Wired coins "Monkeyvision"

OK. They talk about "Boom Goes the Dynamite" and other instant YouTube classics. They also talk about the quandary Madison Ave. finds itself in, as it wonders where to spend $67 billion in TV ads when TV is being viewed online.

This is a must read, carefully developed over months in a world that is only months old. Great work!

Ah, and you say you haven't seen "Boom..."? Well, now you can't. YouTube has removed the clip due to "Terms of use violations".

The new age of Vaudeville???

Now this is a new way of understanding the YouTube/video sharing phenomenon. It's our equivalent to vaudeville.

Here's a snip:

"As the name suggests, the variety stage was based on the principle of constant variation and diversity. It represented a grab bag of the full range of cultural interests and obsessions of an age marked by dramatic social, cultural, and technological transformations. In the course of an evening, one might watch a Shakespearean actor do a soliloquy, a trained dog act, an opera recital, a juggler or acrobatic turn, a baggy pants comedian, an escape artist or magician, a tap dance performance, and some form of stupid human tricks (such as a guy with hammers on his shoes hopping around on a giant xylophone or an act where baboons play musical instruments). Similarly, YouTube brings together an equally ecclectic mix of content drawn from all corners of our culture and lays it out as if it were of equal interest and importance, trusting the individual user to determine the relative value of each entry."

The variety show has long captured the TV screen, and now on a computer near you. Well done!

Obviously, sharing videos builds audience...

From the Media Post "Just An Online Minute" blog...

"While some entertainment companies continue to complain about video-sharing sites, at least one, CBS, isn't griping today. Several weeks ago, CBS began uploading clips of its shows such as "Survivor," "CSI" and "Late Show with David Letterman," to YouTube.

In total, CBS has placed more than 300 clips on the site--and has seen ratings increase as a result. The company said that "Letterman" has drawn 200,000 new viewers--a 5% increase, while "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" has increased its viewership by 100,000, or 7%, according to CBS and YouTube.

The conclusion is obvious: Web users viewed clips on YouTube, became fans, and then started watching the broadcast versions."

Statements like this, along with reader responses, never had the "play" they get now.

Podcasts go corporate: H&B

Selling golf gloves using podcasts, H&B has discovered a great way to monetize video over the internet. The story behind the podcasts has just been published, and it accurately reflects my own experience. Here's a snippet:

"The company is excited by the potential of the podcasts to increase sales and to develop closer ties with customers"... The golf shows, which have been downloaded about 15,000 times from viewers in 24 countries, invite readers to e-mail H&B with comments and suggestions. That not only helps the maker of Louisville Slugger bats provide the type of shows that customers want, "but we're also getting ideas about products."

And the winner is: video sharing

If we have learned anything from last week's elections, popular culture believes in video. This article in the Hamilton Spectator identifies these items:

* Virginia Senator George Allen was comfortably ahead in the polls until summer when a racial slur he made was caught on video and uploaded to YouTube. An estimated 400,000 viewers downloaded the clip. Allen conceded defeat this week to his Democratic opponent in a squeaky close vote.

* And last month, more than 112,000 visitors watched a video of Tennessee Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. explaining his presence at a Super Bowl party hosted by Playboy. He also just narrowly lost his seat.

Game on! Xbox Live video content

Now we have the world changing quickly... Microsoft will ship a movie download service through its Xbox game player this month. Over 1,000 movies will be available by end of November when the service launches. This beats Apples "iTV" product to the punch, with Sony and TiVo expected to launch a competitive products/services soon.

Microsoft's service will handle HD content, and Sony's is expected to as well. Apple has only announced it's intention to support standard definition at first.

What does the Microsoft system do for podcasts and user generatated content? For that, we will have to wait and see.

HD podcasts

Now this is something to keep track of... So far, only a few HD podcasts exist. Expect this to grow, particularly when Apple brings their iTV solutions to market. HDTV magazine lists only 3 as of this writing.

mariposaHD - mariposaHD is produced by four ordinary guys who quit their jobs, moved to South America, and decided to make a TV show. We film everything with HDV camcorders and edit the video on a PC in our living room. mariposaHD is recorded, edited, and distributed in the full 1920x1080 pixel resolution of the 1080i standard.

The Big D in HD - The Big D in HD is a video podcast celebrating the good times and fun of the “Happiest Place on Earth”. Filmed with an HDV video camera see Disneyland Like never before on your Computer.

MacBreak - The only Macintosh video show you'll ever need. Mac experts Leo Laporte, Amber MacArthur, Alex Lindsay, and Emery Wells talk about everything Mac, including hardware, software, pro apps, and tips. Shot in 1080p high def, because your Mac deserves the very best.