Paidcontent is reporting that Scribd, a YouTube for documents, is adding an ecommerce function that lets authors and publishers set their own price and lets them keep 80% of the revenues – a strong incentive to look at what content people might buy. 

While the Kindle may make money from purchased ebooks, may people may be purchasing simply because they like the device, and the best content has been, from day one, free.

On the PC Web, people are used to finding and downloading documents to free.  It will be interesting to see what content sells in a format and on a site where free was the name of the game.

Read the full article here.

Verizon launched a test of on-screen (TV) widgets for Facebook and Twitter.  We’ll see if and how people use it to communicate about shows and if it impacts viewing.  Perhaps, instead of channel surfing, you’ll social surf to see if others can suggest something good to watch.

The Verizon Web-video-to-TV service will serve content from Dailymotion, Veoh Networks and Blip.TV.  

To view Web video on TV, FiOS TV customers will install Verizon’s Media Manager on their PCs which will, in turn, stream the vide to the FiOS set-top box.  This seems similar to the Playon (www.themediamall.com) which is software that streams web video through the PC to a video game console acting as a set-top box. 

(Disclosure: The Fortex Group works with Dailymotion)

What the CDC shows is an ecosystem made up of a hub (CDC), multimedia (YouTube) and distribution (Twitter, email etc), all optimized to provide users what they need in a search. 

1. The Main site – http://emergency.cdc.gov/
2. Swine (H1N1) specific site – Swine Flu – http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
3. Example of collateral – http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/recommendations.htm
4. Multimedia on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/user/CDCStreamingHealth
5. Distribution/Alerts via Twitter (as well as email, RSS and related tools) – http://twitter.com/CDCemergency

The result is all key properties showing up on page 1 of a Google search for the swine H1N1 flu.  Different search strings do get different results but the CDC results are generally at the top or referred to in other articles at the top.

The search string: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7GGLJ_en&q=cdc+swine+flu+h1n1+flu

Sample screen shot:

Of course, it also open up the box to the porn market via CinemaNow’s not-exactly-safe-for-work adult section.   Adult content often drives early adopter media device and ecommerce model sales.  It’s been a big part of CinemaNow’s success (read here) and it may be one of the keys to getting more usage of streaming movie boxes.

http://valleywag.gawker.com/348685/microsoft-cisco-and-lionsgate-are-pornographers

(disclosure: the author sometimes does work for an LG competitor)

Here’s the full release:

LG Electronics Announces New Streaming Content Partners for Its Network Blu-ray Disc Players

LG to Offer Consumers Unparalleled Access to Streaming Entertainment from CinemaNow, YouTube and Netflix

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics today announced the expansion of network entertainment options for its Network Blu-ray Disc players through new alliances with CinemaNow and YouTube(TM).

Available on new LG Network Blu-ray Disc Players in the first half of 2009, these new services complement LG’s instant streaming from Netflix and advanced Blu-ray capabilities to deliver consumers an exceptional entertainment experience. (In 2008, LG was the world’s first manufacturer to stream movies instantly from Netflix on a Network Blu-ray Disc Player.)

CinemaNow – an innovator in digital entertainment technology, delivering high-quality movies, TV shows and videos to users through online connectivity – and YouTube – a leading online video community for people to discover, watch, and share originally created videos – will be available in LG’s 2009 line of Network Blu-ray Disc players to be unveiled next week at the 2009 International CES(R).

"As millions of U.S. consumers view and download movies or TV shows through the Internet, they are demanding easier ways to access content and more home entertainment options," said Tim Alessi, director of product development, LG Electronics USA.

"From Blu-ray to instant streaming from Netflix to CinemaNow and YouTube, LG is bridging the gap between packaged media and video-on-demand services to provide entertainment solutions for consumers’ demand for content," he said. "With these new alliances, LG continues its innovation leadership by allowing consumers easy access to multiple entertainment options in one device."

CinemaNow: Instant Streaming of Hollywood’s Latest Hits

CinemaNow has pushed the envelope of digital video distribution, becoming the first Web site to offer Pay-Per-View movies from major studios and the first broadband distributor of high definition (HD) content. Collaborating with CinemaNow will enable LG Electronics to offer consumers access to more than 14,000 titles from the major movie studios, broadcast and cable television shows, more than 250 independent film titles and music videos from all major labels. Key benefits include the capability to:

• Browse the entire CinemaNow premium content catalog, including latest Hollywood hits,
• Instantly stream content to enjoy on compatible devices, and
• Access and watch movies purchased from other CinemaNow-powered stores.

"We are extremely pleased to be providing CinemaNow premium content services to these innovative new products from LG Electronics that are helping to drive convenient consumer access to digital entertainment at home," saidMark Ely, executive vice president of strategy, Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq: SNIC), parent company of CinemaNow.

YouTube: Original Streaming Video Content

Leading the way in providing unlimited access to online content, LG’s alliance with a prolific online video community, YouTube, will allow consumers to instantly stream millions of Web videos directly from the Internet to an LG Network Blu-ray Player for viewing on their television (without a personal computer). Key benefits include:

• Unlimited access to millions of videos on topics such as current events, instructional videos for hobbies and interests, comedic and viral videos and
• Easy searching, thumbnail previews and multiple screen size viewing options.

Netflix: High Definition Instant Streaming

Now available to consumers as a free on-line upgrade, LG’s first Network Blu-ray Disc Player (BD300) now delivers a growing number of Netflix titles in high-definition (HD). This new access to high-definition streaming content enhances the existing standard-definition streaming service that LG and Netflix first brought to consumers in 2008.

Future LG Network Blu-ray Disc Players will also offer consumers a variety of ways to enjoy more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes from Netflix. Netflix members owning these devices pay one low monthly subscription for unlimited DVD rental and unlimited streaming.

LG’s full line of Network Blu-ray Disc Players, additional new content alliances and other new products will be revealed at the LG Electronics CES press conference on Jan. 7, 2009 at the Venetian/Sands and will be on display at the 2009 International CES – Booth #8214, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a wide range of consumer electronics (digital display and digital media) products, digital appliances and mobile phones under LG’s "Life’s Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visitwww.LGusa.com.

About CinemaNow

CinemaNow, part of Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), delivers high-quality Hollywood movies, TV shows and music videos to users across multiple platforms. CinemaNow is partnered with some of the biggest brands in consumer electronics and digital entertainment including ARCHOS, Dell, EchoStar Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Macrovision, Microsoft, Pioneer, Samsung, Technicolor and TiVo to deliver thousands of video titles directly to consumers. CinemaNow works with more than 250 licensors including 20th Century Fox, Disney, EMI, HDNet, IFC, Lionsgate, MGM, Miramax, NBC Universal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, Sundance Channel, Vivendi Entertainment and Warner Bros. For more information: www.CinemaNow.com.

Headquartered in Marin County, Calif, Sonic Solutions (www.sonic.com) enables the creation, management, and enjoyment of premium and personal digital media content through its Hollywood to Home(TM) products, services, and technologies.

About YouTube

YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube, LLC is based in San Bruno, Calif., and is a subsidiary of Google Inc.

Video content will be created specifically for the Wii with cartoons being cited as the first example.  There will be a mix of paid and free content.

There are a few interesting points to note:

1. I’ve been waiting.  The Wii has the most intuitive channel (as in TV channel) interface.  It’s easy enough that my kids would probably prefer watching video through the Wii than flipping through the cable remote.
2. Is this a partial story?  I’m assuming a December 25th story means either it’s bad news (not the case) or it was leaked the Reuters rushed by print it (my bet)
3. The are launching with a cable like model of paid  premium and free entertainment.
4. The article implies that Nintendo and Dentsu are matching the content to the demographic.   They are producing for the Wii so that, like the video game strategy, they are not being all things to all people, but offering a specific type of content to the Wii demographic (just as casual and easy games are specific to the Wii demographic).
5. A video distribution service by an ad agency?  Does this show a new era of monetization where you don’t create and pray for money, but create with the money?

And what are the implications?

Bandwidth providers have to change their models.  I’m betting them get out of the entertainment game and end up providing tiered bandwidth along with partner devices…similar to where wireless carriers have been heading.  So, the next generation may decide they want AT&T bandwidth with the entertainment that comes along in a Wii set top box just as today we choose AT&T Wireless with the content and services that come with an iPhone or Blackberry.

At the same time, Politico announced they will give stories to papers for free and share ad revenue – and Political and Addify will share the ads.  In other words, they are taking the Web video model to print.  Creating content, integrating in advertisements, and then pushing that content out as much as possible to increase viewership of the content and ads.  I’ve always favored Web video as it carries brand messages and advertisements wherever it goes.  But, as Politico is showing, text content can do the same thing.  

Read more at http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/09/10/the-start-of-reverse-syndication-and-end-of-the-ap/

Why?

• Ads still look best on television and they will become as interactive as online advertising.  IPTV and interactive TV platforms will allow increased targeted and clicks and purchases right from the couch (couch potato purchases).
• People want TV.  Remote clicking couch potatoes  don’t want to become desk potatoes but they do watch Hulu when that’s the only way to get TV on demand (and we are in a when-we-want-it era).   As online video become increasingly accessible through the TV (fast, high quality, TV interface etc), many web video hours will revert to TV watching hours. 
• Your set top box will increase it’s share of Web features and technology while retaining that couch potato optimized TV interface and remote control controllability.

For an example of where we are heading, just plug in an XBox and you can download a variety of HD content for television watching using a remote control.  Plug in a Sony Playstation 3 (or Nintendo Wii) and you can watch video through Web video sites using your remote control for the console.  I particularly like the PS3 video in a Web browser experience as it shows the equivalent of unlimited TV on demand.  From a media perspective, it’s the equivalent of being able to launch unlimited video channels just as you would as Web page (since it’s all  Web technology designed for the bigger screen).

Now, in addition to the XBox 360’s and PS3’s (to be launched) video download stores, there are rumors of Netflix (and a few wishful rumors about Hulu) being made available through these consoles. 

Now add in a video advertising network  to these platforms and you have a whole new world of television media.  Instead of watching a Netflix movie on a pay per view basis, you can watch a free one with commercials or in-video ads (which you can click on to purchase goods or get more information.

In the end, consumers, entertainers (would you rather be a TV star on a 17 inch screen or a 62 inch screen), media companies, brands and advertisers all are big fans of television.  When they can combine TV screen size with Web type interactivity, choice and features, the hype momentum and dollars will likely swing back to focusing on the large screen.    Set top box makers, cable and IPTV companies and the video game console makers are planning for that day.

Why? Because the browser if perfectly capable showing streaming video and people more and more see the Web in general as video platform.

For this to happen we need to see three basic things:

1. Consumers see the Playstation 3 as an online video device (the video store may address that with a successful launch)
2. Video providers create Web pages designed to be viewed and controlled through a TV screen hooked up to the PS3 (think of a media center web page design with links to high quality embedded flash video).
3. Theses web page based video channels are marketed to the PS3 community which now sees the device as an online video device

 A lot has to happen for this to succeed.  However, the fact that Playstation has both the ability and flexibility to deliver a variety of video (beyond the store) means there’s a lot of potential waiting to be addressed.

Read more on Sony confirming the video downloads at:
http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/06/sony-confirms-v.html

.

Will people use an online service to send postcards to their friends?

If the marketing is done right, they will.  While I don’t have stats, anecdotally, I do find that people still prefer paper when it comes to receiving personal cards (nothing against Blue Mountaineers – I’m one of them).   Hippopost has gotten off to a good start with a Facebook app to make it easy to send to friends. (http://app.facebook.com/hippopost).

How will the ads appear on the postcard?  I can’t yet judge that as I have not received one.  I’ll update this post when I do.

There’s a great opportunity for people looking to deliver messages directly to consumers.  I love the idea of putting messages on a piece of paper where I know the chance is high the consumer will see it.  However, what will I know about that consumer? 

The bottom line is that it’s a very interesting concept that combines social networks (where people send cards to each other) with the benefits of offline marketing (people read their mail) and an engage audience (people read postcards closely).  There may be some challenges but we’ve written to get both a sample card and an ad kit and will update this review as we get more information.