Comments on: YouTube vs Viacom: The Return of the King http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/ Basab Pradhan's weblog about business and life in a 'flat world'. 6 AM Pacific is the best time for a global conference call. Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:24:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Shankar http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5675 Shankar Sat, 17 Mar 2007 14:39:08 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5675 We all expected this fight to happen, and it became official on March 13th. Both Viacom and Google are giants, but only the latter has stood up for its users so far. Do you have any facts or views to add? Write a line or share a detailed analysis- both will help. Now's the time, and here's the place: http://viatube.blogspot.com We all expected this fight to happen, and it became official on March 13th. Both Viacom and Google are giants, but only the latter has stood up for its users so far.

Do you have any facts or views to add? Write a line or share a detailed analysis- both will help. Now’s the time, and here’s the place: http://viatube.blogspot.com

]]> By: B http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5661 B Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:06:33 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5661 A, what are you doing to solve the problems of 3 billion poor people? First let us know that. Just because there are 3 billion poor people doesn't mean that all of us spend energies directly in running a humanitarian aid programme. Capitalism may have its faults, but then if you have your senses in place it provides opportunities to create wealth. If you are a socialist, then socialism has not yet been successful anywhere except create miserable revolutions and stagnant economies, and it will not help your 3 billion people anywhere. So don't expect everyone to do charity. Get up and start working...don't expect alms as a beggar. A, what are you doing to solve the problems of 3 billion poor people? First let us know that.

Just because there are 3 billion poor people doesn’t mean that all of us spend energies directly in running a humanitarian aid programme. Capitalism may have its faults, but then if you have your senses in place it provides opportunities to create wealth.

If you are a socialist, then socialism has not yet been successful anywhere except create miserable revolutions and stagnant economies, and it will not help your 3 billion people anywhere.

So don’t expect everyone to do charity. Get up and start working…don’t expect alms as a beggar.

]]> By: A http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5642 A Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:22:34 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5642 Good conversation, sure. But as far as the 3 billion poor people and melting icecaps in the world are concerned, neither google video nor youtube mean a thing! Wake up techies and captialists. Spend your energies on solving real probs, not writing lengthy blogs. Sorry am being a bit harsh, just that the discussion got too analytical (in a very desi way) for me, on too fancy a topic! Good conversation, sure. But as far as the 3 billion poor people and melting icecaps in the world are concerned, neither google video nor youtube mean a thing! Wake up techies and captialists. Spend your energies on solving real probs, not writing lengthy blogs.

Sorry am being a bit harsh, just that the discussion got too analytical (in a very desi way) for me, on too fancy a topic!

]]> By: Saumitri http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5601 Saumitri Wed, 07 Mar 2007 07:25:44 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5601 Dunno why it takes people a lot of thinking to realise the simple truth that as long as you can design a great user experience (UI design, scalability, engagement, desire) you can beat any competition. As a user experience design guy its just a simple truth for me. Business is not about data and money - it never was - it is always about people. And as long as you can satisfy and infact take people to their desires, you have business. Dunno why it takes people a lot of thinking to realise the simple truth that as long as you can design a great user experience (UI design, scalability, engagement, desire) you can beat any competition.

As a user experience design guy its just a simple truth for me. Business is not about data and money - it never was - it is always about people. And as long as you can satisfy and infact take people to their desires, you have business.

]]> By: Sudhi http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5565 Sudhi Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:31:02 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5565 I agree with Sidharth that both platform and content are key for revenue.The VAS segment in the mobile space has few organised players in India.These companies tie up with content providers in various areas, largely Bollywood for India.The revenues generated largely depends on the revenue sharing models adapted.Some companies that operate in the Multi modal space,ie, voice,sms and WAP have been able to garner a larger chunk of the market space vis-a-vis traditional SMS or WAP companies.In a large sense these companies would be potential yahoos in the mobile space! I agree with Sidharth that both platform and content are key for revenue.The VAS segment in the mobile space has few organised players in India.These companies tie up with content providers in various areas, largely Bollywood for India.The revenues generated largely depends on the revenue sharing models adapted.Some companies that operate in the Multi modal space,ie, voice,sms and WAP have been able to garner a larger chunk of the market space vis-a-vis traditional SMS or WAP companies.In a large sense these companies would be potential yahoos in the mobile space!

]]> By: Senthil http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5564 Senthil Sat, 03 Mar 2007 17:39:15 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5564 It will be a fallacy to determine whether content is the king or not just by one single parameter – market capitalization. Here are something’s to consider. My feedback is focused more on the text side of publishing. 1. The new age media companies have created a general market place for content and by building a new business model have enlarged the playing field. They have not replaced any of the content companies so far. 2. Publishing is a very niche segment and can be broadly broken in to retail, professional and the new age media companies. If you segment it further, the professional publishing can be further broken in to say legal, science, IT services, etc. It gets more niche and with very few players focusing on a industry vertical. On the professional publishing space, for instance, where the likes off Reed Elsevier, Thomson play, the new age media companies have had minimal impact. Why – It’s because of the rich proprietary content that they have accumulated and their continued focus on this front. It’s not to say Google cannot play in this space, but its needs a huge vertical segment focus and investment, which is not its current business model. 3. On the retail publishing space (newspapers and magazines), the biggest conundrum very few companies have successfully broken so far, is how to make readers pay for the regular content. This is the place where the new age media companies are hurting the current players, primarily because the readers are not looking for the quality, in-depth analysis, accuracy or authenticity of the content. Some Indian publishers have been more daring in this space – Case in point – India today magazine and a tamil magazine group Vikatan (vikatan.com). In case of India today, if you have print subscription, you get online access. In case of Vikatan, you pay for online access only. Both of them are enjoying reasonable success in getting their online readers to pay for the content. They started charging for online access a long time ago. It will be interesting to get your thoughts on why a select few been successful in this. If the publishing companies can create enough value and uniqueness in their content offerings for customers to pay through a transactional or subscription model, new age media comapnies can only partner with these companies as seen by some recent announcements. Retail publishing for most part has not been to solve this issue. Bottom line, content is the king! It will be a fallacy to determine whether content is the king or not just by one single parameter – market capitalization. Here are something’s to consider. My feedback is focused more on the text side of publishing.

1. The new age media companies have created a general market place for content and by building a new business model have enlarged the playing field. They have not replaced any of the content companies so far.
2. Publishing is a very niche segment and can be broadly broken in to retail, professional and the new age media companies. If you segment it further, the professional publishing can be further broken in to say legal, science, IT services, etc. It gets more niche and with very few players focusing on a industry vertical. On the professional publishing space, for instance, where the likes off Reed Elsevier, Thomson play, the new age media companies have had minimal impact. Why – It’s because of the rich proprietary content that they have accumulated and their continued focus on this front. It’s not to say Google cannot play in this space, but its needs a huge vertical segment focus and investment, which is not its current business model.
3. On the retail publishing space (newspapers and magazines), the biggest conundrum very few companies have successfully broken so far, is how to make readers pay for the regular content. This is the place where the new age media companies are hurting the current players, primarily because the readers are not looking for the quality, in-depth analysis, accuracy or authenticity of the content. Some Indian publishers have been more daring in this space – Case in point – India today magazine and a tamil magazine group Vikatan (vikatan.com). In case of India today, if you have print subscription, you get online access. In case of Vikatan, you pay for online access only. Both of them are enjoying reasonable success in getting their online readers to pay for the content. They started charging for online access a long time ago. It will be interesting to get your thoughts on why a select few been successful in this.

If the publishing companies can create enough value and uniqueness in their content offerings for customers to pay through a transactional or subscription model, new age media comapnies can only partner with these companies as seen by some recent announcements. Retail publishing for most part has not been to solve this issue. Bottom line, content is the king!

]]> By: Anuradha http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5547 Anuradha Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:25:14 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5547 I guess the content and platform both need to be balanced as these players go ahead. There will be cycles of content and platform requiring more focus. The key to survival will be constantly innovating and bringing something new for the users, as both the content and the platform are easily replicable. I guess the content and platform both need to be balanced as these players go ahead. There will be cycles of content and platform requiring more focus. The key to survival will be constantly innovating and bringing something new for the users, as both the content and the platform are easily replicable.

]]> By: Neo http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5534 Neo Tue, 27 Feb 2007 07:06:55 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5534 this one is a gud conversation. look forward to the next series this one is a gud conversation.

look forward to the next series

]]> By: Siddharth http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5532 Siddharth Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:55:04 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5532 Both, the Platform as well as the Content, are critical to revenue. Only the equation between Investment and Returns has different parameters now. This change is primariliy supported by the emerging Technologies. e.g. scalability was earlier a function of infrastructure, capital, staff etc. Now it is a function of technology, which can be built with lesser resources. Since, the entry barrier on platform is reduced, the benchmark for content has to rise. What stops the slabs to come together and build their own market place, challenging YT? It is inertia. It is easier to bundle hundred or thousands of bricks together than to deal with ten slabs. Getting businesses together eliminates hierarchy, and that increases inertia. It shifts the focus from structure to form. The only bias a form has is Excellence. Isn't that exciting? Both, the Platform as well as the Content, are critical to revenue. Only the equation between Investment and Returns has different parameters now. This change is primariliy supported by the emerging Technologies. e.g. scalability was earlier a function of infrastructure, capital, staff etc. Now it is a function of technology, which can be built with lesser resources. Since, the entry barrier on platform is reduced, the benchmark for content has to rise. What stops the slabs to come together and build their own market place, challenging YT? It is inertia. It is easier to bundle hundred or thousands of bricks together than to deal with ten slabs. Getting businesses together eliminates hierarchy, and that increases inertia. It shifts the focus from structure to form. The only bias a form has is Excellence. Isn’t that exciting?

]]> By: john http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5530 john Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:44:49 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/02/25/youtube-vs-viacom-the-return-of-the-king/#comment-5530 Its not just youtube whose traffic is surging. Many of the video content websites have experienced an upswing. It's interesting to read that Youtube's early february traffic was greater than the combined traffic of all the network websites. Youtube clones like <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.dailymotion.com</a> are also benefiting from the increased attention paid to these type sites. Interestingly there are even youtube-type <a href="http://www.freepornvideos69.com" rel="nofollow">free porn videos</a> sites that have popped up to take advantage of this phenomenon. We can probably expect the big network websites to offer even more vidoes to try to compete in the future. Its not just youtube whose traffic is surging. Many of the video content websites have experienced an upswing. It’s interesting to read that Youtube’s early february traffic was greater than the combined traffic of all the network websites.

Youtube clones like http://www.dailymotion.com are also benefiting from the increased attention paid to these type sites. Interestingly there are even youtube-type free porn videos sites that have popped up to take advantage of this phenomenon.

We can probably expect the big network websites to offer even more vidoes to try to compete in the future.

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