its infancy. But, with Amazon.com backing the movement, chances are this will become a big business fast.

Amazon.com's new script: video downloads originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Jul 2006 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney, wants to once-again be a media mogul.  His resume is amazing, of course - having developed television shows (Happy Days, Welcome Back Kotter, Barney Miller) and movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Saturday Night Fever, The Little Mermaid, Good Will Hunting).  He also orchestrated the turnaround of Disney during the mid 1980s.

This time, Eisner sees the next phase in media being online video. To this end, he's on the board of directors of the video-sharing site, Veoh, as well as an investor. The company recently snagged $12.5 million from investors, such as Time-Warner and Spark Capital.

But it's not without its challenges. For example, the adult entertainment company, Io Group, recently filed a copyright infringement suit again Veoh.

Continue reading Michael Eisner digs YouTube.com

Michael Eisner digs YouTube.com originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google Video

Continue reading Google Video is causing the cable industry to learn fast

Google Video is causing the cable industry to learn fast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This week, the Wall Street Journal had a Page 1 story entitled "YouTube Tries to Build a Lasting Business." Well, according to Josh Martin, an analyst at IDC, YouTube.com is likely to be a bust.

Within less than two years, YouTube.com has become the online video site - with about 13 million unique visitors a month.  It is so influential that companies like GE's NBC are striking-up deals with the upstart.  Even the venerable venture capital firm, Sequoia (which invested in other upstarts, like Google), invested in the firm.

So what can be wrong here?  Well, it's a problem that many Web2.0/community sites have; that is, turning large masses of traffic into dollars. For example, even though MySpace.com is one of the most trafficked sites on the Web, it is expected to generate a mere $200 million in revenues this year.  This is certainly underwhelming when comparing it to other major web properties, such as Yahoo!, Google and MSN.

What is compelling about Martin's analysis is its simplicity. First, he notes that YouTube.com started as an ad-free site.  Thus, by putting ads up, it may offend its loyal base. 

And besides, advertisers may be reluctant placing ads on YouTube.com. The content on the site can range from being sexual to even violent (or just downright boring).  Why potentially jeopardize a brand?

Next, given its roots as a completely free site, YouTube.com will have a difficult time selling premium services.

Hmmmm... perhaps YouTube.com can do what PBS does; that is, have promotions where YouTube.com asks its users to donate. It certainly would be a test to see how really loyal the users are at YouTube.com.

YouTube, Show Me Some Money originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Jun 2006 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Time-Warner's CEO, Dick Parsons, said the "whole media sector right now is in a little bit of a malaise."

The whole sector?  That doesn't seem to be the case with companies like YouTube.com.  Then again, these companies are creating their own categories in media. 

So it's ironic that today Ted Turner left the board of Time-Warner.  Of course, he's legendary in media.  He did things that many thought were absolutely crazy - such as launching a 24-hour news channel.

No, the media industry is not in a funk.  It's just the "malaise" of CEOs like Parsons.  They don't have the guts - like Ted Turner - to make big bets. 

As for Parsons, he is doing the typical things:  small acquisitions, stock buybacks, division sell-offs, and so on.

Why not try something daring?

Continue reading Ted Turner is gone with the wind: where does that leave TWX?

Ted Turner is gone with the wind: where does that leave TWX? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 May 2006 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.