WebProNews

Tag: Web Video

  • Video Platform Brightcove Reports Gains in Q1

    Web video platform Brightcove reported a revenue of $19.9 million in its first quarter posting, and looks to be doing well after filing an IPO in February.

    Brightcove, founded in 2004, has recently announced an update to their App Cloud development platform, and presently has 4,254 customers as of March 31st, a 49% increase over the last year. App Cloud helps companies develop apps while using its online interface, and then render them as iPhone and Android native apps.

    Along with the almost $20 million in revenue, Brightcove posted a gross profit of $13.6 million, up from $8.7 million in Q1, 2011. The company posted losses of $4.4 million in Q1, 2011, and did better this year, at $3.2 million.

    Brightcove CEO Jeremy Allaire states, “We are pleased to announce strong financial results, highlighted by 53% revenue growth year-over-year, in our first quarter as a public company,” adding, “Brightcove continues to expand its market share leadership position, and we believe the company is well positioned at the center of multiple powerful growth trends – video, mobile, cloud and social. With the proceeds from our IPO, we have greater resources to execute our growth strategy and expand our market leadership position.”

  • AOL Launches a New Video Platform: AOL On

    AOL announced yesterday at its 2012 Digital Content NewFront event that the company has launched a new online video platform called AOL On. The platform and website will feature videos from AOL’s various entertainment and news offerings. The videos at the site can be viewed from PC’s, tablet devices, mobile devices, and connected TV’s.

    “AOL is a brand company. We offer innovative platforms like the AOL On Network, along with vibrant and engaging video content that we know people are flocking to the Web to consume at an unprecedented velocity,” said Tim Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of AOL. “With the launch of AOL On we are bringing people closer to the things that matter, while helping them discover and share the stories and information that color their lives.”

    The centerpiece of AOL On is the website, which AOL calls the “video hub.” From the site AOL will promote its video content through channels and playlists. Think YouTube without the user generated content. The videos on On will be curated into 14 channels:

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Style
    • Tech
    • Business
    • Food
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Autos
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Video Games
    • Pets

    The videos featured on the site currently seem to be mostly celebrity and entertainment news. Tags that look the same as the speech bubble in the AOL On logo cover some of the videos. The tags are reminiscent of those on sites such as BuzzFeed, including “Trending,” “OMG!,” and “MUST SEE!!!”

    What do you think? Will you frequent the AOL On site for its content? Is AOL too late to the party with its new video platform? Check out AOL’s launch video for On and leave a comment below.


  • Blinkx Misses Sales Predictions

    Blinkx Misses Sales Predictions

    Video index and advertising firm blinkx is rapidly expanding, though failed to meet analysts’ projections, according to their report. blinkx, based in San Francisco and London, reported a 12-month revenue of $114 million, less than the $121.5 million analysts had predicted. Still, this is a 72% increase from a year ago.

    blinkx CEO Suranga Chandratillake states, ”Whilst it is disappointing to deliver revenues a little below expectations it is worth noting that in a challenging economic climate, blinkx outperformed the aggressive growth of the online video advertising industry by over 80 percent.”

    With online video benefitting from more professional content, as well as making the jump form the desktop to the living room entertainment center, blinkx appears to be in a good position – the platform carries over 35 million hours of searchable video coming from 720 media partners, and the site exceeded 100 million unique users in January. The company expects an operating profit of $10.3 million, but $1.3 million in actual profit.

    According to eMarketer, digitial video advertising sales will grow over twice as fast as that of the overall online market through the end of the year. Video is expected to bring in $3.12 billion in 2012 and $9.3 billion by 2016.

    The latest reports on the state of online advertising are on par with a study from April of last year, concerning more marketing budgets turning to online video.

  • Super Bowl Parade Fight! Giants Fans Come To Blows

    What is it about smartphones, YouTube, and social media in general that turns normal people into a useless crowd of video “auteurs” who’re more concerned with getting a video up instead of preventing others from needlessly hurting each other?

    Granted, Internet videos of people fighting are as old as the invention of online video, but after seeing these pop up over and over again after any sporting event of note, it’s becoming clear that the downfall of society will not be a nuclear war or a zombie apocalypse.

    It will be because people were too concerned with getting good video of the world crumbling around them instead of trying to do something about it.

    Perhaps I’m overreacting, but after watching the upcoming video of Giants fans fighting at the Super Bowl parade — female fans, no less — the fact people are more concerned with letting the fight happen, all so they can film it is disheartening.

    Or maybe I’m just getting old. Here’s the video in question:

    Cat fight! Cat fight!

    Let me guess. The first girl slept with the other girl’s boyfriend while Eli Manning was doing his MVP thing at the Super Bowl and got caught. Now, they’re playing the feud while a bunch of useless bystanders sit, watch, and video. Naturally, additional fights break out — again with females — as they, I don’t know, try to defend their “girl’s” honor?

    Or maybe they just wanted to be on YouTube with they hair flying hither, dither and yon.

    While the fighting itself is pretty standard for an Internet video, I’m still drawn to the crowd, one that’s more concerned with getting good video instead of putting a stop to the needless fracas. Is this what we’ve become? A society of attention whores who care more about being popular on the Internet than acting in a somewhat civilized manner?

    Like I said, maybe I’m just getting old.

  • FedEx Uses YouTube To Issue Delivery Driver Apology

    By now, you’ve probably seen, or at least heard about the FedEx delivery driver who was caught on tape demonstrating some incredibly effective package delivery techniques. If not, familiarize yourself:


    Needless to say, Mister Throw Packages became a viral hit after his actions were uploaded — on December 19, 2011; it now has over 4.5 million views — which, in turn, caused his employers to take respond in a swift manner. And so, FedEx did what most companies who have a sense of tech savvy on their side do: Use the Internet to convey their message. What normally might have been done with a paid-for commercial block can now be done through the power of YouTube. Not only does this take on a grassroots feel of its own, there’s no doubt it cuts down on productions costs.

    What do you think costs more? A public service announcement on YouTube, or unique (and often funny) ad content to be consumed by the masses, complete with actors who want to be paid for their time? The answer is pretty obvious, especially once you see FedEx’s thoughtful response, one that undoubtedly was cheaper to make. There’s nothing wrong with a pragmatic approach, especially if the message is getting through:


    Swift, decisive action, complete with a straight-forward, capitulation-filled approach.

    It should be noted the FedEx apology has not received near the amount of views as the package-tossing video did, which isn’t surprising. Controversy sells, especially when the mainstream media picks up on it, and the offending video was seen on local news channels across the nation. It’s actually unfortunate these same outlets won’t give the apology the same kind of airplay, but then again, being nice doesn’t sell quite as well.

    It should also be noted the fate of the delivery driver is unknown. In the apology, Matthew Thornton III, FedEx Express Senior VP, indicates the driver is no longer working with customers, but the implication is being made that he’s still employed with FedEx. Maybe they have him locked in the company pillory as punishment.