Items tagged with Content
If you're a content creator tied to YouTube and are itchin' for a change, Amazon's brand-new 'Video Direct' service is probably worth checking out. Amazon Video Direct is going to be a viable competitor to YouTube, but offers a little more flexibility with how you manage your content. And, because Amazon is behind all of this, you can expect excellent integration with the company's affiliate service. When content creators want to release their video on this service, they'll have four ways to do it. If everyone on planet Earth is welcome to watch, then the video will be ad-supported. Otherwise, it could be rented, offered as an add-on subscription, or be exclusive to Amazon Prime Video, where...
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We won't soon look back and remember this week as the brightest in Microsoft's history. With a newly-minted CEO moving forward with around 18,000 job cuts by the end of 2014, it's clear that this is a pivotal point in Microsoft's history. What will become of Windows, Nokia, its cloud services, and its engagement with enterprise will all be shaped in the months ahead. Even the Xbox division, which is viewed by many as a glimmer of positivity within the company, isn't leaving the war unscathed. With firms such as Netflix and Yahoo diving into original content production, Microsoft had bold plans to do similar. With its vast Xbox audience, it stood to reason that it could develop exclusive content...
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Ahem, not so fast. While the Internet was abuzz yesterday regarding what appeared to be a sudden loosening of restrictions surrounding the highly-coveted NFL Sunday Ticket program, DirecTV has swooped in today to quell some of that excitement. Essentially, the satellite TV company threw up a new splash page on its website that seemed to suggest that folks without DirecTV would be allowed to pony up a yearly fee in order to stream the content on a variety of devices. For cord-cutting NFL fans, it felt like a dream come true. Naturally, nothing that good could ever be. DirecTV has clarified that the streaming-only option applies specifically to those who aren't able to have a satellite dish installed....
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The world of content is a complicated one, and it isn't getting any easier for those trying to cut through the noise. Netflix realized a few years ago that streaming content owned by others probably wasn't a hugely sustainable solution, so it invested in creating its own exclusive content that would coerce folks to stay with Netflix even if a rival came along and undercut it elsewhere. YouTube has been doing something similar for a while now, but without the same amount of luck. Going forward, it's reported that YouTube has started a new round of discussions with "Hollywood and independent producers to fund premium content," which would further its existing efforts and help to position YouTube...
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As it turns out, disrupting the television market is pretty difficult. Apple, despite admitting that the TV business is one of intense interest, hasn't been able to crack the nut that would meld online and pay-TV content in a way that's dramatically different and better than the mishmash we have today. Earlier this year, Intel seemed to believe that it was on the way to accomplishing that goal, but now, things aren't looking so rosy. The service was to be called OnCue, and it was supposedly going to revamp the television experience by using an IPTV approach that brought pay-TV channels to the small screen via an Internet connection. Ambitions were real, but so were the hurdles. Content companies...
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If you're looking to cut the cord, and you value older television shows over new release movies, Netflix is looking like an ever more excellent bet. CBS and Netflix nailed down an extension of its multiyear licensing agreement for select CBS library content streamed instantly to Netflix customers. Under the revised deal, new titles such as "L.A. Complex," "4400," and "CSI: NY" will be available to Netflix subscribers. "We are delighted to be bringing these much-loved series to our members in the U.S.," said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix. "Our goal is to give Netflix members a broad mix of engaging shows to watch, and we look forward to adding even more high-profile titles from...
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Southwest is already one of America's most beloved airlines due to its bags-fly-free policy, and now, technology lovers are about to have one more reason to chose this airline over the others. Dish and Southwest have joined hands in order to deliver a new TV Flies Free program. This will bring free live and on-demand TV to certain personal devices onboard all Southwest planes with Wi-Fi. iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and "most other Internet-ready personal devices" will have access starting today, with live TV as well as up to 75 on-demand shows being on tap. For the first time, Customers flying on Southwest Airlines can stream directly to their personal devices live TV and up to 75 on demand titles...
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If YouTube is inching towards becoming a TV channel, this has to be worth at least a few inches. One of the world's most famed tennis tournaments will be broadcast live on YouTube starting Monday, giving people across the world the ability to witness one of sporting's most hallowed spectacles. Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal are already in London getting ready for Wimbledon, and this year, Wimbledon’s YouTube channel will have exclusive access throughout The Championships on Live @ Wimbledon. One has to wonder how long it'll be before even more events find their way to YouTube in live fashion, and given that tons of televisions can access YouTube...
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TV is about to get a lot more social. Twitter has made no bones about its ambitions to become the go-to source when it comes to mapping out popularity of television programming, and now, Viacom + Twitter have announced a partnership to deliver social video advertising campaigns around the most popular shows and biggest events throughout Viacom's network portfolio. That portfolio is mighty robust, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, Spike and more. Viacom is the latest media company to join the Twitter Amplify program. The partnership will launch with the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, during which MTV will deliver real-time, sponsor-supported highlights of the show's...
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And just like that, the final nail in the coffin is hammered down. While sales of 3D HDTVs weren't ever remarkable, there was still a slim chance that the technology would garner enough traction to be profitable. But no more. The one and only at-home content hope for 3D was sports. Movies, sure, but mostly the technology would live or die based on the success of sporting events. ESPN 3D was one of the first major 3D channels, and ESPN was one of the first networks to invest heavily in 3D even before it was a proven medium. Sadly, it appears that the bet won't pay off. ESPN has announced, amidst cost-cutting efforts that have impacted jobs across the company, that ESPN 3D will cease by the year's...
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As we've talked about before, the cloud is a great innovation...so long as you have access to a solid and quick Internet connection. But for much of the world, offline needs are still very real, and when you're talking about hour-long programming in high-definition, one has to wonder if we're really and truly ready to migrate those recordings from a local HDD into the cloud. Nevertheless, Comcast has announced a next-gen DVR platform that would indeed store your recorded shows off in the cloud instead of on your local DVR. This new platform release, known as X2, will be available to customers later this year. According to Comcast, "the next generation of the X1 Platform will be even smarter and...
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Is the age of the next wave of television upon us? It's a question that's fairly tough to answer at this stage, but there's no doubt that it's on the minds of many. Time Warner Cable and Samsung are clearly on that list, as the two have teamed up in order to bring content directly to Samsung's Smart TV range without a set-top box. The TWC TV application, which is already available on a variety of phones and tablets, will hit compatible Smart TVs this summer. Time Warner Cable video subscribers will have instant access to 5,000 Video On Demand titles from nearly 100 networks. Customers can easily download the TWC TV application at no additional cost on their compatible Samsung Smart TV without...
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The television industry could use a swift kick in the rear, or at least a revolution in terms of the UI used to access pay-TV content. But until then, it looks as if the second screen is the only place where innovation is ongoing. TiVo's latest efforts on this front is in the app world, where its mobile companion software is being used to power cable operators' second screen experiences. Thomas Elam, Vice President and General Manager Service Provider Business, TiVo, said, "TiVo's operator solutions help the provider's subscribers realize the full value of their subscription and enhance content related transactions. We are excited to provide the full power of our mobile applications 'powered...
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As the modern era of technology and mobility forges on, one thing is becoming ever clearer: it's not a war over hardware, nor over software. It's an ecosystem war. Apple is leading the charge in many ways when it comes to an interconnected, well-supported ecosystem, but Google, Microsoft and even Amazon are holding their own. While Amazon began as an online e-tailer, the company has pivoted part of its business in recent years in order to produce e-readers, tablets, and the Amazon ecosystem -- which technically resides in the Android universe. Now, Amazon is tapping into both segments with the introduction of Storyteller. It's a new tool designed to assist writers and filmmakers bring their stories...
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Three cheers for democracy! The voting public has done their duty, and now Amazon is making known which of its original series will remain on the air. After a month or so of broadcasting via Amazon Instant, five pilots were chosen as the top-rated, and only those five will see production beyond the initial pilot episode. It was a highly unique tactic; Amazon funded and developed a number of new programs, and then aired them exclusively to Prime members for viewing. Then, it asked those viewers to vote on which they enjoyed the most. Comedy pilots Alpha House and Betas, along with kids pilots Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf, have been given the greenlight to begin production on a full series...
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Ah, the war on conventional television networks rages on. With Netflix scooping up exclusive, Internet-first programs on a regular basis now, Amazon is doing its best to keep pace. After all, it has to give users even more reason to spend $79 on an annual Prime membership, right? This week, Amazon's streaming video service (Prime Instant Video) gained a major asset: exclusive subscription access to some highly sought after NBCUniversal programming. The likes of Defiance, Grimm, Hannibal, Covert Affairs and Suits will soon join Amazon's streaming ranks, and if you want to watch them online, you'll have to use Amazon. No Netflix, no VUDU, no Hulu. Also as a part of the agreement with NBCUniversal,...
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You had to have expected this, right? With YouTube investing millions of dollars to equip producers with the tools necessary to create actual channels on the service that people would bother to subscribe to, Google was simply laying the foundation for YouTube to become something greater than a repository for weird cat videos and low-quality phone uploads. Instead, it wants to hop on the bandwagon that Amazon and Netflix are riding, where online natives are creating top-notch content for mass consumption. Reports are suggesting that Google is planning a video subscription service for YouTube, with around 50 paid channels to be announced this week. Reportedly, the company is: "looking into creating...
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If you're a conventional TV channel, there's no question that Netflix has your attention. In fact, Amazon as well. Streaming video services the world over are stepping their games up, acting as more than just dumb pipes that channel content made elsewhere. In order to bolster their appeal, they're now diving into the art of content creation. Netflix has a hit on its hands with House of Cards, and now it's clear that the company is planning to dive head-first into original productions. Netflix announced this week yet another new series: Orange is the New Black. It's premiering exclusively on Netflix on July 11th. Created by Jenji Kohan ("Weeds"), the comedic drama starring Taylor Schilling is...
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Well, that's one way to grab some attention! As Yahoo looks to reinvent itself under a new CEO, it's trying a few new tricks. And one of those, it seems, it grabbing exclusive rights to provide online access for Saturday Night Live archives. The famed comedy show has been online in various places over the years, but having a complete look at skits from 1975 through today is impressive for sure. It'll include "a library of show clips from the 1975-76 season" right on through today, as well as select SNL musical performances, behind-the-scenes clips, and a selection of dress rehearsal clips. Yahoo! will also feature current season episodes non-exclusively and has distribution rights for library...
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4K, or "Ultra HD," as it's being called, is clearly the next major leap in high-def television. Select cinemas in major cities already use 4K projectors, and the visual difference over 1080p is stunning. But, how on Earth are we supposed to get that amount of resolution to millions of households across the globe using the existing data highways? Science, of course. SES announced this week alongside its partners Harmonic, the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure, and Broadcom Corporation, that is has pioneered the first Ultra HD transmission in the new HEVC standard live from an ASTRA satellite at 19.2 degrees East. The HEVC standard features an up to 50 percent encoding efficiency...
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The future of television has nothing to do with the likes of Comcast, Time Warner Cable, or Dish Network. Slowly but surely, IPTV-based providers are disrupting the way new content is produced and distributed. Today, people feel the sting when a show comes on a cable channel that they aren't subscribed to. Soon, people will feel the sting when a new series debuts on Netflix or Amazon and they aren't subscribed. Now, Amazon is reportedly allowing select viewers to "help choose its new lineup of TV shows." The process is expected to shave costs in what's generally an expensive and drawn-out process in Hollywood. Visitors from the United States, United Kingdom and Germany will be able to "watch,...
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Clearly, URLs with missing letters are all the rage these days. Kidding aside, Rdio has been making quite the name for itself in the music streaming business, but it's obvious that there's plenty of demand (and money to be made) on the video front. So, an expansion is in order. After launching in 2010 with music at the forefront, the company has built up a library of 18 million songs. And now, it's previewing the next evolution of the company: Vdio. As you might expect, it's a new way to buy, rent, and share your favorite movies and TV shows with your friends, in real-time. For Rdio Unlimited users, you can get a special preview of Vdio right now. Here's a bit about the new service from the mouth...
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