As live sports broadcasting continues its rapid migration to internet-based delivery streams, many of our clients are curious about how easy they should make access their live or post-produced stream. They wonder, “Should we make our viewers pay to watch our event, or do we lower the bar and just let our viewers access the stream without any payment or any footprint?”

Since every show we consult on has different needs (financially, sponsorship-wise, and viewership-wise), there really is no one single answer on how to address this. However, our experience suggests that, all things equal, one possible solution that provides a maximum return to sponsors, event organizers, and fans alike is the “Video on Demand” model. (NOTE: Video on Demand is the larger and more inclusive class of online streaming management, of which Pay-per-view is a sub-set.)

There are certainly pros and cons of both the Click-through Viewing approach, as well as the Video on Demand model. Both can be extremely effective, provided that the stream quality is adequate to ensure a great viewing experience. However, from a business and marketing perspective, how your viewers and fans get access to the stream has a potent impact related to how your clients will be able to leverage this exciting live internet broadcasting technology into a service with demonstrable dividends.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of these two viewer access models:

Video on Demand Can Set up Great Interviews for your Fans!

CASE STUDY:
Recently a surfing competition in Hawaii had Click-through access for their viewers. Unfortunately, the surf was non-existent for the first 6 days, forcing fans, organizers and competitors to endure a long string of “lay days” before the waves returned. Using a click-through approach, fans (including myself) grew more-and-more disappointed when we found one lay day after another. All we wanted to do was watch the great surfing, yet none seemed forth-coming.

Unfortunately, the organizers, who decided to use the low-threshold Click-through system, missed some golden opportunities for their fans AND sponsors. They did not use the Video on Demand approach. With VoD, event organizers could have gotten out in front of the “Lay Day” news by individually emailing all their registered users and sending their regrets. (Video on Demand requires each user to set up an account to watch the stream.) Then, to show their commitment to their fans, the producers could have announced and produced a candid one-hour interview special with one or two of their top surfers on the days when no surfing was happening. Then, instead of being disappointed with a message announcing a “lay day” and some quickly produced lifestyle clips, fans could have interacted with questions using a moderated chat of even a split screen surfer-fan interaction from anywhere in the world. Without the connection to each, individual fan that a Video on Demand system creates, the surfing competition became just another broadcast, missing most of the crucial advantages that live internet broadcasting brings to such productions!

Like to find out more about how to energize your event, meeting, or competition through greater interactivity? Then contact Terra Firma Media Group! We’ll provide you with a customized “Solid Ground Success” strategy.

Ab dem 19.11.2009 geht der europäische PS3 VideoStore online. Hier könnt Ihr direkt Filme aus dem Netz leihen oder kaufen. Über 2000 Filme sollen zum Start zur Verfügung stehen (eurogamer).

Ausleihen gibt`s  ab 1,99 EUR, beim Kauf fangen die Preise bei  7,99 EUR an. Damit liegt Sony preislich mit Apples iTunes-Filmservice gleich auf. Allerdings werden HD-Filme zunächst  nur ausleihbar sein.

Wer früh zuschlägt, darf sich über Sonderangebote freuen: kauft Ihr etwa Illuminati, erhaltet Ihr den Da vinci Code gratis dazu. Daneben erhalten alle die sich Donnerstag oder Freitag einen neuen PSN-Account einrichten Transformers umsonst. Die Filmbibliothek wird  in der VideoSection des PlaystationStores aufrufbar sein. Leiht Ihr einen Film, habt Ihr zwei Wochen lang Zeit, diesen zu gucken – startet Ihr den Film allerdings einmal, bleibt er lediglich 48 Stunden abspielbar. Die Filme lassen sich auch auf die PSP übertragen. Etwa um einen abendfüllenden Spielfilm auf dem Klo zu genießen.

Konnte Bahnwelt TV im letzten Quartal mit über 15.000 Zuschauern schon die höchste Einschaltquote seit dem Startup vermelden, stellt das Video-Portal nun die Charts seiner am häufigsten angeklickten Filme vor. Im Oktober waren auf

Platz 1: Modellbahn Umschau, Folge 4

Platz 2: Unterwegs mit dem Lößnitzdackel

Platz 3: Zum Kokelfred

Platz 4: Modellbahn Umschau, Folge 3

Platz 5: Tradition in Staßfurt

Eine Studie des RTL-Vermarkters IP Deutschland zur Nutzung von TV- und Online-Content hat ergeben, dass non-lineares TV die Reichweite um durchschnittlich 22 Prozent verlängert. Der RTL-Vermarkter IP Deutschland hat in einer Studie am Beispiel des Video-on-Demand-Portals Vox Now untersucht, inwieweit TV-Content linear und non-linear tatsächlich genutzt wird. Während im Schnitt 48 Prozent aller Formate ausschließlich im Fernsehen gesehen werden, nutzen 22 Prozent der User nur noch die Online-Version des Formats. Die übrigen 30 Prozent der Nennungen entfallen auf eine gemischte Nutzung von TV und Online, teilt der RTL-Vermarkter mit. Die lineare und non-lineare Nutzung von TV-Content gehe also bei den Vox Now-Nutzern Hand in Hand. Laut IP Deutschland zeigen die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung, dass Vox Now vor allem dann genutzt wird, wenn es darum geht, verpasste Folgen zu schauen. Für 67 Prozent der insgesamt 1 206 befragten User sei dies der Hauptgrund ihrer Besuche auf der Videoplattform gewesen. Folgen, die bereits im Fernsehen angeschaut wurden, würden gerne ein weiteres Mal online angesehen (17 Prozent).

“Crossmediale Kampagnen haben damit einen echten Mehrwert gegenüber monothematischen Kampagnen”, schlussfolgert IP Deutschland aus den Studien-Ergebnissen. Vor dem Hintergrund, dass einige Zuschauer nur online zu erreichen seien, würden sich dadurch neue Zielgruppen erschließen. Das sei ein Argument für die Kombination “TV und Internet”.

Zu ähnlichen Ergebnissen ist IP Deutschland eigenen Angaben zufolge im Frühjahr 2009 gekommen, als die Studie erstmalig am Beispiel von RTL Now durchgeführt wurde. Auch hier belegen die Ergebnisse, dass eine Kombination der beiden Medien in der Werbeansprache sinnvoll ist, da manche Sendungen von durchschnittlich mehr als einem Drittel der User ausschließlich online angesehen werden – vor allem Sendungen, die im TV am Vormittag laufen. Primetime-Formate werden nach wie vor am TV-Gerät verfolgt.

Als Fazit zieht IP Deutschland: Lineares und non-lineares Fernsehen gehen Hand in Hand. Beide Kanäle würden sich nicht gegenseitig ersetzen, sondern sich ergänzen und würden von knapp der Hälfte der internetaffinen Zielgruppe sogar parallel genutzt. Neben der Steigerung der Reichweite durch die Online-Verlängerung verbessere sich die Markenbewertung, die Kauf- oder Verwendungswahrscheinlichkeit steige gegenüber monomedialen Kampagnen um 50 Prozent.

Ik weet niet of u het al geprobeerd heeft, de iWatch dienst waarbij je tegen betaling gemiste programma’s kan opvragen? Wel, de laatste maand hebben we dit af en toe een gebruikt en ik moet zeggen, de kwaliteit is ondermaats.

Niet de kwaliteit van de dienst. Die werkt meer dan behoorlijk. De kwaliteit van het afgeleverde programma daarentegen is onaanvaardbaar. Het programma wordt dermate zwaar gecomprimeerd dat het de indruk geeft dat je naar een youtube filmpje zit te kijken. Ik begrijp uiteraard wel dat enige compressie nodig is maar ik vraag mij af of de VMMa mensen af en toe zelf gebruik maken van deze dienst want in mijn ogen is het niet echt promotie om deze dienst in de toekomst nog eens te gebruiken.

Three Hollywood studios – Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM – have joined hands to offer their movie and programming content through cable TV channel, Video On Demand (VOD) and online. The platform is called EPIX. Launched with Verizon FiOS as the only distribution provider in October 2009, this service is going to compete with premium channels like HBO, Starz as well as online services like Netflix, Amazon.

The next question is system requirements for watching the content online. According to their website, video is streamed at 500Kbps to 3Mbps and can be played on Windows and Mac. Video resolution for online streaming is going to be 720p which is not high-definition but is comparable to similar service offered by Netflix etc. Also, you need to be a Verizon FiOS subscriber to access their online content. By limiting online content access to existing Verizon subscribers, they are losing a chance to attract potential new cable customers. So far, no other cable provider has announced any deal to carry the channel which means, all those regions without Verizon service don’t have a chance to get the channel anytime soon.

One cool thing about EPIX channel is that you can watch new movies which are not yet available on DVD and Blu-ray. But, all those movies are in 720p, while many other channels offer their HD content in 1080i resolution. So, you are not going to get the best movie watching experience here.

With services like Hulu and Netflix streaming becoming increasingly popular, this move by Hollywood studios to offer their own service rather than partnering with existing providers means they want to be in control of the distribution and make more money. If more cable providers agree to carry the channel, we can expect the service to survive and be competing with services like Netflix, iTunes.

CNN laid off its four Web anchors on Thursday and said it had stopped producing continuous live video for CNN.com, curtailing one of the Internet’s biggest news experiments. The company, a unit of Time Warner, also said it was making new investments in on-demand video. CNN.com established a broadband channel in 2005, first as a subscription site and then as a free advertiser-supported service. At its center was a live-anchored newscast from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each weekday that often resembled a minor league rendition of CNN on television, complete with many of the same correspondents and guests. The programming was “very ambitious and very expensive,” said Andy Plesser, who analyzes online news sites as the executive producer of Beet.TV. CNN has seen substantial revenue gains from online video advertising this year, but company officials concluded recently that the live-anchored Webcasts were not cost-effective. Of the roughly 100 million video streams that CNN.com says it delivers each month, only two million to three million of the streams were for the service, called CNN.com Live. CNN.com will still show live streams of events like press conferences.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/business/media/13anchor.html?_r=2&ref=media

ITV and Hulu, the VoD service that will soon launch in the UK, are to sign a deal this month allowing the broadcaster to distribute full-length episodes of ITV shows on the platform.

Microsoft ha deciso di entrare nel mercato tv, e lo farà con l’Xbox 360, la sua console di videoludica di punta che sempre più aspira ad essere il mediacenter del focolaio. L’azienda di Redmont  questa estate ha stipulato un  accordo commerciale con Sky per trasmettere i programmi della tv satellitare attraverso lo Sky Player.  Da fine ottobre il nuovo servizio tv è disponibile in Inghilterra, ma a breve sarà introdotto nei mercati irlandese e italiano. La programmazione comprende film on-demand e Sky Sports, che si sommano ai servizi di comunicazione on-line di Xbox Live. Per ora è esclusa l’alta definizione per consentire alle trasmissioni uno streaming fluido e efficiente, offerto a scelta in tre formati di compressione.

Gli utenti della Xbox avranno accesso ai canali Sky grazie a una connessione ADSL minima di un Mb/s e potranno acquistare i format in pay-per-view. L’offerta appena uscita in Inghiterra comprende 24 canali e un catalogo di film on-demand. Il servizio tv è gratuito per gli abbonati Sky. La finestra televisiva sulla Xbox punta a interagire con gli strumenti e le applicazioni del web 2.0: chat, ambienti virtuali con avatar, Facebook e Twitter saranno le prime opzioni crossmediali che stimoleranno la comunicazione sociale unita all’intrattenimento ludico e televisivo.

Tenendo conto dei limiti della banda larga italiana, Sky su Xbox potrebbe essere una valida alternativa, forse un pò costosa, per l’accesso ai contenuti della tv e alla multimedialità e interattività della rete. Nel Regno Unito la Playstation 3 della Sony e la Wii della Nintendo già offrono contenuti televisivi on-demand grazie all’accordo con la BBC e il suo iPlayer. In Italia Xbox e Sky non hanno un concorrente, forse solo Mediaset Premium Web Tv il prossimo 2010 si confronterà con il suo set-top-box nel nascente mercato italiano dell’IPTv e del video on-demand.

I discovered this website that allows me to share all the porn I want with my readers.  If you were wondering what kind of porn I like to get off to, this is it.  I enjoy hardcore, raw, expressive, messy sex.  It’s fun and it’s exciting.  I like face fucking, double pentetration, fisting, hard core pounding…all of it.

To see some of what I’m talking about-visit my page I build - Sophia’s Personal Porn Library.  You can download full length movies or pay by the minute.  Video on Demand is a great invention.

I hope you find some nice tasty treat as I have .

xoxoxox

There are, believe it or not 600,000 Freesat users in the United Kingdom. In the run up to Xmas there will be a renewed awareness campaign for the free-to-air satellite cousin of Freeview (the free-to-air via your TV aerial digital service).

Xmas Bonus

Freesat owners will be getting an early Xmas present with the arrival of the BBC iPlayer service for Freesat boxes that can connect to the Internet. Mostly this tends to be for HD boxes that already have the requisite ethernet socket.
Also a small number of (OK two) locations will be enabling HD content for Freeview itself as the first generation HD capable Freeview boxes go on sale. Expect to see existing non HD set top boxes and PVRs drop in price as old stock is cleared.

Blank Canvas

Meanwhile the BBC trust has been told that Project Canvas, the joint venture between BBC,ITV, Five and BT to bring on demand content to viewers via  suitably enabled TV sets and Internet enabled set top boxes will likely cost more than £115 million in the first fours years of its operation with £17 million recouped via revues the service will bring in at the end of this period. Questions remain as to what extent ITV and Five would be in a sound financial position to afford the estimated £25 million a piece that they’d be required to put into the funding pot.

Project Canvas has been a contentious undertaking in that it allows non-public service broadcasters to become partners with the bbc which was not the case when originally conceived. BSkyB would be welcome to provide services on the platform but cannot become a partner in the project.

Kangaroo Court

Canvas also has to walk carefully in the shadow of the now defunct Project Kangaroo which proposed a consolidated video on demand (VOD) platform with content from BBC Worldwide,ITV.com and Channel 4’s 4OD which was planned to launch in 2008 but was eventually blocked by the competition commission this year.

Related articles by Zemanta

• BBC’s Project Canvas could reach 3.5m homes by 2014 (telegraph.co.uk)
• Charge for iPlayer, says ex-BBC chief (guardian.co.uk)
• Video-on-demand converts ’shifting away from traditional TV channels’ (guardian.co.uk)
• BBC spends nearly £1m on unapproved Project Canvas (telegraph.co.uk)

Da spazioapple.com:

Il passaggio al digitale terrestre, avvenuto in parte il mese scorso, ed ancora in atto in alcune zone e per alcune frequenze, ha scombussolato il mondo della televisione. Da oggi però, la Apple ci invita a cambiare canale e a utilizzare un intrattenimento video originale ed innovativo. La casa di Cupertino ha rilasciato l’aggiornamento versione 3.0 della sua Apple TV.

La Apple TV è un dispositivo della Mela che tramite la sincronizzazione del contenuto del proprio computer permette di vedere i files sul televisore di casa o ascoltare la musica tramite lo stereo. Inoltre, negli Stati Uniti, i servizi non finiscono qui e si accede anche a video on demand, pay-tv e tant’altro, anche in qualità HD.

Questa nuova versione, sottolinea Eddy Cue, vicepresidente per i servizi Internet di Apple, “rinnova sopratutto l’interfaccia che è resa più semplice ed immediata ed aggiunge poi nuovi servizi e contenuti, come gli Extra iTunes e gli LP”. Questo particolare formato è stato introdotto da Apple con il tentativo di rilanciare gli album in versione digitale mentre con l”opzione Genius Compilation, feature delle ultime versioni di iTunes e iPod, si possono creare sino a 12 compilation con i brani della propria libreria iTunes. Inserita anche la funzione Radio. Le opzioni “eventi” e “Faces”, per quanto riguarda le foto, invece consentono di raccogliere le foto in base ai volti somiglianti grazie al riconoscimento del soggetto ripreso.

La Apple Tv è acquistabile ad un prezzo di circa 269 Euro, con 160 GB di HD in dotazione, ma per chi è invece già in possesso delle versioni precedenti, l’aggiornamento è del tutto gratuito.

La mancata implementazione in Italia del supporto HD e video on demand, ormai attivo da tempo per gli utenti d’Oltreoceano, ha però stupito molti esperti del settore che ritengono che la Tv della Mela sia ancora vissuta troppo come un “hobby” e non come uno strumento innovativo e rivoluzionario. Per godere dell’intrattenimento made in Cupertino basta un cavo HDMI e come dice il sito ufficiale “con Apple TV il tuo televisore diventa una cosa mai vista”.

While traipsing around the film festival circuit the past few weeks, I caught the public unveiling of a new website, AsiaPacificFilms.com, while attending the Hawaii International Film Festival. The brainchild of Jeannette Paulson Hereniko, formerly the founding executive director of HIFF and a founder of the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (or NETPAC for short), AsiaPacificFilms.com is basically an online cineplex, loaded with a library of nearly 200 feature-length works from throughout continental Asia. For a nominal monthly fee, feature-length films can be viewed via streaming technology on a laptop computer or broadband device such as a flat-screen television connected to some sort of online service plan. The splashy presentation of yet another streaming/VOD delivery stream, when juxtaposed against a traditional, communal delivery mode of movie watching such as a film festival was once again a glimpse into the possible future of film distribution and presentation.

At first glance, the website itself was attractive-looking. The films I looked at during the site’s free trial period (AsiaPacificFilms.com becomes pay-to-play on November 1, affording unlimited access for a flat monthly fee of less than $10US) reflected a virtual Asian Pacific-centric version of a Criterion Collection, with many titles either inaccessible or unavailable to most audiences. With a plan to ultimately provide in excess of 500 or so titles to the collection, the concept of AsiaPacificFilms.com is an ambitious one. It also represents a next logical step of sorts in realizing the founding goals of NETPAC, specifically, to expose audiences in the Western Hemisphere to the diverse cinemas of East Asia, South Asian, continental Asia, and to a lesser degree, aboriginal and ethnic Pacific Island nations. The streaming technology of the site certainly mollifies various licensors concerned with online piracy issues, though you never know about the ingenuity of online hackers these days. And, the diversity of content would seem to insure a broad range of viewing experiences for cineastes and novice film buffs alike.

Given the presentation of a new, online mode of movie watching experience and the issues raised by the “I’m a Good Downloader” campaign I encountered the week before in Busan, I was left to ponder once again the question of the whole film festival interface’s continued (threatened?) pertinence to both artists and audiences, and to the comparative delay in conceiving a one-stop destination for uniquely Asian diasporic cinema. As I expressed after the presentation to Anne, a fellow filmmaker and cinematographer based in Honolulu, I’ve long lamented NETPAC’s lack of a two-way “dialogue” when it comes to promoting works by makers of Asian descent regardless of whether they were born, raised or work in North America, Europe, or Latin America — as well as makers from various Asian Pacific countries. I have to believe that this is an institutional mind-set, and that various enlightened individuals do indeed see the importance to keeping a trained eye on what yellow and brown people are creating in the First World. In speaking about my own direct experiences: Philip Cheah, a longtime NETPAC cog and past program director of the Singapore International Film Festival programmed major elements of the APA “Class of ‘97″ at the 1998 edition of SIFF, and has since kept an eye out to include new and unique APA voices in subsequent festivals. And VC alum Tikoy Aguiluz has done likewise with his Cinemanila International Film Festival, inviting me to curate a couple of programs for short works as well as a showcase of Armed With a Camera productions for the 2002 festival.

But does this sense of discovery and inclusion extend to other NETPAC members and associates who organize their own festivals? The late producer and film distribution magnate Wouter Berendrecht once proclaimed in a panel discussion some years back that a market for works by Asian American makers does not exist anywhere throughout east Asia, and while that revelation may be quite discouraging to APA producers, in reality that statement makes perfect sense. What cinephile back in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Manila or wherever would give a rat’s ass about filmmakers like Christine Choy, Loni Ding, Justin Lin, Chris Chan Lee, Helen Lee, Renee Tajima-Pena, Ham Tran, Wayne Wang, Richard Wong, Bruce and Norman Yonemoto, or a whole legion of filmmakers like them — filmmakers whose lives, experiences, and stories find no identification whatsoever with teenagers and schoolgirls from Tokyo to Seoul, tekkies who labor in Manila, Singapore and Mumbai who just want to escape into their favorite movie character, or farmers and laborers from Istanbul to Taipei utterly disinterested in how people live in an imperialist country like the United States?

Who, indeed?

On numerous occasions I’ve told myself at some point, I’ll sit down with Jeannette and come to some deeper understanding as to how cultural workers and producers of APA cinema can find a participatory voice within something like NETPAC. Do we even need to be included? And does that inclusion obscure the coming reality of the online library/festival that a destination like AsiaPacificFilms.com foreshadows? No doubt, many in our creative community are indeed exploiting the web as a presentation destination as seen through the numerous self-produced webisodes popping up nowadays. But hey…weren’t we all just pre-occupied with making features?!?!?

____________

ADDENDUM:
Hey folks, remember me talking about APA webisodes just now? Here are a couple that are rolling out now from folks whose work I admire. Grace, who stars in and edits MANIVORE is a member of our program committee and the “queen” of the social networking universe here in Hell-A. And Chris, who conceived and produced MEGABOT, seems to star in just about every significant APA film produced these days. Check out their work, and let them and their collaborators know what you think.

MANIVORE from Arowana Films
MEGABOT from Cherry Sky Films

it seems that opt-in videos get a higher viewership than traditional. also VOD businesses seem to have diversified away from pure advertising.

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/24807.asp

{Title}

vStream

{Description}

The idea for this project came from the desire to experiment with video and audio live streaming. I’ve done a good amount of research on the subject and have studied Flash Media Server documentation. From this research I understood the technical advantages and functionality that FMS can offer. Such as video on demand, streaming video stored on the server to the flash client; live video, a server-side application which allows user to broadcast their own video from a webcam to other users or to the server for recording and on demand viewing later; real time communication, an application which requires collaboration between multiple clients, such as a chat room or multiplayer game.

I decided to develop a FMS powered audio and video Livecasting application to provide live broadcasting, recording, storage, and playback options, as well as easy integration with social networking websites. The application will allow users to produce and watch live streaming videos. It will not have default video quality setting, instead it will use dynamic streaming and will set bitrate by testing the broadcaster’s available bandwidth. I will also develop a basic mini site to demonstrate the application and its integration. The vStream application will have PHP/MySql webservice support, allowing user video files to be stored on remote servers.

{Technologies}

Flash, Flash Media Server, PHP, MySql, XML

IPTV & Erfolgsfaktoren: goetzpartners hat im Dezember 2008 eine Studie zu IPTV veröffentlicht. Die Untersuchung beginnt mit IPTV-Grundlagen, analysiert die IPTV-Märkte in Deutschland und nennt Unterschiede zum internationalen Umfeld. Außerdem werden IPTV-Technologien, Vertrieb und Marketing ausführlich analysiert. Schließlich werden fünf Erfolgsfaktoren herausgearbeitet:

• Anbieter müssen in den Netzausbau investieren. IPTV erfordert heute noch Internetanschlüsse mit einer Bandbreite von mehr als 6 Mbit/s für Fernsehen in HD-Qualität. Je höher die bereitgestellte Bandbreite, desto attraktiver das Angebot.
• Die Anbieter müssen IPTV als „Marke“ etablieren. Nur starke Marken werden Erfolg haben.
• IPTV muss  in Form von interaktiven und individualisierbaren Angeboten attraktiven Mehrwert bieten.
• Einen attraktiven Preis, für den der Werbemarkt einen erheblichen Beitrag leisten kann
• Benutzerfreundlichkeit und Einfachheit

Aus den Erfolgsfaktoren werden dann sehr ausführlich die verschiedenen Handlungsoptionen herausgearbeitet. Sehr gelungen sind Schaubilder zu der IPTV-Wertschöpfungektte und die Übersicht über IPTV-Geschäftsmodelle.

Autoren (alle goetzpartners): Dr. Alexander Henschel (Managing Director), Marcus Worbs (Manager), Susanne Kindler (Senior Consultant), Kathrin Koch (Consultant), Florian Kramer (Associate Consultant).

Am 29.10.2009 findet während dem Kongress auf den Medientagen in München ein Panel zum Thema “PayTV und VoD in Deutschland -Warten auf Godot?” statt, das sich damit beschäftigt inwiefern die Marktteilnehmer mit ihren Geschäftsmodellen dem veränderten Nutzerverhalten Rechnung tragen müssen.

Quelle: Studie von goetzpartners: IPTV – Ein Flop auf dem Weg zum Durchbruch?

Dit artikel gaat niet alleen over het feit dat ABN AMRO TV rond deze tijd weer een aantal live-uitzendingen (webcasts) heeft. Graag ga ik ook in op de ontwikkelingen op het vlak van video on demand bij andere financiële instellingen in Nederland.

Video on demand (VOD) wordt steeds populairder. Het belangrijkste voorbeeld van video on demand is YouTube. Inmiddels worden er door de bezoeker aan YouTube meer dan 1 miljard video’s per dag bekeken. Ook financiële instellingen hebben video on demand ontdekt. In dit artikel een kleine opsomming (wellicht niet volledig, dus aanvullingen zijn welkom) van VOD-initiatieven bij Nederlandse financiële instellingen.

In september 2007 startte de Rabobank met Rabo Sport TV op YouTube. Op hun eigen Youtube-kanaal zijn video’s te vinden over de door de Rabo gesponsorde sporten hockey, paardensport en wielrennen. Ruim 150.000 mensen bekeken inmiddels video’s op dit kanaal. Dit lijkt veel, maar is weinig als je bedenkt dat het laatste Sportjournaal op Nederland 3 doorgaans meer dan 200.000 kijkers per uitzending heeft. Naast een YouTube-kanaal vind je de sportvideo’s ook terug op Rabosport.nl. Naast sport biedt de Rabobank ook thematische video’s aan op Rabo TV. Zo staat er nu een video over het Rabo Verplaatsingspakket.

Ook Robeco heeft haar eigen VOD-dienst. Op Robeco Web TV vind je nieuws, achtergrondinformatie en visies op financieel-economische ontwikkelingen in de wereld. Voor zover ik kan achterhalen begon Robeco Web TV in 2006 met een aantal rondetafelgesprekken geleid door Willem Middelkoop.

Het bedrijf Quadia, dat ook voor Robeco de VOD-dienst realiseert, levert haar technologie ook aan ABN AMRO en ING. ING biedt onder het mom van ING Web TV nu filmjes aan over startende ondernemers.  In het verleden waren er de video’s van ING’s Gesprek met ex-politiek journalist Wouke van Scherrenburg en typetjes van Jiskefet’s Kees Prins. Het betrof de lange versies van de commercials op TV. Het had eigenlijk minder met video on demand te maken, maar was wel een goed verlengstuk van de tv-campagne (cross mediaal).

ABN AMRO TV is een online TV-kanaal dat al ruim een jaar video’s produceert en on demand ‘uitzendt’. De programma’s zijn onderverdeeld in de rubrieken Update, Lifestyle, Sport en Ondernemen. Een aantal ontwikkelingen hebben geleid de start van ABN AMRO TV. Allereerst signaleerde de bank de convergentie tussen internet en TV. Steeds meer en vaker wordt er TV gekeken op internet (YouTube, Uitzending Gemist, et cetera). Daarnaast beschikt ABN AMRO net als de andere banken over veel content (kennis), die in beeld beter tot zijn recht komt. Daarnaast liggen er in de toekomst mogelijkheden voor interactieve programma’s. Maar deze lijken vooralsnog op de korte termijn beperkt, online seminars daargelaten. ABN AMRO TV had naast Rabo TV en Hyves TV een themakanaal bij Tele2, maar is daar inmiddels mee gestopt. Wel hebben ze een sinds kort een plek bemachtigd op de Philips Net TV. De video’s over beleggen van ABN AMRO TV zijn ook te zien op Belegger.tv. Deze maand zijn er weer 3 live-uitzendingen (webcasts) voor in het bijzonder Preferred Banking-relaties. Onder het mom van ‘Meeting the experts’ worden relaties bijgepraat over diverse onderwerpen (pensioenen, economie & crisis en huizenmarkt).

Naar mijn mening is het toepassen van video een verrijking voor de interessante content die financiële instellingen nu al (zouden) kunnen bieden.  Korte en krachtige video’s zijn nu eenmaal aantrekkelijker om naar te kijken, dan het lezen van een (online) brochure. Als er in de toekomst meer gedaan wordt met webcasts en online seminars, ontstaan er meer mogelijkheden voor interactie met klanten.  Zo realiseert het bedrijf Onlineseminar.nl al online seminars voor Alex, RBS en ABN AMRO, waarbij deelnemers via chat vragen kunnen stellen of kunnen reageren.

Video on demand gives the audience total control over what they want to watch when they want to watch it. All shows and films are sent via a broadband connection so all the programmes and films would be able to be viewed on the computer. There is no schedule tying the viewer down but it gives the viewer total control over what they want to watch. Different channels now offer a catch up technique on their websites making it easier to stay up to date with your favourite soaps. BBC has a BBC i-player where if you appear to have missed an episode of Eastenders because of a prior engagement you could simply go on the website and watch it in your own time.