Panel on the Future of Online Content & Livestream!

****Click here for the video: Livestream of the event

Thank you to my panelists, attendees, and Ustream participants for a successful and informative panel!

[Here's the eMarketer chart we discussed showing advertising spending for online video and projections until 2011. I asked my panelists about these projections, and if they thought they'd remain accurate. Considering that advertisers still spend around $65 Billion a year for television ads, $4 Billion in 2011 is a comparatively small piece of the pie, however they thought this was a low estimate. Much of the sentiment from the panel puts these numbers in context--much needed after you've read Paul La Monica's pithy blog post on these numbers. We discussed what was possible for online video despite the comparatively low spending thus far.]

I’m moderating I’ve moderated a panel on the future of online video content, from the perspective of those who are actually creating online content in a professional manner. I created this panel for the premier of a television show I co-created for Tru TV. Rather than go on about my experiences with network television, I thought it more appropriate to look to the future, especially because my primary profession is that of emerging media specialist, not a creator-producer in the entertainment industry.

Thank you to Robert Richman! Rob summed this up quite well in his guest post on Andrew Warner’s Mixergy.com blog. Here are Rob’s conclusions:

1. Content will take the lead
We’ve seen it before. When the technology becomes a commodity, it’s the aggregators and the content that win. But don’t get trapped in that word. Stretch your imagination for what that term (content) really means. It’s just what we use to fill a medium. What might that mean? What would the first crowdsourced movie look like? 

2. Brands will be the new VC’s.
As the technologies become more ubiquitous and free we’ll see another shakeout (and more outfits like Ycombinator). As traditional media becomes more and more irrelevant, brands will seek new channels to reach new customers, while strengthening brand loyalty with the existing ones. So if you have something that can get attention, think about what brand is in alignment with those interests and values. Prove you have something that people will use or watch, and you may just have an investor. 

3. People don’t like to pay money, but advertisers will.
Yes, it’s shockingly that simple. Go where the money is. People do not want to pay for content, and unless Paypal can streamline a one-click micropayment, we’re not going to see much change. So stop mining the miners and look at the big skyscrapers up-town. Nielsen is having a harder and harder time tracking ratings. You’ve got the razor’s edge. They want to bleed.

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My Panelists Included:

• Amanda Congdon, the host and executive producer of Sometimesdaily. http://sometimesdaily.com/ and blogger at http://amandacongdon.com
• Gilad Lotan - Technologist / Digital Media, Endemol USA -http://endemolusa.tv
• Ken LaZebnik from http://www.Strike.tv
• Hayden Black of Goodnight Burbank: http://goodnightburbank.com and http://www.abigailsxratedteendiary.com
• Michael Pilla of http://www.indieflix.com
• Tim Street of http://www.frenchmaidtv.com/
• Doug and Rosanne Welch, http://welchwrite.com  especially with regard to podcasting
• Espree Devora, owner of http://www.Zexsports.com
• Martine Beerman, writer and producer of “Guide to Getting a Life” athttp://www.thestream.tv

Several audience members and Ustream participants asked insightful questions. Thank you to BLANKSPACES for the amazing event space, thank you to Asahi for their sponsorship, thank you to TechZulu for recording the event and livestreaming it for all of us to enjoy.