NNN Clipbook 022609

Public Relations Summary
Mid-November 2008 – February 2009
Prepared by LaunchSquad
611 Mission Street, 7th Floor  San Francisco, CA 94105

415-625-8555  nnn@launchsquad.com
Executive Summary
Since November of 2008, LaunchSquad has worked with Next New Networks to promote its
corporate story, further establish its presence in the new media space, and refine PR messaging
for use across all its networks. Additionally, LaunchSquad executed aggressive campaigns
around several networks, including launch efforts for $99 Music Videos and Barely Digital, and
ongoing efforts for ThreadBanger, Indy Mogul, Barely Political, Fast Lane Daily, Channel
Frederator and TMI Weekly. Throughout these efforts, LaunchSquad has leveraged both
momentum within the online video sphere and timely network video content to garner
prominent coverage spanning major business, industry and consumer media.
LaunchSquad helped jumpstart $99 Music Videos with more than 55 pieces of coverage within
two days of launch, including prominent pieces in The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, Reuters, The
Hollywood Reporter, Advertising Age, Billboard, popular music publication CMJ and several
other key business and consumer publications. In addition to hitting all the major online media
publications including NewTeeVee, TV Week, MediaPost, Contentinople and others, blog
coverage of the launch included Mashable, a social media blog with a Twitter following of over
100,000, Laughing Squid, with over 31,000 Twitter followers, and a wide range of other blogs
spanning online, music and film topic areas.
The Barely Digital launch kicked off with an exclusive in The New York Times, followed by a
media push resulting in major advertising and technology media hits including TechCrunch,
NewTeeVee, PCWorld, Beet.tv, and All Things D.
LaunchSquad continued to tap into the active political vibe with a Barely Political Inauguration
push, which resulted in a flurry of media activity including “Obama Girl’s” second stint on “The
O’Reilly Factor,” another appearance on “Geraldo at Large,” and coverage in The Associated
Press, People.com and major national newspapers such as New York Daily News, Chicago
Tribune and The Boston Globe.
Next New Networks corporate coverage included several pieces in a range of online media and
advertising outlets such as Advertising Age, GigaOm, All Things D, TV Week, NewTeeVee and
MediaPost. Highlights of LaunchSquad’s ongoing efforts for other networks include a
ThreadBanger piece in the New York Post’s Page Six Magazine, coverage of Fast Lane Daily’s
500th episode milestone in NewTeeVee and TV Week, and CNET coverage of Garage 419. Since
mid-November 2008, LaunchSquad has secured more than 40 briefings spanning business,
industry and consumer media.
LaunchSquad has also incorporated speaking opportunities and awards programs into ongoing
PR efforts. LaunchSquad collaborated with Next New Networks to secure Webby Award short
list finalists in seven categories. Additionally, LaunchSquad submitted Next New Networks’
networks for Streamy Awards in four categories and secured Tim Shey to appear as keynote
speaker at Light Reading’s Contentonomics conference later this year.
The following document provides further details regarding Next New Networks’ corporate and
network-related public relations achievements and activities from mid-November through
present, including a summary of coverage highlights for each network.
$99 Music Videos
Coverage Highlights
 
By Elizabeth Holmes
Calling all crooners and carolers looking for time in front of a camera.
Indie bands and under-the-radar filmmakers are being brought together by the folks at Next New
Networks, a Web company that set out to create a litter of niche video networks on a variety of
topics. After launching more than a dozen sites on topics from autos to comic books, it is trying its
hand at music videos.
La Strada’s video for “The Sun Song” on 99dollarmusicvideos.com
Today it’s launching a video network

called $99 Music Videos which features
music videos made for — you guessed it
— just $99.
The site is designed to introduce music

fans to unknown acts, says Fred Seibert,
MTV’s first creative director and a co-
founder of Next New Networks. Its
founders saw a “unique space between
what iTunes is providing and what
YouTube is providing, in a branded sort
of way,” he says.
The barebones structure is simple: the

site matches bands and directors and asks them to shoot a music video in one day for $99 or
less. Professionally produced music videos can cost upwards of $100,000 or more.
Filmmakers can use any equipment they have access to, but any money they spend on the video
has to be within the budget. Coffee the morning of the shoot, for example, is included.
Each collaboration also comes with a separate behind-the-scenes video, which is capped off with
a rundown of where the money went. The fruits of a new duo will launch each week on the site.
Next New Networks will also include a guide to making inexpensive music videos and is hoping to
feature user-generated $99 videos on the site as well.
“It’s hard for an emerging band to get a video made,” says Tim Shey, head of entertainment and
another co-founder of Next New Networks. “We’re great at finding producers for video.”
Music videos, especially titles from well-known artists, are some of the most-watched video
content on the Web. Google’s YouTube channels for Universal Music Group, Sony BMG and
Hollywood Records are the all-time most viewed, with more than 4 billion video views between
them. The most popular video of all time on YouTube is Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” music video,
with more than 115 million views.
But there’s a place for more amateur music videos as well. “Evolution of Dance,” a six-minute
video of a man performing a variety of dance moves, is the second-most-popular video of all time
on YouTube, with 114 million views. Next New Networks aims to create a new “prosumer” niche.
The first video to launch on $99 Music Videos comes from Jack Ferry, an independent filmmaker
who specializes Web video, and La Strada, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based band. They filmed the video
for “The Sun Song” in different parts of New York City, including Ellis Island and a backyard in
Brooklyn (where Mr. Ferry was concerned about the possibility of neighbors complaining).
Verizon is the launch sponsor of the site. In addition to ads that run adjacent to both videos there
is a Verizon “high-speed tip” plunked in the middle of the explanatory video. For the La Strada
video, Mr. Ferry shows viewers how he digitally manipulated the video footage to give it an old
world feel.
Back in 1981, Fred Seibert helped create MTV. Now he'd like to re-create it on the web with a
new network devoted to music videos made in a day for $99 or less.
That's the theme of the latest "network," called $99 Music Video, from web-production studio Next
New Networks. "I was there at the start of MTV and this has the same feeling all over again," said
Mr. Seibert, a co-founder of NNN.
The idea is to give signed and unsigned bands the opportunity to create a video and have it
distributed and promoted by Next New Networks and a new website, 99dollarmusicvideos.com.
This, of course, isn't too unlike what thousands of bands are already doing, but Next New
Networks is giving the DIY videos a marketing push to separate them from the clutter of YouTube
and MySpace.
Verizon FiOS is sponsoring the series, with the message "$99 music videos are best experienced
with Verizon FiOS internet."
Next New Networks gets a three-month exclusive window to distribute the video and then it
shares distribution rights with the band and/or the band's label, which ultimately owns the video.
Next New Networks will produce one of these a week, in collaboration with a different band, as
well as a "making of" video with behind-the-scenes footage and Verizon brand integration. As
head of programming Tim Shey points out, a lot has changed between 1981 and today, in
particular a band's ability to produce really good-looking video on a shoestring.
For Next New Networks, producer of series such as "Barely Political" and "Channel Frederator,"
it's another source of cheap, brand-friendly programming. The company has raised $23 million
from the likes of Spark Capital, Saban Media Group, Pilot Group, Velocity Partners and Goldman
Sachs, and needs to build its footprint and ad revenue.
How did the bands do for $99? Here's "The Sun Song" from La Strada, filmed in subzero
temperatures on a ferry to Ellis Island and in what appears to be a Brooklyn backyard.
And the "Making of La Strada":
By Georg Szalai
Feb 19, 2009, 07:00 AM ET
Online TV firm Next New Networks and Verizon FiOS are launching an online network Thursday
called $99 Music Videos to showcase the talents of emerging musicians and filmmakers.
The companies say they are looking to create an MTV for the digital and iTunes age against the
backdrop of strong consumer interest in online music videos.
The network pairs musicians and filmmakers to produce original music videos for no more than
$99, potentially giving them exposure to new fans.
The network launch kicks off with an original video for "The Sun Song" by La Strada, directed by
executive producer and Webby Award-winning filmmaker Jack Ferry.
New videos will premiere every Thursday at 99dollarmusicvideos.com. Directors also include Dan
Meth, Ana Veselic, Kathleen Grace and Matthew Semel. Upcoming music talent includes Jeffrey
Lewis & the Junkyard, Via Audio, Plushgun, the Depreciation Guild, Project Jenny, Project Jan,
Lowry and Savoir Adore Frances.
The forces behind the network include MTV's original creative director Fred Seibert, a co-founder
and the creative director of Next New Networks; Felicia Williams, former entertainment content
manager at YouTube and Next New's director of creative development; and Ferry.
"$99 Music Video stands for everything that's exciting about Web entertainment today in bringing
together rising star bands, creative filmmaking and a low-cost vibe to create original, fresh
content," Seibert said. "I was there at the start of MTV, and this has the same feeling all over
again."
Verizon is the exclusive launch sponsor for the network, which initially will consist of two shows: a
behind-the-scenes look at the videos and the finished videos themselves. Viewers can rate the
videos and submit their own.
By Georg Szalai
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Online TV firm Next New Networks and fiber-optic service
Verizon FiOS are launching an online network Thursday called $99 Music Videos to showcase
the talents of emerging musicians and filmmakers.
The companies say they aim to create an MTV for the digital and iTunes age against the
The forces behind the network include MTV's original creative director, Fred Seibert, a co-founder
again."
(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

Next New Networks, which tallied a staggering 300 million
views last year with "Obama Girl" and other initiatives, has a
new trick up its sleeve: 99 Dollar Music Videos, which
showcases music videos with double-digit budgets.
The site's goal is to match directors and bands, giving

directors exposure while offering bands a finished product they can embed anywhere, while Next New
Networks racks up ad views for its sponsors. The site's founders, one of whom was the original creative
director at another erstwhile music video startup, MTV, hope it will become MTV for Web 2.0.
Two of the brains behind the operation are Next New Networks co-founders Fried Seibert (formerly of
MTV) and head of entertainment Tim Shey. Their big idea is to explore a new spectrum on the video
continuum somewhere between the user-generated videos on YouTube, which are usually made without
any input from or access to the band, and old school, big budget MTV-style videos that cost too much for
most internet applications.
We caught up with Siebert and Shea to find out how 99 Dollar Music Videos will work, where the idea
came from, how you can get your video on the site (no, they won't send you $99).
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Eliot Van Buskirk, Wired.com: Can you tell me about Next New Networks, which launched this site?
Fred Seibert, Next New Networks, formerly of MTV: We formed it with a group of people who had a
common point of view: that new mediums demand new brands.We saw people trying to adapt existing
brands into internet television, but new brands on the internet was where we thought the action was going
to be. We hope to be the equivalent of Turner Broadcasting or MTV Networks for the internet.
Wired.com: Can you expand on why traditional companies are at a disadvantage online? Is it just legacy
thinking?
Seibert: Existing companies don't see themselves in the internet business, they see themselves in whatever
business they're already in, and they're wondering how the internet is going to affect their business. The
same thing was true with the launch of cable. ABC, CBS and NBC didn't see themselves in the cable
business -- they just wondered how it was going to hurt them, and that put them at a disadvantage. Whereas
Turner Broadcasting, MTV Networks, A&E and others looked at the new medium fresh, and said, 'Okay,
how can we build a business here?' We look at the internet exactly the same way. We weren't adapting
anything. In the last two years, we've honed our techniques in super-distribution, promotion and marketing
to develop these audiences into robust television communities to the point where our company had 300
million targeted video views last year.
I was one of the first employees of MTV. I was the original creative director, and in fact I maintain a
relationship with them to this day. But there is this continually large community on the internet that is
always looking for new music videos. After two years of developing our expertise, we realized that we
were at a point where we thought we could be helpful to the bands and to their record companies, but
mostly to the audience.
Wired.com: Was there a precise, "Eureka" moment when this idea came about?
Tim Shey, Next New Networks: About a

year ago, one of the employees of Next
New Networks sent me a video she'd done
(to the right), I think using iMovie. She
was friends with a band called The Vettes,
down in New Orleans. They're a really
popular band in the South, and they needed
a music video. Michelle, being a go-getter,
put together a music video on her own
time. It went outside any process by which
I'd ever seen a music video get made; it
was like those fan videos on YouTube, but
this one was more collaborative with the
band.
The band loved it and immediately

embedded it on their MySpace page. For
me, that was the moment. There's all these
emerging bands, there's all these emerging filmmakers, and the whole YouTube revolution is like desktop
publishing twenty years ago -- if you've got a great idea, the means of production are there. We've worked
with thousands of animators and filmmakers on IndyMogul, not to mention all our other networks. A lot of
them want to make a music video, and lots of great bands need music videos. If we can match those two
things up, and become a venue where the videos debut, it could be a pretty fun thing.
We met Jack Ferry (now of Next New Networks), and he'd worked on a couple hit viral videos and popular
web series. He had a similar idea, and told us 'I want to make $99 music videos.' Fred and I loved that
immediately.
Wired.com: How are you going to make sure people only spend 99 bucks?
Shey: That's part of the fun, that we might break the rules. One of the inspirations for this is definitely
IndyMogul, one of our other networks with a show on it that shows you how to make special effects for
under 50 bucks. If they're making an exploding head, or a gunshot wound -- how much money do they
really have to spend? Part of the fun of IndyMogul is seeing if they are able to do it for the price;
sometimes they fudge things a little bit, sometimes they go over, and that's part of the story. So far, all the
music videos have come in under budget, but we do make them turn in their receipts, and we do hand them
an envelope with $99 at the beginning of the shoot, so there are some things to keep the rules going. But
part of the fun is seeing if people are going to play by the rules.
Seibert: Many of these directors are emerging directors, just like they are emerging bands. They don't have
a lot of resources, and they don't have a lot of time, so the limitations on there are actually one of the things
that attract directors to the equation. They realize that they can put their real talent and skill set into play,
rather than spending a lot of money.
Wired.com: Yeah, and I guess they don't have to worry about being outdone by somebody who spends a
thousand dollars. Are there going to be explicit mechanisms for matching bands and directors, or how is
that going to work?
Shey: For the first few months, we want to get this idea out there, so we commissioned videos and recruited
directors from our networks who were really excited about the idea, matching bands with directors that
have a similar sensibility to ensure that they have good chemistry. But the goal is for this to become a
venue where people meet each other. We already have a mechanism where anybody can submit their own
$99 music videos, so bands and directors can get together on their own. We also would love to create some
sort of clearinghouse for bands and directors to set up profiles and meet each other. If this is a hit, there are
a lot of things that can go from there, and that's happened on a lot of our other sites already.
Seibert: Our goal isn't 'Oh, look what bands we can put together with directors we know.' The issue is to
facilitate the process for the bands and directors to be able to get further, faster -- and for us to create an
entertainment network out of that.
(Interview continues below.)
Wired.com: Going back to the $99 envelope you hand out when you organize the video, is there a way for
people to sign up to get that? Obviously, the potential for fraud is there, but if I'm a director, can I get 99
bucks from you guys?
Seibert: What we can't do is start assigning directors to bands, without the band being a part of it. There
was a director who I really like, but the band took one look at his videos, and loved his stuff, but said 'that
isn't really what we're about.' The only way this is going to be successful creatively is for the bands and
directors to be in love with each other. Part of our gig is to facilitate that love, as it were.
Shey: We're hoping they can scrape together $99 -- it's more about the spirit of making it. This is an
amount of money that any band or any director can pull together, if they've got a vision. One of the music
videos in our initial run was made for $6.
Wired.com: I assume you guys are a preferred YouTube partner at this point, with 300 million views...
Seibert: We have been from the beginning. We're actually one of the first preferred YouTube partners.
Wired.com: So is the point for the bands and directors to get exposure, or do they get a share of the ad
revenue you get from YouTube as a preferred partner?
Seibert: This is not about us developing and acquiring programs to own. In the final analysis, the band gets
a video, to do with it what they want. If they want to sell it, god bless them, if they want to give it away --
whatever it is they need to do. We're thrilled to facilitate that process and, in the meantime, build our
network.
Shey: And if the band has a song for sale on iTunes, we're linking to that as well.
Wired.com: How does the sponsorship aspect work?
Shey: Our shows are structured like television, so that allows us to put media in between the shows. And
when we do deeper sponsorships, that will involve everything from a presence on the website to,
sometimes, some integration within the episodes themselves. In the case of $99 Music Videos, there is the
chance for sponsors to get mentioned within the video programming.
(Interview continues below.)
Wired.com: Is the video is the new song? Is this what bands should be releasing, or is it still a parallel
thing, the way it has been in the past?
Seibert: I think that they exist together and apart, simultaneously. Music videos themselves, at the best
moments, become cultural artifacts by themselves. The post-Web 2.0 moment is this place where bands
that have been making their own music now for 30, 40, 50 years, technology has enabled them not only to
make videos on their own -- or to find 99-dollar friends to make them -- but are able to put them out into
the world on their own. They can become standalone artifacts or they can become completely integrated
with the song.
Shey: We're going to be using all of those Web 2.0 promotional tools -- a twitter account that promotes all
the videos that people can re-tweet, a Tumblr blog that will put all the videos out, and we're present on
YouTube, iTunes and Yahoo. Everything's embeddable, so we'll be in a lot of places. And a lot of the bands
are pretty savvy, so they'll be putting the videos on their MySpace pages. We're really trying to embrace the
way fans spread music and media, using everything we've learned over the last couple years, to help the
bands shout with a louder voice than they have on their own.
Wired.com: Is there any reason for having a huge video budget these days?
Seibert: I was involved in the beginning of music television. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was the record-
breaker, with a million and a half dollars. Within the same two year period, we had a thing called "Fish
Heads," which was literally stop-motion of fish heads. [We cannot embed the video here due to Warner
Music Group's policy of muting or deleting its videos]. That must have cost someone $200. At the same
time, we had a video from Flock of Seagulls, which cost about $5,000. It's just like recordings; there are
bands like The Eagles, which spend millions and millions of dollars making records, and there are punk
rock bands that spend hundreds of dollars making records.
I don't think music, on any level, is defined by budgets one way or the other. It can be expensive and
wonderful, or expensive and crummy. It can be cheap and crummy or cheap and wonderful.
Take an indie artist on the rise, a filmmaker with extremely limited resources, and give them both
one day and $99 dollars to create a music video. What’s the final product? A $99 music video.
If you think that scenario leaves room for drama, action, and potential genius, then you’re thinking
like the minds behind the scenes of the brand new $99 Music Videos Network. Starting today, the
destination site, from Next New Networks and Verizon FiOS, will debut one new music video and
one making of the music video each Thursday and distribute it via YouTube and iTunes.
The network hopes to bring together up and coming artists with independent filmmakers to create
$99 works of music art. Today’s big release is La Strada’s new video for The Sun Song, and the
behind-the-scenes footage documenting how it came to be.
If it sounds like a show straight out of MTV’s programming line-up, that probably has to do with
the fact that Fred Seibert, MTV’s original creative director, is behind the effort. He’s joined by
Felicia Williams, formerly with YouTube, and Webby Award winner and series creator Jack Ferry.
Together the creative minds hope to support both musicians and filmmakers, and promote
original content to a wide audience through a variety of social outlets like YouTube, iTunes,
Twitter, Tumblr, and Verizon’s Facebook page.
Check out this week’s big debut and let us know what you think of the project in the comments.
Make Your Own Music Video For $99
Feb 20, 2009
Story by: Maria Burks
Next New Networks and Verizon FiOS have partnered up to create the $99 Music Videos online
entertainment network, which will showcase music videos created by musicians and filmmakers
on a $99 budget. The network launched yesterday, and featured the original video for emerging
indie pop band La Strada’s “Sun Song”.
The goal of $99 Music videos is to give musicians and filmmakers an opportunity to showcase
their work at a low price while still getting their product out to a large audience. Another perk for
the contributing artists is that even after their video is aired, the band still holds the ownership
rights to the material.
Melissa Schneider, executive producer of $99 Music videos told CMJ that “The spirit of the series
is fun, quirky, and clever music videos made by professional filmmakers, with the energy and
immediacy of web video.”
The website contains two parts: the videos themselves, and brief behind-the-scenes featurettes
documenting the creative process.
“We've found the $99 Music Video concept has gotten both the filmmakers and musicians
excited,” Schneider said. “Creating a cap on the budget turns the process into a creative
challenge.”
The website accepts contributions from anyone willing to create a music video, but the rules state
that it must be a collaboration between a band and a filmmaker using $99 or less, allowing only
24 hours for shooting and 24 hours to edit the material.
Tim Shey of Next New Networks told CMJ that the purpose of $99 Music Videos was to “show
people that great music videos are about ideas and execution, not budgets.”
Jack Ferry, the creator of $99 Music Videos credits CMJ for helping him find most of the bands
featured on the site. “We saw roughly 35 different bands during the music marathon this past
year. We discovered many great NYC bands and we just started approaching them” he said.
The filmmakers featured on the site include those already working for Next New Networks, some
local filmmakers Ferry knew from attending NYU film school, as well as filmmakers whose work
Ferry had seen online.
www.99dollarmusicvideos.com
Next New Networks is seeking to tap into its music DNA
with the launch of a new video site with a funny name:
$99 Music Videos. The idea is to offer emerging artists
and filmmakers a low-cost promotional vehicle—as
anyone can submit their video (provided it cost about $99
to produce), and fans can rate their favorite submissions.
The N.Y.-based digital content production and distribution

company has signed on Verizon (NYSE: VZ) as the
exclusive launch partner, promoting its FiOS internet service with banners and graphics
throughout the site. It’s not clear whether this is an extended partnership, or if the site will need to
drum up new sponsors over the coming months—but launching with ad dollars already in hand
gives $99 Music Videos some breathing room while it tries to acquire a bigger audience. Next
New Networks’ Co-founder and Creative Director Fred Seibert was MTV’s original creative
director and subsequently held the role of president of MTV Networks Online. Last month, the
company rolled out Barely Digital, a video site that spoofs the new media and tech space.
Rory adds: This is an interesting attempt to marry music discovery with online video in a way that
advertisers may find attractive. But the company isn’t entering unchartered waters. Several years
ago, a site call Music Nation (http://www.musicnation.com) launched an almost identical site that
called for unsigned bands to upload their music videos as part of a contest that awarded the
winner with a record deal from Epic Records (though there was no cap on production costs). The
site had difficulty building an audience and attracting advertisers and has since changed course,
re-formatting the site as more of a community where emerging musicians and fans connect.
The name is a little misleading for a video site. The videos don't cost $99 to watch. The site
(www.99dollarmusicvideos.com), which launched today by Next New Networks, will host videos
made from the collaboration of budding video producers and bands that cost less than $99 to
make.
Next New Networks says it hopes to appeal to "to a new generation of filmmakers by
demonstrating innovative techniques to produce innovative music videos using limited
resources." The best videos sent in will get prime time placement on the homepage of the site.
The reason I think this site has a chance is that video is huge among the twenty-somethings; and
yes, so are bands. And while bands can post their home-made videos practically anywhere on
the web for free, there's really no place that specializes in low-budget videos, as $99 Dollar Music
Videos is proposing. Sure you can post your video anywhere from MySpace to Facebook to
YouTube, but it gets lost in many other categories of content.
The site it being developed by, among others, Fred Seibert, MTV's original creative director.
Seibert is saying it feels like old times. "I was there at the start of MTV and this has the same
feeling all over again . . ." That may be overstating the potential of the site just a little bit, but
Seibert's involvement is notable.
Next New Networks is perhaps best known for its Barely Political property, which is responsible
for creating the "Obama Girl" videos.
To me the only thing more boring that watching some unknown band's crappy looking video is
watching a "the making of" video of that video, and, yep, $99 Music Videos has those too. But I'm
just a regular Joe--young musicians and filmmakers may flock to the site to check out the work of
their peers, and look for new collaborators.
The name is a little misleading for a video site. The videos don't cost US$99 to watch. The site
(www.99dollarmusicvideos.com), which launched Thursday by Next New Networks, will host
videos made from the collaboration of budding video producers and bands that cost less than $99
to make.
Next New Networks says it hopes to appeal to "to a new generation of filmmakers by
demonstrating innovative techniques to produce innovative music videos using limited
resources." The best videos sent in will get prime time placement on the homepage of the site.
The reason I think this site has a chance is that video is huge among the twenty-somethings; and
yes, so are bands. And while bands can post their home-made videos practically anywhere on
the web for free, there's really no place that specializes in low-budget videos, as $99 Dollar Music
Videos is proposing. Sure you can post your video anywhere from MySpace to Facebook to
YouTube, but it gets lost in many other categories of content.
The site it being developed by, among others, Fred Seibert, MTV's original creative director.
Seibert is saying it feels like old times. "I was there at the start of MTV and this has the same
feeling all over again . . ." That may be overstating the potential of the site just a little bit, but
Seibert's involvement is notable.
Next New Networks is perhaps best known for its Barely Political property, which is responsible
for creating the "Obama Girl" videos.
To me the only thing more boring that watching some unknown band's crappy looking video is
watching a "the making of" video of that video, and, yep, $99 Music Videos has those too. But I'm
just a regular Joe--young musicians and filmmakers may flock to the site to check out the work of
their peers, and look for new collaborators.
-- Next New Networks and Verizon launch 99 Dollar Music Videos, a site that produces cheap
online videos to showcase emerging artists. THR
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Next New Networks and Verizon on Thursday launched a website
where little-known bands and film makers can unite to create "music video masterpieces" for 99
dollars or less.
Online television company Next New Networks will stream selected low-budget productions at
99dollarmusicvideos.com with support from sponsor Verizon, a US telecom titan promoting its
FiOS broadband Internet service.
The website debuted with a sepia-toned music video of Brooklyn band La Strada performing an
original "The Sun Song" with backdrops including The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New
York City.
"Wow!" a website visitor with screen-name 'Deb' wrote in a chat forum beneath the video. "This is
excellent... loved the band... am a fan now!"
New videos will be posted to the website every Thursday, its creators promised.
Creators of the network include MTV's original creative director Fred Seibert and Felicia Williams,
a former entertainment content manager at popular video-sharing website YouTube.
The low-budget music videos will be available at Google-owned YouTube.
"I was there at the start of MTV and this has the same feeling all over again," Seibert said of the
website launch.
"99 Dollar Music Videos stands for everything that?s exciting about Web entertainment today in
bringing together rising star bands, creative filmmaking, and a low-cost vibe to create original,
fresh content."
Verizon is the website's sole sponsor and is to work with Next New Networks to promote the
videos at hip Internet venues such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, and Tumblr.
Next New Networks is seeking to tap into its music DNA with the launch of a new video site with a
funny name: $99 Music Videos. The idea is to offer emerging artists and filmmakers a low-cost
promotional vehicle?as anyone can submit their video (provided it cost about $99 to produce),
and fans can rate their favorite submissions.
The N.Y.-based digital content production and distribution company has signed on Verizon
(NYSE: VZ) as the exclusive launch partner, promoting its FiOS internet service with banners and
graphics throughout the site. It's not clear whether this is an extended partnership, or if the site
will need to drum up new sponsors over the coming months?but launching with ad dollars already
in hand gives $99 Music Videos some breathing room while it tries to acquire a bigger audience.
Next New Networks' Co-founder and Creative Director Fred Seibert was MTV's original creative
director and subsequently held the role of president of MTV Networks Online. Last month, the
company rolled out Barely Digital, a video site that spoofs the new media and tech space.
ad_icon
Rory adds: This is an interesting attempt to marry music discovery with online video in a way that
advertisers may find attractive. But the company isn't entering unchartered waters. Several years
ago, a site call Music Nation (http://www.musicnation.com) launched an almost identical site that
called for unsigned bands to upload their music videos as part of a contest that awarded the
winner with a record deal from Epic Records (though there was no cap on production costs). The
site had difficulty building an audience and attracting advertisers and has since changed course,
re-formatting the site as more of a community where emerging musicians and fans connect.
Online video programmer Next New Networks launched a new video channel today, focused on super-
distributing music videos for up-and-coming artists that were made for $99 or less.
The new online video network, 99 Dollar Music Videos, opened today with a new music video from
Brooklyn-based band La Strada. Every Thursday, the network will have two new videos -- one
completed music video, and one "making of" video highlighting how that piece was put together for $99
or less.
New videos will be syndicated across Next New Networks' distribution partners, which include Hulu
LLC, Metacafe Inc., AOL LLC, MySpaceTV, Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), and YouTube Inc.
Next New Networks co-founder and head of network development Tim Shey says the company's
distributed model and reach helps to take the guesswork out of reaching large audiences on the Web.
"Anyone can put a video up on YouTube and get one view or a million views," Shey says. "But every
time a great band puts a video on Next New Networks, they're helping to build the audience and build
the community."
The project was created and produced by filmmaker Jack Ferry (who also directed the first video), with
input from Fred Seibert, MTV's original creative director, and Felicia Williams, former entertainment
content manager at YouTube and Next New Networks' director of creative development.
Ferry says the inspiration for the channel's concept came partly from the success of his viral video hit
"Knock Knock," which cost about $40 to make and was shot in one afternoon.
"It goes to show that you don't need to spend a lot of money to have something successful on the
Web," Ferry says. "We want to show that you can you do this without spending real money. $99 is just
enough money to buy a couple props, but still not real money."
For the new network, Next New Networks partnered with Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ),
which has signed on as the exclusive launch sponsor. In addition to placing ads against the video,
Verizon has committed to promoting the series through the carrier's Facebook fan page and through
communities on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, MySpace, and Flickr.
Shey says Verizon's participation in 99 Dollar Music Videos was a milestone, if only because this
marks the first time that Next New has launched a new channel with a sponsor from Day One.
99 Dollar Music Videos already has booked talent for future videos, including Jeffrey Lewis & The
Junkyard, Via Audio, Plushgun, The Depreciation Guild, Project Jenny, Project Jan, Lowry, Savoir
Adore, and Frances.
But the network encourages directors and bands to submit their own $99 videos, as long as they follow
a few rules:
1. It must be made for $99 (or less).

2. It must be shot in one day (24 hours).
3. It must be edited in one day (this doesn't include rendering, digitizing, or exporting -- just the
creative part of editing).
4. It must be a collaboration between the band and the filmmaker.
Online TV firm Next New Networks and Verizon FiOS are launching an online network Thursday
called $99 Music Videos to showcase the talents of emerging musicians and filmmakers.
The forces behind the network include MTV's original creative director Fred Seibert, a co-founder
again."
Back in 1981, Fred Seibert helped create MTV. Now he'd like to recreate it on the Web with a
new network devoted to music videos made in a day for $99 or less.
That's the theme of the latest "network," called $99 Music Video, from Web production studio
Next New Networks. "I was there at the start of MTV and this has the same feeling all over
again," said Mr. Seibert, a co-founder of NNN.
The idea is to give signed and unsigned bands the opportunity to create a video and have it
distributed and promoted by Next New Networks and a new Web site, 99dollarmusicvideos.com.
This, of course, isn't too unlike what thousands of bands are already doing, but Next New
Networks is giving the DIY videos a marketing push to separate them from the clutter of YouTube
and MySpace.
Verizon FiOS is sponsoring the series, with the message, "$99 music videos are best
experienced with Verizon FiOS internet."
Next New Networks gets a three-month exclusive window to distribute the video and then it
shares distribution rights with the band and/or the band's label, which ultimately owns the video.
Next New Networks will produce one of these a week, in collaboration with a different band, as
well as a "making of" video with behind-the-scenes footage and Verizon brand integration. As
head of programming Tim Shey points out, a lot has changed between 1981 and today, in
particular a band's ability to produce really good-looking video on a shoestring.
For Next New Networks, producer of series like "Barely Political" and "Channel Frederator," it's
another source of cheap, brand-friendly programming. The company has raised $23 million from
the likes of Spark Capital, Saban Media Group, Pilot Group, Velocity Partners and Goldman
Sachs, and needs to build its footprint and ad revenue.
In an attempt to develop an equivalent to MTV for the Web video generation, online television
studio Next New Networks today debuted a network devoted to the creation of music videos, with
Verizon on board as the launch sponsor.
Called “$99 Music Videos,” the network will premiere new videos every Thursday at its site
(99dollarmusicvideos.com) and on YouTube, iTunes and other Web destinations.
Verizon’s advertising will focus on pitching its FiOS high-speed Internet service. The campaign
also will include brand integration in the episodes. Verizon will help promote the series, Next New
Networks said.
The network was created by Next New Networks’ founding partner Fred Seibert, who was the
original creative director at MTV. Also on board is Next New’s Felicia Williams, who was formerly
YouTube’s entertainment content manager.
The purpose of $99 Music Videos is to give musicians and filmmakers the opportunity to produce
and run high-quality original music videos for no more than $99, with the aim of connecting
independent talent with fans.
Music videos are among the most popular types of online videos.
Web TV network creator Next New Networks today
is expected to unveil a new online network for
musical artists and groups to showcase videos
created on a shoestring budget.
$99 Music Videos will attempt to give musicians

and filmmakers the opportunity to produce and
broadcast high-quality original music videos for no
more than $99.
"We wanted to find a way to be useful to the

musicians and their fans," said Tim Shey, co-
founder and head of entertainment at Next New Networks. "And while there are others ways to
experience this content online, we have the advantage of dedicating ourselves to it entirely."
Verizon FiOS has signed on as its exclusive launch partner, which will guarantee the brand run-
of-site ad placement on the new network, along with branded vignettes during each "making of"
segment that offer a look inside the $99 creation process.
The Verizon campaign messaging, "$99 music videos are best experienced with Verizon FiOS
Internet," is designed to boost viewer awareness around Verizon's fiber-optic Internet service.
In addition, the campaign will include integrated branded sponsor elements within episodes that
detail the making of each music video, as well as companion media placements and integrated
sponsor graphics on the network Web site and distribution points such as the network's YouTube
channel.
An independent producer of online TV networks, Next New Networks creates, packages, brands,
markets and syndicates episodic programming for the Web. Since its inception in March 2007,
the company has launched 16 networks--12 of which are still running and are regularly updated
on a weekly basis.
"We've had to cut some networks that didn't work," said Shey, noting one in particular that was
dedicated to brides. "It's all about the audience ... When we program networks based on what we
thought was a great sponsorship opportunity, that doesn't work out so well."
But while Next New Networks is not particularly old, its team brings plenty of experience to the
table, including company co-founder and creative director and MTV's original creative director,
Fred Seibert; Felicia Williams, former entertainment content manager at YouTube and the
company's director of creative development; and the series creator and executive producer,
filmmaker Jack Ferry.
"Fred's been thinking about music for over 30 years," Shey added.
New videos will premiere every Thursday on the network's Web site, and distribution channels
including YouTube, iTunes, and more.
Next New Networks and Verizon will also work together in creative ways to promote the series
through channels like Verizon's Facebook fan page and communities on platforms including
Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, MySpace and Flickr.
The company's other "micro networks" include Veracifier.com, a network for political reporting
and commentary; PulpSecret.com, which is dedicated to comic book news and culture; daily auto
news network Fast Lane Daily; DIY filmmaker network Indy Mogul; lifestyle network
ThreadBanger; and the recently launched tech comedy network Barely Digital.
Headquartered in New York, Next New Networks is privately owned, with investors including
Spark Capital, Goldman Sachs and Velocity Interactive.
Online studios Next New Networks and Revision3 are both launching music shows. But rather
than confront the labels on their own turf and get into sticky rights issues, both startups are going
the indie route. This will be NNN’s first foray into music, whereas Rev3 has already experimented
with shows like XLR8R, a companion to the magazine of the same name.
Next New Networks today released its new 99 Dollar Music Videos channel, one of the most
innovative ideas we’ve seen yet from the New York City-based startup. Basically, NNN hooks up
emerging bands with emerging filmmakers each week, gives them $99 to make a music video,
and releases a making-of show as well as the video itself.
NNN starts off with an exclusive hosting of the video for three months, but after that the band
owns all the rights and can modify and redistribute the video wherever they want. And as a first
for NNN, the network has a sponsor at launch: Verizon FiOS. The first video, for a band called La
Strada and made by 99 Dollar coordinator Jack Ferry, is embedded above. Watch for yourself
and see if a cheap music video from a band you’ve probably never heard of is compelling enough
content.
Meanwhile, Revision3 is going to license and distribute Sun Studio Sessions, an existing web
video show that tapes interviews and performances by up-and-coming artists recording at the
famous Memphis recording studio. The San Francisco-based company told us this week that it
was working to line up advertisers and figure out a release schedule for the show, which it
expects to launch sometime in the first half of this year.
Next New Networks, the folks who introduced Obama Girl to the world, announced today that
Verizon has signed on as the launch sponsor for its latest TV-on-the-Internet channel, $99 Music
Videos.
The new online network will pair up independent bands with filmmakers to produce music videos
for less than $100 in less than 24 hours. One new video will debut each week, along with behind-
the-scenes footage providing a deeper look at how the video was made.
Tim Shey, cofounder and head of entertainment programming at Next New Networks, said
Verizon will use its exclusive agreement with $99 Music Videos to promote its high-speed FIOS
package.
"Music fans are a big audience for Verizon, because watching music videos is one of the most
popular things people do online," he said. "This is a great opportunity for them to position FIOS as
a platform for fans, performers and music lovers."
The sponsorship is a coup for Next New Networks as well, Shey said, because some advertisers
are still hesitant to commit to a platform like $99 Music Videos, which is essentially a mix between
Internet and network TV.
"For a company that does a lot of TV advertising and a lot of Internet advertising to be interested
in a medium like this is a very big win for us and gives us a boost from day one" he said.
While Shey did not disclose the length of the agreement, he said that Verizon would have 100
percent share of voice on the network for "a pretty significant period of time." And the sponsorship
involves a fairly deep level of integration.
Each new video will contain a Verizon-branded bumper of 15 to 30 seconds, and messages
throughout the network will position FIOS as the best way to view the network. The Verizon brand
will also appear on the network's YouTube channel in the form of overlay ads. Shey said Verizon
would also be integrated into the network's content.
All Verizon creative on the site will be customized for the medium; Shey said his team worked
with Verizon to create the content.
"It's not like TV where advertising is a distraction," Shey said. "When you're watching one of our
videos, you're really paying attention. We'll have a really great, engaged audience, and they'll be
the only sponsor there."
Next New Networks, which was founded in 2007 and is based in New York City, produces a
number of "TV for the Internet" networks. Among them is Channel Federator, Barely Political
(which created Obama Girl) and TMI Weekly, a show co-hosted by Time Out dating columnist
Julia Allison.
again."
Verizon Communications will promote FiOS Internet as the launch sponsor of Next New
Networks' $99 Music Videos site, set to launch Thursday.
The Web site will premier a music

video every Thursday, each purportedly
made for less than $99 in less than 24
hours.
$99 Music VideosIt's "a perfect match

for FiOS Internet," Verizon senior vice
president of marketing John Wimsatt
said. "Verizon FiOS is all about letting
people do more with their Internet
connection, such as creating and
enjoying high-quality video and making
digital media part of their everyday
lives."
The telco's marketing message for the campaign is "$99 music videos are best experienced with
Verizon FiOS Internet," and the sponsorship also includes Verizon-branded segments explaining
how the videos were made.
Next New Networks, founded in March 2007 by former MTV Networks executive Herb Scannell
and others, has launched 16 online-only "networks" that have served more than 400 million video
views to date. The company's investors include Spark Capital, Goldman Sachs and Velocity
Interactive.
Tim Shey, co-founder of Next New Networks and head of entertainment, said $99 Music Videos
is the first site the startup will launch with a sponsor out of the gate. He declined to specify the
length of Verizon's advertising buy but said "it's a significant sponsorship."
The $99 Music Videos site will debut with a video by La Strada, with other bands on tap including
Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Via Audio and Plushgun. The videos are selected by filmmaker
Jack Ferry.
Contributors are "compensated basically with promotion," Shey said. "For the most part, this is
about bands getting their name out there."
Next New Networks plans to capitalize on the under-$99 gimmick by detailing the receipts from
the videos' creators. One music video was made for $6, Shey said: "The guy bought a beer at the
band's concert."
Next New Networks, a Web TV network creator, has unveiled a new online distribution
network for artists to showcase videos, MediaPost reports. The new service, called $99
Music Videos, lets users produce and broadcast music videos for—you guessed it—99
bucks each.
Verizon FiOS has signed on as its exclusive launch partner, the report said, in exchange
for ad placement on the new network, as well as branded vignettes during each "making
of" segment that let viewers in on what happens behind the scenes. Verizon, for its part,
will run an ad campaign that attempts to position FiOS as the ideal broadband connection
for watching the videos.
New videos will premiere every Thursday on the network's Web site and other distribution
channels including iTunes and YouTube, according to the report.
Music videos are perhaps the pinnacle commercial form of video art - forever testing boundaries
and pushing cinematic techniques with always-distinctive styles and often obtuse symbolism.
The democratization of the means of video production AND now the lines of distribution have
opened the gates of music video creation to a whole new class of hyper-creative and highly
motivated young creators. But, amidst the deafening noise of prolific internet-age creativity, these
works of art often go unnoticed in the ether.
So, who better to harness the power of this growing community and give these videos a home
than the people who championed the music video in the first place with the original launch of
MTV. Enter $99 Music Videos.
Next New Networks (a new media founded by MTV’s first ever creative director, Fred Seibert)
teamed up with Jack Ferry (creator of viral comedy award-winning short Knock Knock) and
Melissa Schneider (producer of Michael Eisner’s The All-For-Nots) to create $99 Music Videos,
an online music network that connects the next generation of filmmakers with emerging bands to
create original music videos for only $99.
Every Tuesday the networks will air “Making of” videos to introduce the band, director, and see
how the video was made. Then on Thursdays, they’ll premier the latest music video made for
under $99!
We had the pleasure of talking to Jack, Melissa and Next New Networks’ Head of Entertainment,
Tim Shey, about the concept, it’s challenges and its future…
But first, the concept in their words….
And the resulting genius…

Tilzy.TV: What inspired the concept for $99 Music Videos?
JACK FERRY, CREATOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

It all came about because of “Knock Knock.” It’s a comedy sketch I made with some buddies of
mine one evening. We posted it online (YouTube, Myspace) and it got Millions of views. We spent
like 40 bucks on it!
I always wanted to make music videos, so this gave me an idea.
What if we took cost out of the equation, made it more of a creative CHALLENGE?
Can we still make something cool if we could only spend 99 dollars?
I chose $99 because (I don’t know, for some reason) $100 sounds like
real money and $99 doesn’t. It’s just enough to get something made.
From this, “$99 Music Videos” was born.
Tilzy.TV: What does $99 include? I can’t rent a camera for less than that! You must be providing
SOMETHING on top of that??!?

You certainly can’t! Typically, the filmmaker provides the video gear and the band provides the
instruments.
In this day and age, it seems almost everyone has access to a video camera and a computer
(which you can use to edit on). You can use any type of camera, get creative. One filmmaker
made a video using stills from his digital camera.
Can’t afford to rent lights? Use the sun!
Incidentally, we shot some stuff with La Strada indoors, but it didn’t really work in the edit. So, I’m
taking my own advice, here. That whole video uses the sun as our light source. For our
“playback” device, we used my video iPod and my boombox.
Tilzy.TV: Tell me a bit about the process of pairing filmmakers with musicians.
MELISSA SCHNEIDER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Jack and I have been scouting bands ever since CMJ. We’ve probably seen about 70 or 80 live
bands in the last several months. I’m not exaggerating! But since you’ll typically catch 3 or 4
bands per show, it actually adds up pretty quickly.
When we spot a band we like, we approach them. Most of the them get the concept, love the
idea, and jump right in.
Then, we meet with the band personally, figure out the type of video they want, then pair them
with the appropriate director.
Because we went to NYU (Jack studied film there, I studied Theatre), we know tons of
filmmakers. Plus, Next New Networks employs tons of filmmakers and animators. So, we have a
huge variety of talent.
Outside of that, we’ve been contacting filmmakers whose work we’ve spotted on the web, in order
to extend that network. But it’s all been growing very organically.
And now that the website has launched, and we don’t need to keep the project “secret,” it should
be a lot easier to get new talent involved.
Tilzy.TV: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced getting the production off the ground?

As it turns out, making a cool music video for only 99 bucks is hard!
For instance, for the La Strada video, I really wanted to do something thematically linked to Ellis
Island immigrants. (I don’t know. It just works with their sound.)
Anyway, I couldn’t rent a boat, obviously. So, we bought tickets on the Ellis Island / Liberty Island
Ferry. Only 12 bucks!
Then, we kinda had to act like tourists shooting a home video on the boat and at the islands. It
was a bit guerilla-style. We didn’t apply for permits.
We did get shut down (briefly) while shooting in front of the Statue of Liberty. But once we filled
out a permit form, they let us get back to shooting. They were really awesome about it, actually. It
didn’t even cost a penny for the permit!
We never would’ve gotten away with that if we had a big crew. But we used a small camera and
there were only three of us (four, if you count Melissa, who was shooting the Behind-the-Scenes),
so we didn’t look too suspicious.
Tilzy.TV: Does this concept ever get tired? What will keep me coming back each week for more?
MELISSA SCHNEIDER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
We will feature unique, creative music videos every week. With our variety of filmmakers and
bands, I hope it’ll never get tired.
The thing is, it isn’t about the money. It’s about the creativity of the videos. Since all the
filmmakers and bands are so talented, every video will be a uniquely cool experience.
Tilzy.TV: The press release touts the fact that this concept was “developed by the same creative
mind that made MTV rock (Fred Seibert).” What will you borrow from the old model of MTV, and
how does the web make this? What does Next New Networks bring to the table?
TIM SHEY, NEXT NEW NETWORKS:

All of the right things were really there in Jack’s idea from the start, and so the Next New
Networks team brought all of that additional thinking — the things that have worked for our
networks to date, our experience building communities, our distribution and promotional
capabilities, and our creative ideas around interactivity — to the idea of a music videos network.
What’s different this time around is that we have the Internet. There’s a huge community of
filmmakers and musicians online, not to mention music fans, that we can tap into and really serve
with this network. If we do this well,
they’ll become the biggest marketers, distributors, and contributors to this network.
Tilzy.TV: You mentioned that this will become a social network/market for filmmakers and
musicians. What sorts of interactive elements will facilitate this community?
TIM SHEY, NEXT NEW NETWORKS:

We hope that it could — and if we see the kind of response we hope for, we’ll be adding features
to facilitate that. We’ll have more to say on that soon, but right now we’re concentrating on the
launch and making sure the network builds a great audience.
again."
(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

Next New Networks launched its latest entertainment network, $99 Music Video, dedicated solely
to that genre of programming that once drove MTV (the company that NNN co-founder Fred
Siebert helped start.) Consisting of music videos and making-of videos produced in less than 24
hours for under $100, the micro-network hopes to capitalize on the huge popularity of the music
video genre on the web (one that drives a large percentage of traffic on YouTube.) Verizon has
signed with a "pretty significant" sponsorship commitment as exclusive launch partner, says Tim
Shey, co-founder and head of entertainment for NNN. Next up for the web production outfit is to
develop a mobile optimized site for all its properties, according to Mr. Shey. NNN content is
already available on the iPhone via iTunes subscriptions.
NEXT NEW NETWORKS AND VERIZON have started a website for bands and film makers who
no one has heard of can meet up to create cheap music videos which few will watch.
Next New Networks will stream selected low-budget productions at 99dollarmusicvideos.com with
support from sponsor Verizon.
People behind the network include MTV's original creative director Fred Seibert and Felicia
Williams, a former entertainment content manager at Youtube.
NEW YORK - Online TV firm Next New Networks and fiber-optic service Verizon FiOS are
launching an online network Thursday called $99 Music Videos to showcase the talents of
emerging musicians and filmmakers.
Verizon is the exclusive launch sponsor for the network, which

initially will consist of two shows: a behind-the-scenes look at the
videos and the finished videos themselves. Viewers can rate the
The network launch kicks off with an original video for "The Sun
Song" by La Strada, directed by executive producer and Webby
Award-winning filmmaker Jack Ferry.
New videos will premiere every Thursday at

99dollarmusicvideos.com. Directors also include Dan Meth, Ana
Veselic, Kathleen Grace and Matthew Semel. Upcoming music
talent includes Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard, Via Audio, Plushgun, the Depreciation Guild, Project
Jenny, Project Jan, Lowry and Savoir Adore Frances.
again."
It's funny that music videos continue to thrive now, when they don't have many television
networks interested in broadcasting them. In fact, with the advent of outlets like YouTube and
Pitchfork.TV, I watch more videos now than I have in years—and in my days as a publicist, I
found them to be an invaluable publicity tool. They were always a good excuse for another press
release! With digital cameras getting cheaper and better, and everybody and their brother
fashioning themselves the next Wes Anderson, it's easier than ever to make a video for not much
money. Enter $99 Music Videos, which like Danish woman-haters Dogme 95 wants to impose
monetary constraints on bands and filmmakers making music videos:

3. It must be edited in one day (this doesn't include rendering, digitizing, or exporting - just
the creative part of editing).
Also, keep track of the video's expenses. We want to know how the big bucks were
spent.
We know what you're thinking: "This is crazy! Only one day?? How is it possible to
make something awesome for only $99?!"
The site will also make its own $99 videos to post each week, complete with behind-the-scenes
documentaries showing how it was done.
Their mission:
Most musicians and filmmakers are unable to spend thousands of dollars on a

music video. But in the age of digital filmmaking, you no longer need those kinds of
budgets. If fact, amazing original music videos are being made for the web every
day for next to nothing. It was in this spirit that $99 Music Videos was born.
We wanted to get back to the basics about what it is to make a music video. It
should be collaborative, creative, and immediate. Cost should not be an obstacle.
How about this piece of pre-show-goofing-around poo from Genesis? Back to the basics, no
doubt! And it sucks. It looks like it cost $12. Often, the good videos were the ones like "Thriller"
and "Sledgehammer" that cost a lot of money, but needed big budgets to realize their ambitions.
The artists and filmmakers collaborated and everyone came out (more or less) happy.
Much like Dogme '95, I admire the purity of the constraints that $99 Music Videos espouses, but I
think it hearkens back to some phony ideal that never really existed. I'm afraid that Vincent Moon
et alia have created an aesthetic where "stripped-down" somehow equals "creativity," and that is
not the case at all. Worse, that idea sets up a false continuum, wherein pesky things like budgets
are anathema to good art, which is the kind of thinking that gave us a glut of mediocre
mumblecore movies masquerading as artistic purity and verisimilitude.
Having said that, obstructions can inspire creativity, and the first video on the site, set to the
music of Brooklyn (of course) band La Strada, is pretty well-done. It certainly doesn't look like it
was done for 99 smackers, and it's upbeat and charming, not sullen and dour for extreme
meaningfulness. If they keep this level of quality up, my concerns will be unfounded.
$99 Music Videos [Official site]

Next New Networks and Verizon FiOS have announced the launch of a new online entertainment
network, $99 Music Videos. Today’s launch kicks off with an original video for La Strada, and
upcoming guest talent includes Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Via Audio, Plushgun, The
Depreciation Guild, Project Jenny, Project Jan, Lowry, Savoir Adore and Frances. New videos will
premiere every Thursday on the network’s website and distribution channels like YouTube and
iTunes.
The concept behind $99 Music Videos is simple — and quite routine for many small indie bands
— making a cool music video on a limited budget. In this case, for $99. Like those reality redesign
shows, the budget may be limited, but the possibilities are endless. Not necessarily on the
production level, but the idea of reaching the thousands of Verizon fiber-optic Internet sunscribers
(we’re assuming this means Verizon phone subscribers as well) is an almost unheard of
opportunity for bands at this level. In addition to connecting great independent talent with new
waves of potential fans, $99 Music Videos also appeals to a new generation of filmmakers by
demonstrating innovative techniques to produce innovative music videos using limited resources.
On the heels of the recent “revelation” that Facebook not only owns all content on their site, but
can use it however they please (including to license or sell to third parties), the idea of the
nation’s fastest broadband internet company joining forces with the leading online television
company to showcase emerging bands, musical artists and filmmakers might be met with a bit of
skepticism. Especially the part of the press release that reads:
In addition the campaign will include integrated branded sponsor elements within episodes
detailing the making of each music video, as well as companion media placements and integrated
sponsor graphics on the network website and distribution points such as the network’s YouTube
channel. Next New Networks and Verizon will also work together in creative ways to promote the
series through channels like Verizon’s Facebook fan page and communities on platforms
including Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, MySpace and Flickr.
But we were informed by $99 Music Videos Executive Producer, Melissa Schneider, that aside
from the Verizon sponsorship, the content is wholly and completely owned by the band and only
licensed exclusively for a three month period.
“The bands have complete ownership of the video,” Schneider told us via e-mail. “During the
video’s premiere period, which is 3 months, the band is not allowed to sell or license the video to
a third party. They can post the video and promote it all over the place. After the 3 month period,
the band/record label can do whatever they want with the video. Sell it, make a DVD to sell, send
it to MTV, etc. It’s theirs to do whatever. And we hope that they can get everything and anything
for it. The filmmakers and Next New Networks own none of the copyright to the video. Jack Ferry,
the show’s creator, myself and Next New Networks worked hard to make sure that the video and
its terms are all about the band and that they get to keep the work.
The Verizon sponsorship is there to allow for the networks infrastructure to work, like the website
and video players. The nature of the show is that the band and filmmakers have to use everything
they have to make the video. That includes equipment. So if you only have a flip camera that’s
what you use to make the video. We want the videos not to be about money, but about how
creative you can get when money is not an option. Since you’re only really limited by your own
creativity!”
$99 Music Videos will feature different combinations of musicians and directors each week.
Directors include Jack Ferry, Dan Meth, Ana Veselic, Kathleen Grace and Matthew Semel. The
network will initially consist of two shows: a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the video,
and the finished pieces themselves. Viewers will rate the videos as well as have the chance to
submit their own $99 music videos, making the network a destination for bands and filmmakers to
connect with each other and the independent music and film communities.
The network was developed by pioneers in the music, television and online entertainment space
including Fred Seibert, MTV’s original Creative Director, Felicia Williams, former Entertainment
Content Manager at YouTube and Next New Networks’ Director of Creative Development, and
the Series Creator and Executive Producer, Webby Award honored filmmaker Jack Ferry.
The network launch kicks off with an original video for “The Sun Song” by La Strada, directed by
aprilini:
La Strada - The Sun Song (via 99dollarmusicvideos)
YAY WORK! If you guys have been at all curious what I’ve been
up to for these last several months, wonder no more! I’ve been
working with the rad people at Next New Networks on this
project, $99 Music Videos. It’s pretty cool, it’s all about a band
and a filmmaker getting together and creating something for $99.
Pretty special. GO LOOK!
(also, how awesome is this song? La Strada has their debut EP

coming out in a few days and I am very excited to hear it.)
SAN FRANCISCO - NEXT New Networks and Verizon on Thursday launched a website where
little-known bands and film makers can unite to create 'music video masterpieces' for US$99
(S$151) or less.
Online television company Next New Networks will stream selected low-budget productions at
99dollarmusicvideos.com with support from sponsor Verizon, a US telecom titan promoting its
FiOS broadband Internet service.
The website debuted with a sepia-toned music video of Brooklyn band La Strada performing an
original 'The Sun Song' with backdrops including The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New
York City.
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'Wow!' a website visitor with screen-name 'Deb' wrote in a chat forum beneath the video. 'This is
excellent... loved the band... am a fan now!' New videos will be posted to the website every
Thursday, its creators promised.
Creators of the network include MTV's original creative director Fred Seibert and Felicia Williams,
a former entertainment content manager at popular video-sharing website YouTube.
The low-budget music videos will be available at Google-owned YouTube.
'I was there at the start of MTV and this has the same feeling all over again,' Mr Seibert said of
the website launch.
'99 Dollar Music Videos stands for everything that's exciting about Web entertainment today in
bringing together rising star bands, creative filmmaking, and a low-cost vibe to create original,
fresh content.' Verizon is the website's sole sponsor and is to work with Next New Networks to
promote the videos at hip Internet venues such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, and
Tumblr.
Next New Networks, an independent producer of online television networks, announced a
partnership with Verizon to launch $99 Music Videos, a new entertainment network that will
feature online music videos produced for less than $99. The series will showcase emerging
artists and their creative process as they produce the videos on a shoestring budget.
The series will initially feature bands chosen by the producers, but Next New Networks'
representatives said they will be looking out for any videos made for less than $99 to run on the
network. Bands must provide itemized receipts to prove their video was made within the
parameters.
Next New Networks will monetize the channel through the Verizon sponsorship, with branding
and companion media on distribution sites. Next New Networks said Verizon's leadership in
broadband delivery through the FiOS offering made the telco a good fit.
"The $99 Music Video network also provides Verizon an opportunity to showcase our unmatched
Internet services to a growing segment of the broadband community," said John Wimsatt, senior
vice president of marketing for Verizon. "Verizon FiOS is all about letting people do more with
their Internet connection, such as create and enjoy high quality video and make digital media a
core part of their everyday lives."
Next New Networks will promote the $99 Music Video series across sites like YouTube,
MetaCafe and Break Media, as well as reach out to blogs and music sites interested in
independent music production. Next New Networks's leadership has background in the music
industry, and leveraged that experience in crafting this offering.
"$99 Music Videos stands for everything that's exciting about web entertainment today in bringing
together rising star bands, creative filmmaking, and a low-cost vibe to create original, fresh
content," said Fred Seibert, creative director and co-founder of Next New Networks. "I was there
at the start of MTV and this has the same feeling all over again as we launch a popular new
destination for music videos. Music videos are meant to be fun, fresh and authentic, and the $99
Music Videos format gives deserving artists the freedom to create while reaching out to new
fans."
The $99 Music Video
The principle applies to much more than social media.
Verizon FiOs and Next New Media have partnered to create The $99 Music Video Project. Not
only did they impose a cost limit of $99, they put even more restrictions around the project.
Specifically:

3. It must be edited in one day (this doesn’t include rendering, digitizing, or exporting — just the
creative part of editing).
Many will balk at these restrictions, but according to Melissa Schneider, executive producer,
“Creating a cap on the budget turns the process into a creative challenge.”
It’s true — music videos have been getting ridiculous lately. Some time around when Michael
Jackson’s Black or White budget rivaled that of major motion pictures, and the good old live
concert video went out of style, people forgot that the video shouldn’t overshadow the song. 99
Dollar Music Videos challenges independent bands and directors to make a solid video using
just under a hundred bucks. So far, La Strada has theirs up, and the product is simple and
effective, like videos used to be. Lined up for future experiments are Via Audio, Plushgun,
Lowry, and many more.
Tags: innovation, Music, videos, websites

Next New Networks launched an online music networks where artists and groups can buy
promote wares for cheap. For example, one firm on the site promises to create high-quality
original music videos for $99.
99 Dollar Music Videos
La Strada - The Sun Song directed by Jack Ferry.
This is the first music video that is part of the new show by
NNN called 99 Dollar Music Videos where as you might have
guessed from the clever name $99 are spent on creating a
music video. [Doesnt include labor]
I especially love the behind the scenes video for this delightful
song
In case you dont make it to the end of the behind the scenes
clip this is what they spent their money on.
Fred Siebert, one of the guys behind the creation of MTV, is
looking to do it again, this time on the web with the creation
of a network called "$99 Music Videos".
$99 Music Videos is exactly what it sounds like; a network

dedicated to broadcasting music videos that were created
for under $100. The website is put on by web-production studio Next New Networks, which will
also be responsible for producing the actual videos. The whole shebang is sponsored by Verizon
FiOS, which apparently has come up with the overly brilliant slogan for the site, "$99 music
videos are best experienced with Verizon FiOS internet."
The company is targeting small bands (both signed and unsigned) that are looking for new ways
to promote their music. One video will be produced per week, and the band gives the company a
three-month exclusive window to distribute it before ultimately sharing distribution rights and
owning the video themselves. In addition to the actual video, Next New Networks will also
produce a "making of" video so us kids at home can see how all the magic happens.
Curious to see how it all works? Check out one of the videos for yourself after the break.
A video:
The making of:
This is the first video from $99 Music Videos, which gives musicians and filmmakers the opportunity to
produce and broadcast high-quality original music videos for no more than $99.
From the press release: In addition to connecting great independent talent with new waves of potential
fans, $99 Music Videos also appeals to a new generation of filmmakers by demonstrating innovative
techniques to produce innovative music videos using limited resources.
$99 Music Video will feature different combinations of musicians and directors each week. Directors
include Jack Ferry, Dan Meth, Ana Veselic, Kathleen Grace, and Matthew Semel, The network will initially
consist of two shows: a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the video, and the finished pieces
themselves. Viewers will rate the videos as well as have the chance to submit their own $99 Music Videos,
making the network a destination for bands and filmmakers to connect with each other and the independent
music and film communities.
More info about the project here.

COMMENTARY: $99 Music Videos
Look, if McDonalds can concoct some sort of

double hamburger product for one dollar, then why
can't you make a music video for $99. The folks
behind 99dollarmusicvideos.com have set out to
prove that they can make videos as watchable as
McDonald dollar burgers are edible. And unlike
Micky D's, where you have to take their word that
it's indeed cow meat between those two buns, 99dollarmusicvideos promises to provide behind-
the-scenes clips and a final tally that will show how they made every bargain basement video.
First video up on the Verizon FIOS-sponsored site is for a band called La Strada by a director
named Jack Ferry [watch the video here; watch the making-of here]. Any line producer worth his
or her day rate can quickly add up all the elements in the making-of piece that would easily cost
more than $99, even if amortized over several videos. And, the provided final tally doesn't
mention a single production cost, instead listing the cost of food and a few incidentals. So,
basically the trick in making a $99 video is:
• Don't count any of the production expenses (Basically, assume that you will own or have
free usage of lights, a green screen, cameras, a means of playback)
• Pay nobody for their time
• Don't get permits
Gee, aren't recessions fun?
Here's my final take:
• PRO: Even the most bitter curmudgeon should admit this is a clever concept. The fact
that every video will have a B-roll on the making-of these cheapie videos should yield
some entertaining moments. That in and of itself could make for good reality TV sorta
viewing. There's also the possibility they expose some worthy bands and directors. AND,
it's definitely worth noting that the people behind the site are no joke. For example, the
site's executive Fred Seibert was the first employee and creative director of MTV. He was
the dude who told you that you wanted your MTV. (He's also had more über-successes
on his resume than I have balls: He was involved in the launch of Nick-At-Nite, founded
the cartoon studio Frederator, and, most relevant to this whole thing: co-founded the new
media company, Next New, that is bringing us the $99 video).
• CON: Yeah, I know "great ideas" are free, but there's a reason that only a handful of
super low budget viral videos actually manage to infect the populace. Most of the ideas
aren't so good and the executions thereof often ain't much better. And, shouldn't people
in the video industry at least be paid the same wages as those little kid laborers who
made my Nikes? To bring my opening analogy back: McDonalds might be able to make
a burger for a buck. You sure you wanna eat it?
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my deep thoughts on data moshing...
Next New Networks Corporate
Coverage Highlights
 
 
Online video is white hot. It's being used in many ways and delivered anywhere your target
audience is. The U.S. election was a watershed mark for streaming video in terms of the length
of time and number of viewers. Marketers should be device indifferent since users may view
your content on mobile devices, computers, and flat-screen televisions.
To better understand the state of online video, consider the following:
•Almost 80 percent of U.S. Internet users watched videos for roughly five hours in
December 2008, with an average duration of 3.2 minutes per video, according to
comScore.
•65 percent of online video views were streamed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, making this video primetime due to the faster Internet connections
available at work, reported Nielsen Online.
•In 2009, online video advertising is projected to grow 45 percent to $850 million,
according to eMarketer's latest forecast.
•5 percent of mobile subscribers accessed mobile video on their phones each month,
according to Nielsen in its Q3 2008 Mobile Video Report.
•About one-third of online retailers offer video on their sites, according to Vovici Corp.'s
September 2008 research for Internet Retailer.
Online Video's Five Subject Categories
Consider your target market's needs when creating online video content because they can have
a major impact on the video's optimal length and its shelf life. An SIIA Information Industry
Summit panel advised attendees to think about whether their audience snacks on short videos
or engages with longer formats. Here are five popular types of video content you can use:
•News, including weather. Viewers often look for short tidbits to be informed about
what's happening in their world. Think about the type of news most relevant to your
target audience.
•Sports. Typically, these videos consist of clips highlighting a single sports play where
the audience is highly engaged.
•How-to and research information. Viewers often look for answers to specific
questions, so make it easy for your videos to be found. This content can be
evergreen.
•Entertainment, including comedy, music, TV shows, clips, and movies. Everyone
looks for fun diversions. While entertaining content can be short, users are also
watching longer formats, such as complete television shows and movies.
•Social media, including user-generated content. These videos often focus on humor.
Eight Ways to Use Online Video
Regardless of whether you're a retailer, media company, or brand marketer, think holistically
about how to incorporate video into your communications strategy. Here are eight ways to use
online video to extend your marketing mix:
•Extend news coverage and other media events. While established brands like CNN
dominate, any Web site can create its own channel.
•Provide product-related information to aid use, including how-to for complex products
that require training or further help. For example, Janome sewing machines partnered
with Threadbanger.
•Create videos for product placement. Develop or partner with a video series that
highlights your product and engages your target market, like Starburst has done with
Nite Fite.
•Portray products in a real environment to help customers experience the product without
seeing it in person. Extend your Web site to give customers a more retail-like
environment.
•Show real customers giving their honest reactions, like an infomercial.
•Sponsor an ongoing video series created by a third party to associate your brand with
special personalities or other brands, such as Degree's integration with TMI Weekly's
Little Black Dress episode.
•Extend other forms of content you're already creating, such as Webinars, analyst
presentations, and quarterly meetings.
•Use video to connect with remote staff or customers.
Keep in mind that you need to drive traffic to your videos. Matt Cutler, VP, marketing and
analytics of Visible Measures, suggests releasing related videos at the same time and cross-
promoting them to help concentrate views over a short period to optimize distribution of related
videos. The goal is to help your video reach top-viewed status that increases video views.
Four Ways Online Video Contributes to Profitability
Media companies, brands, and e-tailers can benefit from using online video. Here's how it can
add to the bottom line:
•Advertising vehicle. From a consumer perspective, quantity and length are an issue.
Product placement and sponsorship are other ways to create revenue on media sites.
•Paid products. Depending on the availability of the information or event, viewers may
be willing to pay for downloads.
•Product sales support. Retailers can gain by using videos to better illustrate product
use prior to purchase and to support product use and community building after
purchase.
•Branding enhancement. You can enhance branding through the use of online videos
that engage viewers, like the Blendtec blender videos.
Seven Online Video Metrics

To ensure that online video meets your marketing goals, track the following factors to ensure
you're on track:
•Viewers. How many people have seen your video? What's the pass-along rate? Is it
going viral?
•Views and Time. How many times are the videos viewed? How much of each one is
viewed?
•Interaction. Since online videos tend to drive user interaction, assess comments for
frequency and content and watch how viewers are using the video to create mashups
and the like.
•Branding. Have your branding metrics improved as a result of online video use?
•Revenues. How have the videos helped support sales in terms of supplying direct
identifiable sales leads or adding to the prepurchase research phase? Also, consider
whether videos have helped reduce returns through post-purchase support.
•Costs. What is the expense of developing the video and related Web site support? How
does this compare to the benefits you are realizing?
As online video evolves, there are bigger audiences to be had and increasingly more exciting
ways to get their attention. The cost of creating and serving video has come down. It is time to get
creative by using video to extend your marketing reach and complement your marketing plan.
 
Online television juggernaut Next New Networks announced today that its
strategy of "superdistributing" audience-targeted content through non-exclusive
distribution agreements has topped 300 million views in 2008, marking 200
percent growth since 2007.
Next New, which produces 13 targeted channels of content, has distribution

deals with a number of online video properties including Hulu LLC , Metacafe
Inc. , AOL LLC , MySpaceTV, Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), and YouTube Inc.
Lance Podell, CEO of Next New, says 2008 was a "breakthrough year" for the
online TV network and cites the surprising success of the group's co-branded
content environments on YouTube and Yahoo as the secret to its success.
"We've found that the unilateral way of distributing content isn't as effective as
two groups working together to create a robust, online environment," he adds.
But not all that growth came from online; Podell tells Contentinople he was
most surprised by the network's success using video-on-demand platforms
such as Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)'s iTunes and TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO).
The numbers "show that podcasting has come a long way. Podcasts are
interesting enough now that people are actually compelled to download the
content," Podell says.
In addition to the group's staggering audience growth in 2008, Podell says Next
New has "cracked the code" with online advertising and monetization by
offering integrated, co-branded content coupled with traditional pre-stream and
mid-stream ad buys.
"We're an interesting alternative to television," he says. "TV production is
expensive and in the current economy we're an efficient opportunity for brands,
who can't afford traditional television advertising, to connect with viewers. With
300 million views, we're already a real force. Now, I need to make sure we're
offering what they're buying."
Podell says the advancements in Web-enabled HDTV will give Next New
additional momentum in 2009.
"For me, it's compelling from a business perspective because I think there's a
psychological connection with people and their TV. What's missing with
traditional television are all of the options you get with online content. Bringing
the Internet to TV allows you to have the best of both worlds."
In 2009, Podell says the group plans to "launch new networks, create a more
robust feel to our current networks and to take the core brands and fill them
with additional content that's related." He also says Next New will produce long-
format programming--a departure from their current short-format solution--
customized for Hulu.
"In the coming year, online TV, with its growing, passionate and loyal audience,
remains a clear bright spot in the market and an exciting, established alternative
to broadcast and cable TV for engaging with consumers," Podell adds.
 

Written by Liz Shannon Miller
Posted Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at 12:30 PM PT

Spreading Holiday Cheer (and Self-Promotion)

With the economy continuing to crumble, it’s little wonder that even Hollywood
turned to e‐cards this holiday season — according to Variety, such a move has saved
major studios up to $40,000 on printing and mailing costs. But what these old‐school
production companies are doing is nothing new for the online video community.

NextNewNetworks’ video card is fun, though be warned that you’ll come away
craving cookies like crazy. The montage of baked goods frosted in stop‐motion is also
a clever reminder of just how many different shows they produce, and how many
diverse audiences they target. From a promotional standpoint, it’s some pretty sweet
multitasking.

The Lonely Island released their holiday message a few days ago, but frankly I’m a
little underwhelmed. For Christmas, you see, the Lazy Sunday boys got us all I Like
Sportz, a new music video…that we can download from iTunes for only $1.49. Gee,
thanks.

And the Jonas Brothers, masters of utilizing online video, reached out to their fans
with this a cappella message spreading good wishes for the New Year. Given the
band’s roots in Christian pop, it’s curiously short on religion, but it does pointedly hint
at their upcoming 2009 projects, which they are, of course, “super excited about.”

There’s nothing wrong with coupling a message of Yuletide greetings with a personal
note reflecting on the organization doing the greeting, but utilizing a fairly low‐
budget medium as a means of spreading holiday cheer means that not everyone feels
obligated to drop in a little self‐promotion to justify the cost. I Can Haz Cheeseburger
keeps things pure with this message compiling some great video and images of cats
chasing their own tails. It’s the best Christmas present I’ve gotten from the Internet
this year.

Because NewTeeVee Station was too busy covering other people’s shorts to create a
greeting card for you, hopefully this wrap‐up will speak for all of us here in
communicating good feelings for the season. But in case the message didn’t come
across, dear reader: In these dark winter days, may your streams buffer quickly, your
videos go viral, and your holidays be filled with cheer.

As I read the news about some of the major players in the online video market and
hear talk of massive views and venture funds flowing, I can't help but think of a line
from one of my favorite movies, "The Big Lebowski": "Where's the money, Lebowski?"
For anyone who hasn't seen it lately or, God forbid, who has never had the opportunity
to witness Jeff Bridges' bit of slacker genius, a synopsis. In a case of mistaken identity,
Bridges' character is hounded by a group of European nihilists seeking to recoup
money they feel is owed to them. The line is their refrain: "Where's the money,
Lebowski?"
What news prompted this memory? First, one-time political comedy site turned
greeting card shop JibJab raised $7.5 million in a Series C round, pulling in dollars
from previous funder Polaris Ventures as well as new investors Sony Pictures
Entertainment and Overbrook Entertainment.
Then its Santa Monica, CA, based neighbor, DECA, also took down $10 million to
continue pursuing its brand of Internet programming, such as Boing Boing tv and
smosh.
Last but not least, NextNewNetworks, home of "Obama Girl," reported it saw views
increase from 100 million to 300 million, year over year.
However the only news about dollars flowing into the market from an advertising point
of view, rather than financing, came out of a CES panel featuring my colleague, Brian
Terkelsen, an EVP from sister agency Starcom Mediavest. On a video advertising
panel, Terkelsen voiced quite openly what many in the market feel, "Advertisers aren't
being aggressive enough in general. They helped grow TV to where it is now, so I think
it's partly up to them to drive video. If we don't challenge the industry to do things
differently, we're screwed."
So it's wonderful that worthy players such as DECA and JibJab have found support in
the venture community to continue to pursue their businesses. And same goes for Next
New with its audience figures that demonstrate there's an audience consuming its
content. These data points suggests there's a foundation in place for the delivery of
content and associated marketing over the Internet. But in the next six months, even
with the dire economic straits in front of us, the focus must shift from developing
programs to bearing out the value of those programs.
And this can be done in myriad ways. For one, a compelling transmedia offering that ties
together TV and Internet programming for a major marketer. For another, greater
simplicity in valuing online video versus a TV buy. Or as I mentioned in my 2009
predictions, a breakout Internet-based hit, really going mainstream, could also fit the bill.
But if none of these come to fruition, we may find ourselves in the unenviable position of
having to answer that probing question, "Where's the money, Lebowski?"
 
 

NEW YORK (Fortune) ‐‐ Amy Poehler is one
of the hottest properties in comedy today,
a close second to former "Saturday Night
Live" co‐star Tina Fey. Anyone who caught
Poehler impersonating Hillary Clinton or
rapping about Sarah Palin knows how good
she is.

On Saturday she took her final bow as part
of the "SNL" cast, but she's got a few other
projects in the works, including an original
online show for tween girls, "Smart Girls at
the Party," produced by Web video
newcomer ON Networks.

ON, whose backers include AT&T (T, Fortune 500) and Accel, is also producing an
upcoming series with David Lynch, the creative mind behind TV cult hit "Twin Peaks."

But for all its high wattage, it's just the latest entry in a crowded field that includes
Google (GOOG, Fortune 500)'s YouTube, Hulu, the joint venture from NBC (GE,
Fortune 500) and Fox (NWS, Fortune 500), and a passel of upstarts such as Next New
Networks (best known for its infectious Obama Girl video) and Revision3, whose
team includes Digg founders Kevin Rose and Jay Adelson.

It's a given that viewers today watch what they want, when and where they want.
But what's good for the consumer isn't always great for business, and revenue
models across all traditional media are facing challenges as content migrates to the
Web. The ubiquity of information on the Web is imperiling newspapers, while
television is plagued by digital video recorders.
Distribution is key

The nascent world of Web video has its own obstacles. YouTube still benefits from
being first‐to‐market, with more than 82 million unique users in October compared to
9 million for runner‐up Hulu, according the Nielsen Online. But neither of these
players have figured out how to lure advertisers away from television shows and
other traditional media as a place to build brands.

Niche players such as ON Networks think they may have cracked the code. Its model:
Unlike Hulu and YouTube, ON Networks develops its own shows, working with
professional talent and video producers to develop scripts with exclusive advertisers
in mind. While ON posts its shows on its own Web site, the key to its strategy is
broadly distributing them to other sites.

ON's shows fall into advertiser‐friendly categories such as family, travel and food. The
idea is to line up a single sponsor for a show ‐ much like Procter & Gamble (PG,
Fortune 500) once sponsored soap operas or Mutual of Omaha was the sole backer
of the television show "Animal Kingdom."

ON won't disclose audience sizes for its shows, and the numbers so far are too small
for tracking by Nielsen Online. To lure advertisers, ON emphasizes the quality of its
network of partner sites, which includes the mobile platform Buzzwire and Apple
iTunes. In most cases, no money exchanges hands between ON and the sites that
carry its shows.

According to ON chief content officer Jen Grogono, broad distribution of its shows
was part of the plan from the beginning. Web video players that bet solely on
downloadable video players or portals, where users have direct access to a menu of
shows, are only now racing to make their content available on multiple sites.

Distribution is a key piece of the revenue puzzle, but as YouTube has shown, it's not
enough to just attract eyeballs. Advertisers want to sponsor videos that complement
their message and draw viewers they want to attract as customers. This is where
original, scripted content has an advantage.

In the case of "Smart Girls," Poehler approached ON about creating a show and ON
sought a sponsor in Mattel's Barbie. Mattel (MAT, Fortune 500) not only gets a high‐
quality audience, with ON distributing the show to targeted partners like Imbee.com
and Blinkx.com, it also gets an affiliation with Poehler and the show's uplifting
message.

Barbie is never mentioned during the show, but viewers are hit with plenty of Barbie
references anyway. These include polls, quizzes and Barbie‐related ads that appear
within the video player.

ON then provides Mattel with a number of useful analytics, including whether a
viewer saw the show on a computer or a mobile phone, how many episodes were
watched, and what the click‐through rates were on the accompanying ads.

"Brand advertisers are thinking more like direct marketers," said ON's Grogono. "We
need to break out a set of services that wrap around our shows."

Gartner Group media analyst Allen Weiner says On Networks has "got a great model,
they're definitely among the elite in this space."
Signs of a slowdown

But trolling the site reveals a large number of its shows lack sponsors. The perception
of the industry as experimental makes it a tough sell during uncertain economic
times. But most point to the fact that the audiences are still too small to merit the
effort for many advertisers.

"The model is working ‐ it's profitable," said Grogono, who declined to be more
specific. But she also acknowledges that, as Weiner put it, "things are going to
happen, but not as fast as anyone has hoped."

Indeed, earlier this month eMarketer scaled back its 2009 growth forecast for online
video‐ad spending to $850 million, a 45% increase over this year. The research firm
had been predicting 49% growth.

Even so, Web video is expected to grow faster over the next five years than any
other online ad format, according to eMarketer. Come 2013 Internet video could
generate $4.6 billion, or 11%, of the total $42 billion in online ad spending.

Despite the numbers and the concern that advertisers are slow to buy in to the
promise of a highly‐targeted, engaged audience, Poehler's embrace of the medium
may be prescient. When the industry finally comes into its own, maybe we'll look
back and note how smart she was to lead the way. To top of page

 
As someone who until recently was a resident of Washington for twelve years,
it's fun watching D.C. have its biggest moment in a long time. When I was there,
getting friends to visit from places like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco
was a pretty rare event, but this week, I'm seeing many of them converging on
the city and having a blast discovering old hangouts I know like the back of my
hand.
D.C.'s a great place, and it's a special thrill seeing so much attention focused
there right now. Not only because of the inauguration and a new administration,
which always brings a fresh batch of people and interest to the city every four to
eight years, but because this is the first big focus on D.C. since the spread of
HDTV, and on every channel, D.C.'s never looked more interesting, more
multicultural, and more ready for its close-up. I've gotten a kick out of watching
the new season of 24, with lots of location filming around Washington (and their
highly entertaining decision to not even attempt to try to portray the FBI, Secret
Service, or distances in downtown D.C. with any amount of realism); HBO's and
CNN's coverage all weekend has done the impossible and actually made
Washington look glamorous (much thanks to Obama and countless celebrities
and excited visitors from all over the world); and tonight, Anthony Bourdain's
show hits Washington to visit local places like Ben's Chili Bowl and hang with
one of the most innovative, fun chefs in America, Cafe Atlantico's Jose Andres.
Longtime residents of D.C. are pretty used to not getting a lot of respect or
attention from other cities, but we were also intensely proud of the city and what
a unique place it was -- many of us felt it was the best place to live on the East
Coast, all things considered. In recent years, it's gotten even better. The city
has plenty of problems -- the local government's always struggled to have
adequate money and services, and as a Democratic stronghold, it felt like the
Bush administration did everything it could to make that worse. But watching
the rebirth of neighborhoods I lived and worked in like Shaw, U Street,
Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, Chinatown, and Capitol Hill over the last ten
years, and remembering what things were like in 1992 when I first arrived, was
nothing short of mind-blowing.
This coincided with the rebirth of many other cities' downtowns and the real
estate boom, but now, when the recession casts doubt on whether that
progress will continue, D.C. has a chance to be a beacon to the rest of the
country. The influx of new administration-related jobs. which will attract lots of
people who will actually want to live in downtown D.C., will keep the growth
going and new businesses opening, and, as a recent New York Times story
notes, likely continue to revitalize historic minority neighborhoods like Shaw,
Petworth, and Columbia Heights. With all this momentum, D.C. during the
Obama administration could become a model for the kinds of diverse,
progressive urban communities we may need to create in every city to get the
country back on track.
I wonder if Obama's had a chance yet to read Van Jones' The Green Collar
Economy; Hilda Solis, his choice for Labor Secretary, probably has. The book
links the uplift of communities like D.C. with opportunities to reinvent and green
the economy, and D.C. should be one of the first cities where this can happen.
There will be a lot of other pressing things on Obama's plate -- just this
moment, I hear of NASA scientist Jim Hansen's dire warnings about climate
change, for instance -- but for all the people in D.C. who have been making
things better the past decade without a friend in the White House, just having
Obama in the neighborhood will change everything.
 
 
 
What spreads faster than economic gloom and doom and is more infectious than professional
anxiety? That phenomenon known as “25 Things.” Just in time for Facebookʼs fifth birthday, the
record-breaking waste of time may have reached critical mass this week. Itʼs certainly been the
topic of much conversation, including on BoomTown.
Elsewhere this week:
BoomTown provided continuing coverage of the Yahoo

(YHOO) merry-go-round. This time, PR head Jill Nash
announced her departure. As the companyʼs chief
communications officer, sheʼs had a challenging two-
year run. New CEO Carol Bartz definitely has some
PR ideas of her own, including offering cash prizes to
employees who provide info on their colleagues who
leak information to the press. Not a huge deterrent yet,
apparently–it didnʼt take long for BoomTown to get info
on both Nashʼs farewell memo and Bartzʼs bounty system. Next, New Networks, the publisher
behind BarelyPolitical and its hugely viral Obama Girl videos, has widened its purview to include
the tech sector with BarelyDigital, which the online network has envisioned to include regular
shows, tech news remixes and the like. Itʼs rumored that Obama Girl will be making a cameo
appearance or two. If the first two features are any indication, the future looks pretty funny. In
another round of executive musical chairs, Time Warnerʼs (TWX) AOL ad head Lynda Clarizio
will be leaving the online service, to be replaced by former Yahoo ad exec Greg Coleman.
Microsoft (MSFT) is launching a slick new celebrity site on MSN called Wonderwall, created,
designed and produced by BermanBraun Interactive, a Hollywood company run by former
Yahoo media chief Lloyd Braun. And speaking of musical chairs, MSN is clearly upping its
content ante–earlier this week, it hired Yahooʼs recent media head Scott Moore, who used to
work at Microsoft.
MediaMemo asked: What happens when one of the worldʼs richest men lets loose a swarm (a
small swarm) of mosquitoes at a high-end conference? Nothing too exciting, really, but when you
consider that the stunt was the publicity-generating part of Bill Gatesʼs talk at TED, which was a
discussion of malaria and some of the problems the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is facing
head-on, it gets pretty compelling. Kindle 2.0, the new generation of the device dubbed the “iPod
of the book world” will be unveiled Monday at a New York press event, but how many of the
devices have been sold thus far? Amazonʼs (AMZN) not telling, but Citigroup analyst Mark
Mahaney estimates the number at 500,000–and believes that the Kindle will be a $1.2 billion
business next year. Obviously, a lot will depend on Monday and the new deviceʼs reception.
MediaMemo also took some time out this week to wish Facebook a happy fifth birthday, and to
stack its track record next to Googleʼs at the same age, with interesting results. Even the pros
are getting hit hard these days–in its quarterly earnings report this week, News Corp. (NWS)
missed its estimates, recorded an $8.4 billion write-off and lowered its guidance. CEO Rupert
Murdoch admitted that the downturn is worse than he thought. He also admitted that he spent
$2.8 billion too much for Dow Jones. (News Corp. is the owner of Dow Jones and this Web site.)
Digital Daily followed the trial of four Google executives this week on criminal charges of
defamation and breach of privacy after a much-publicized two-year investigation. Google
(GOOG) insists the charges are unwarranted and “akin to prosecuting mail service employees
for hate speech letters sent in the post.” Clearly, the ultimate outcome will have a huge impact
on the future of a free, open Internet. MySpace said this week that it has identified and ousted
90,000 registered sex offenders–and those are just the ones brilliant enough to use their real
names. Thereʼs no way of knowing how many are actually using the service or how to prevent
them from re-registering once theyʼre deleted. A free an open Internet, indeed. DD also
pondered the future (or lack thereof) of the Motorola (MOT) handset division. Co-CEO Sanjay
Jha says the company is committed to making the business work, but its products are looking
boring and outdated, and a turnaround would be prohibitively expensive to execute. In the words
of one analyst, the companyʼs problems are “gruesome.” On the other end of the spectrum,
Microsoft continues to vehemently deny reports that itʼll be producing its own smartphone. In a
report this week, analysts from Broadpoint.AmTech speculated that the device could be uncrated
later this month at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Meanwhile, itʼs been up in the air for
two years whether or not iPhones will ever be uncrated in historic Georgetown. Apple (AAPL)
has been around the table a few times now with preservationists wary of the architectural impact
of an Apple store, no matter how much the business traffic is needed in the neighborhood. Looks
like perseverance may have finally paid off, though–Georgetownʼs Apple store could open later
this year.
In Personal Technology this week, Walt Mossberg took a look at a program called Foxmarks,
which sets out to synchronize bookmarks among all of your browsers and all of your machines.
Sound a little too handy to actually work well? Walt found it does a pretty good job, with a few
caveats. In Mossbergʼs Mailbox, Walt responds to readers who want to know more about doing
“techie” maintenance on their PCs to keep them running well, whether or not to buy a 15-inch
MacBook Pro, and options for email within Windows 7, which wonʼt ship with a built-in email
program. In the Mossberg Solution, Katherine Boehret tests Google Latitude, an opt-in program
that lets users track one anotherʼs movements on their smartphones using GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell
towers. Kind of like Gawker Stalker, only with permission and without Lindsay Lohan (unless you
happen to be Lindsay Lohan).
Last but not least, Silicon Valley lost one of its own this week. The widely admired and much
loved Mike Homer, whose rare, severe illness was a rallying point for many over the past
months, passed away last weekend and was laid to rest on Thursday.
More next week.

About a year ago, I discussed different strategies for making video ads go viral. Since
then, most agencies and brands have gone beyond the one‐hit‐wonder viral video
craze, and are now looking to create richer, deeper, online brand content
experiences.

A lot has happened over the past year. New digital studios like Deca and Eqal, to
name a few, have consistently put out great new original programs. Despite the
economic turmoil, brands have become a lot less timid about partnering with content
creators. And, above all, new distribution technologies and measurement companies
are helping to make everything a bit more manageable.

But even with some small wins in the brand content space this past year, there's still
a lot to be figured out. While we may all have started to master how to expertly seed
a video to get viral status, creating original Webisodic content and seeking out an
audience requires a whole new level of expertise.

Last week, I spoke with Sarah Szalavitz, a cofounder of the small, but big‐brained
company, 7 Robot. Although it launched only this past year, Sarah and her partner
Damien Somerset have worked with successful companies like Next New Networks
and Generate, and have built a credible expertise in an area that arguably could
replace content as king: community and audience.

Christine Beardsell: Describe 7 Robot and what makes you different from other
companies working in the content space right now?

Sarah Szalavitz: 7 Robot develops cross‐platform user experiences optimized for
participation, search, and community. Or, another way we like to put it: We
transform storytelling into story sharing ‐‐ building engagement into content
creation.

We launched 7 Robot because we saw a gaping hole in the market; there was not a
lack of content, but instead a lack of an audience. Sure, people were watching TV
shows online here and there, but the overwhelming majority of videos viewed on
YouTube are still people watching their kids, their cars, or cats!

The media business is shifting radically. We believe that value is accrued in building
community, instead of just intellectual property. Today it is not enough to tell a great
story. The questions is: How are you going to get people to watch it, participate and
share it, as well as measure its success? 7 Robot fills this need by taking advantage of
social media tools and technologies to allow the audience to become part of the
distribution or story sharing process ‐‐ and in turn, helping to build its value.

While content creation once ended with delivery, today, it is only the beginning.

CB: Building an audience from scratch for a new Web show is not an easy task. Can
you share some of your strategies?

SS: Yes, it's very hard to build an audience from scratch. Even if the content is the
best content ever, it takes commitment, passion, and a lot of work. It is essential to
set long‐term goals and grow your brand incrementally across the platforms where
your audience gathers.

We advise our clients to be wherever their brand's audience is; if they are Twittering,
on Facebook, and on YouTube, you should be in all of those places too.

Then we conquer one platform at a time and focus on those with the most traffic
first. YouTube is still one of the most important platforms, since it is where most
people still watch video. Therefore, we are intimately involved with the features
YouTube offers ‐‐ ranging from thumbnail selection to annotation and AdWords. Each
of these features offers opportunities to build an organic audience.

CB: Can you give me an example of a show you have successfully built an audience
around?

SS: Our most successful story (and one we can contractually talk about) is ZapRoot.
We have built a large and loyal cross‐platform audience, which has made us one of
the most successful green series on the Web ‐‐ garnering over 20 million views.

With ZapRoot, we discovered early on that we created more value by focusing on
building a user experience that included our community, rather than on producing
perfect videos. As such, we spend more time and money on engaging with our
community than we do on making the videos. In fact, the occasional imperfection
allows the audience to participate and make the show better, which helps build
loyalty and encourages sharing.

CB: What's the most important advice you can give to creative marketers and brands
that are developing brand content shows and trying to build audiences?

SS: For one, building an audience takes time and energy. Be committed to six
months. And be prepared to spend as much, if not more, on building your audience
as you do on producing your content. The adage, "build it an they will come" no
longer holds true in a world of infinite choice and distraction.

Second, don't build your own social network. If integrating into one is good enough
for Radiohead, it's probably good enough for you. And similarly, don't build a video
player! Chances are, Google has still done a better job than you could. Instead, spend
that money on building your brand and community!

Lastly, the content monarchy is in decline. Content may have once been king, but
today, community and audience reign supreme.

 
 
The little codec that could, DivX, announced a series of partnerships today
that will use the protocol in set-top boxes for Internet Protocol Television
(IPTV).
DivX Inc. (which is not related to the late, lamented DIVX system used by Circuit
City to produce degradable DVDs) announced or extended partnerships with
Broadcom, D-Link Systems, Jaman.com, and Next New Networks.
Support for DivX, which is known for its compression scheme, would reduce the
amount of bandwidth required to send content over IPTV, which would be both
faster and cheaper.
DivX extended its partnership with Broadcom and certified Broadcom's BCM7403
chipset for set-top devices for full 1080p DivX HD playback, and will also support
DivX in Broadcom's 35xx chipset series.
DivX and Next New Networks, which distributes video content on the Internet
through networks such as IndyMogul and Channel Frederator, announced a
partnership to give users access to Next New Network programs through the
DivX Connected platform. Similarly, the agreement with Jaman.com will give
users access to selections from Jaman.com's library of foreign, independent,
short, and documentary films.
That's all great, but you need something to see them on. The announcement with
D-Link was that the D-Link DSM-330 DivX Connected HD Media Player, which
DivX said was the first piece of equipment to support DivX Connected, would be
available in the US in the first half of 2008. It first shipped in November to the UK,
France, and Germany. The companies did not say how much it would cost in the
US.
The companies also did not say when set-top boxes based on the Broadcom
chipset, or content from the two providers, would be made available.
 
 

Despite layoffs at Web video studios and sliding advertising forecasts, the future is
not as bleak as it might seem for online networks that produce targeted shows.

Last week research firm eMarketer lopped $1.3 billion off its projections for 2008
online ad spending, revising them to $23.6 billion. But the Internet ad business is still
growing at about 11% this year, and the online video ad sector will climb 45% next year
to $850 million, eMarketer said.

Broadcast and cable networks along with premium sites like Hulu will command a
large share of that $850 million pie. Smaller players with original content such as
Revision3, Next New Networks, For Your Imagination, ManiaTV, 60 Frames and
MyDamnChannel will snag a piece, too.

Many of these independent Web studios are on pace to turn a profit next year.

MyDamnChannel even expects to break even this quarter.

“Content quality matters a lot, as does robust distribution and, when possible,
partnerships with larger media companies with ad sales strengths,” said Will
Richmond, analyst with VideoNuze.com.

Here’s a report card for 2008 and an outlook for 2009 for those six studios.

60 Frames

Top five shows: “Douchebag Beach,” “Who What Wear TV,” “Wassup 2008,”
“Carpet Brothers,” “Tuned in With Nic Harcourt”

Views in 2008: Collectively 60 Frames shows have been viewed more than 50 million
times this year

Growth in 2008: The company had zero views at the start of the year when it
launched.

Sponsors signed in 2008: McDonald’s, Sprint, Saks, Procter & Gamble

Lessons learned: “Always focus on quality,” said Brent Weinstein, CEO of 60 Frames.
“If you deliver quality content, sponsors and audience will follow.”

Challenges for 2009: The goal for the year ahead is building on what 60 Frames has
learned so far this year, Mr. Weinstein said.

For Your Imagination

Top five shows: “Break a Leg,” “Kyle Piccolo,” “DadLabs,” “Real World Green,”
“Gardenfork”

Views in 2008: Those five shows generated nearly 7 million views.

Growth in 2008: “Break a Leg” grew 15%, “DadLabs” 25% and “Gardenfork” 50%; the
other shows launched this year.

Sponsors signed in 2008: Hasbro, Warner Bros., OxiClean, Kaboom, IFC, Kathy Hilton
My Secret, Holiday Inn Express, Coors Lite, Primo Water, Midtown Comics, Theory

Lessons learned: “The more you can target your audience, the more likely your
content will be sponsored,” said Paul Kontonis, CEO of For Your Imagination.
“Infotainment is where it is at.”

Challenges for 2009: The challenges in the year ahead are delivering audiences in a
crowded market and educating agencies and brands about online video
sponsorships, he said.

ManiaTV

Top five shows: “Arcade,” “Dave Navarro’s Spread TV,” “All Access,” “Comedy Road
Show,” “National Lampoon’s Lemmings.”

Views in 2008: Those five shows generated 127 million video views for the year.

Growth in 2008: For all its shows, ManiaTV has generated 148 million views, up 10%.

Sponsors signed in 2008: ManiaTV signed 52 advertisers including Axe, Doritos,
Wrigley, AT&T, Yellow Pages, Dell, Sony PlayStation, Nikon and Adidas.

Lessons learned: “There are a lot of moving pieces to our business, so you must have
a full package of production, packaging, distribution, ad sales, reporting, technology,
scale and the partner relationships across the board in order to succeed,” said Peter
Hoskins, the company’s CEO.

Challenges for 2009: “Help our advertisers weather this economic storm and
continue to be their safe haven on the Internet,” he said.

MyDamnChannel

Top five shows: “You Suck at Photoshop,” “Wainy Days,” “Harry Shearer,” “Horrible
People,” “My Damn Channel Music Nights Presented by SoCo”

Views in 2008: Those five shows generated about 27 million views, with “You Suck at
Photoshop” leading the pack with 16 million views.

Growth in 2008: MyDamnChannel’s audience grew sevenfold this year.

Sponsors signed in 2008: Southern Comfort, Puma, Lincoln, Universal Pictures,
Lionsgate, HBO, TMZ, Adobe, Skype, Swedish Fish and Fuse.

Lessons learned: “Web series with name talent builds more revenue than one‐offs,”
said Rob Barnett, CEO of the company.

Challenges for 2009: The goal for the year ahead is to expand and ink strategic
partnerships with major media companies, Mr. Barnett said.

Next New Networks

Top five shows: “Barely Political,” “Fast Lane Daily,” “Channel Frederator,”
“Viropop,” “Indy Mogul”

Views in 2008: Nearly 200 million views total for the year for those five shows.

Growth in 2008: Next New Networks’ shows have more than doubled in views.

Sponsors signed in 2008: Next New Networks said it signed “dozens” of sponsors
this year including Mars, Janome, SpikeTV and Lionsgate.

Lessons learned: The key take‐away from 2008 is the importance of a regular
audience, said Lance Podell, CEO of Next New Networks. “Our channels built loyal,
regular audiences by providing consistent programming that is easy to access via our
distribution network. [Audience] feedback is a core part of the programming.”

Challenges for 2009: “To get the advertising community to view online video as the
primary, not secondary way to reach teens and 18‐ to 34‐year‐olds,” Mr. Podell said.

Revision3

Top five shows: “Tekzilla,” “SYSTM,” “Diggnation,” “Totally Rad Show,” “Scam
School”

Views in 2008: Those shows should reach nearly 41 million complete views this year,
translating into 1.2 billion minutes of engagement for the year, Revision3 said.

Growth in 2008: Those shows doubled in views for the year.

Sponsors signed in 2008: Revision3 signed 60 new sponsors, including the Air Force,
EA, Sony, Anheuser‐Busch, Dolby and Virgin America.

Lessons learned: “Focus on a core audience and demographic and super‐serve
them,” said Jim Louderback, CEO of Revision3. “Be everywhere, but make sure
everywhere includes YouTube.”

Challenges for 2009: “Keep growing revenue and viewership,” he said.

Metacafe Inc., a short-form online video site boasting 38 million unique users per month,
shoots and scores with yesterday's launch of its NBA channel featuring game highlights,
top plays, and weekly recaps.
Scott Bushman, the VP of content and business development at Metacafe, says the NBA
is one of the most forward-thinking sports leagues in terms of its digital distribution of
content.
"Working with them to get this deal done was a collaborative process in which we both
brought value to the table," he says. "They're an important partner for us, and we're
working together toward a common goal -- making it easy for people to find, enjoy, and
share NBA highlights online."
The channel, located at http://www.metacafe.com/nba, features basketball highlights

from every game of the 2008-2009 regular season and 2009 NBA playoffs, a daily recap
of top plays from around the league, a weekly recap, and a post-finals highlight package
focusing on the best-of clips from the season.
Bushman says it's too early to judge if the NBA channel is a slam dunk, but says sports
has long been one of the most popular content categories on Metacafe.
"It's really too early to say which type of content proves most popular, but our viewers
definitely seem to like the play-of-the-night highlights... dunks, assists, steals," he adds.
Metacafe continues to dominate the short-form entertainment content platform, signing

more than 70 deals in 2008 with professional content creators -- including companies
like 60Frames Entertainment Corp. , Aniboom, Comedy.com, Fear.net, JibJab, Howcast,
Next New Networks, Revision3 , and Young Hollywood.
Bushman says Metacafe's vision in 2009 is to help create a short-form industry carving a
place online alongside its long-format counterparts -- TV and movies -- as another option
for online video entertainment.
"We believe the short-form environment is different in every way from the long-form
online TV environment -- the content, the viewer experience, the advertising model," he
concludes. "We'll continue to seek and strike partnerships with premium content
providers like the NBA over the course of this year."
On Wednesdayʼs “Naked Media” live show (soon to be available on demand at
NakedMedia.org), Web TV entrepreneur (and long-time TV animation
executive) Fred Seibert talked about how TiVo brought a lot of viewers to the
programs on his Next New Networks, home of everything from car enthusiast
shows to Obama Girl on “Barely Political” to shows for people crazy for comic
books. He said that TiVo, hungry for content to distribute to TiVo subscribers,
had struck deals with Web content providers like his company. Fred gets
distribution to a new audience (and more views for ads). TiVo gets more
content to subscribers paying their monthly fees.
TiVo, thus, becomes a box that not only allows time-shifting of traditional TV
and ad-skipping, but also viewing of quality Web content on the TV as well.
Thatʼs something a lot of consumers donʼt realize.
Later, at the Future of TV conference in midtown Manhattan, TiVOʼs VP and

GM, Audience Research and Measurement Todd Juenger said he didnʼt like the
traditional ways of classifying audience for advertising measurement purposes,
that demographic groupings, such as women ages 18-49, were a far-from-
perfect proxy for what advertisers really want. Procter & Gamble, where he
once worked, is interested in women who want to use a particular product in a
particular way: women interested buying a detergent with a particular smell, for
example. Thatʼs much more important than their age or any other group
measurement. Beer companies would love to know if a household tends to buy
Budweiser or Miller — something, Juenger said, TiVo can tell when it maps the
household to data from a grocery story shopping card such as that provided by
the company Experion.
TiVo, thus becomes not just a measurement box, but the means by which an
advertiser can serve ads more perfectly targeted to a household.
But TiVo, while a triple threat, also faces a threat. I asked Juenger whether the
Internet was threatening his company just as his company threatens ad
revenues for broadcast and cable TV. He said he felt there was room for it all,
that TV screens are the better experience and that TiVo was bringing
programming to people over those screens.
Well, yes. But. What about the increasing improvement in screens of all types,
the desire for people to watch what they want wherever, however? Later at the
conference, both a Fox executive and ABCʼs Rick Mandler pointed out that
while the audience was still miniscule, the viewership of their programs on
computer screens was growing (and they could build players for computers that
didnʼt allow ad skipping). Seibert said he would provide his programming on any
screen where people were demanding it. Thereʼs not yet enough viewership on
mobile screens like iPhones, he said, but as soon as there is, heʼll be signing
distribution deals. And, when there is, where will TiVo be? If TiVoʼs main value
proposition is showing stuff on a TV hooked up to its machine, and that
becomes irrelevant because Hulu or ABC.com or the Roku box hooked up to
Netflix, or Apple TV provides the programming on-demand — what would that
do to TiVoʼs business?
In the opening segment, “Shallow Thoughts,” on Naked Media, Dorianʼs shtick

was on people being unprepared for the switchover to Digital TV over the air —
something Shelly Palmer addressed at the Future TV show.
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- MyDamnChannel's "You Suck at Photoshop" is a near-
perfect series for the web: short, funny and low-budget, it both doesn't require viewers
to commit to a series and actually provides some useful information for those of us who
do, in fact, suck at Photoshop.
But the series isn't immune from the one of

the most vexing problems facing producers
of web video: how to build a loyal audience
and keep it coming back. In the short history
of web series, most have struggled to
replicate the TV model where audiences
come back -- and even build -- from the first
episode. And retaining audiences is key,
given that brands marketing around web
video are paying according to that old TV
model: for eyeballs.
Online audiences are spotty, fickle and

distracted. Even the best web series have trouble getting numbers when they're not
getting front-page promotion on a major video portal such as YouTube or MySpace
Video. To illustrate the problem, Ad Age asked web-analytics firm TubeMogul to
compile viewing stats for the first eight episodes of 50 of the highest-profile web series:
EQAL's "LG15: The Resistance" to Crackle's "Hot Hot Los Angeles" to Michael
Eisner's "Back On Topps."
What it found is that the series lost 64% of their audiences, on aggregate, from the first
to the second episode. The decline becomes less steep from there, but it shows why
many series don't last past the 10th episode; by then there just aren't many viewers
left. TubeMogul stats include the largest video sites such as YouTube, Dailymotion,
Metacafe, MySpace and Yahoo, but don't include Hulu and iTunes sales.
Typical for a web series is a big first episode, partly because portals like to promote
new series, followed by choppy up and down numbers. Take Mr. Eisner's "Prom
Queen," which went from 405,000 views for episode one to a mere 38,000 for episode
two.
Finding reliable audiences

That was fine when web video was still in the experimental phase, but brands
advertising on the sites are increasingly asking for guaranteed audiences, meaning
producers have had to move past the "post and pray" method in hopes a video goes
viral. Producers say even the mighty YouTube isn't the font of views it once was. A
year ago, for example, a "featured video" -- one chosen for the home page by YouTube
editors -- might deliver 500,000 views. Today, few break the 100,000 mark.
"If you are just throwing your video on your site, the revenue shares coming back to
you are not going to make you rich," said MyDamnChannel CEO Rob Barnett. To get
brands involved in video, you have to deliver guaranteed views, and increasingly, that
means paying for distribution.
It's a change in approach in part driven by the economic model for online video, where
the video itself is as much an ad as it is entertainment. Brands are eager to underwrite
a series that reaches the right audience, but they're asking for guaranteed audiences
in return. "The basic principle is there aren't enough views to go around," said Tremor
Media CEO Jason Glickman.
Tremor, like Broadband Enterprises, has developed a side

business of syndicating shows across their ad networks,
making the ad unit a video player, much like Google is doing
with "Family Guy" creator Seth McFarlane's web series
"Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy," which has racked up nearly
30 million views since July on Google's AdSense network.
Broadband Enterprises recently entered the content-creation
business as well to provide advertisers with both content and
distribution.
It's a big shift from early web series, where any promotional
budget was used to launch of the first installment of a series,
only to see a huge drop-off for episode two. "You get press and
great placements at launch, but then the noise drops off and
the word-of-mouth drops off," said Paul Kontonis, CEO of For Your Imagination,
producer of "Break A Leg" and other series.
Gaining steam first
"Some people don't go to a web series until there are enough there to watch a bunch,"
said Thom Woodley, co-producer of "The Burg" and Vuguru's "All For Nots." "The
strategy should be to do a soft launch and then get people to the sixth or seventh
episode."
The argument for paid syndication allows the video to go where the viewers are, and
makes it easier for producers to deliver the audience promised to an advertiser. The
argument against is the audience isn't as committed, and is less likely to become the
kind of devoted follower advertisers are seeking.
Lance Podell, CEO of Next New Networks, said the company categorically doesn't buy
advertising to distribute shows, instead relying on cross-promotion, PR and search
optimization to build audiences. But the company is also dependent on hits; its most
popular videos are Barely Political's "Obama Girl" videos, according to TubeMogul.

Very few people have found success in the world of online video. Sarah Szalavitz is
one of them.

Passionate about the stories she wanted to tell and how she wanted to tell them,
Szalavitz left her position as director of content development at Veoh Networks to
launch her own company, 7 Robot.

Szalavitz has been in the stories business since she was old enough to tell them, and
7 Robot is arguably just her latest chapter. “When I was in kindergarten, I won the
best‐storyteller award,” she says, “so it was sort of what I've been trying to live up
to…and I guess the thing that draws all of my experiences together is they are all
uniquely about storytelling.”

Szalavitz founded 7 Robot with partner Damien Somerset, both an award‐winning
filmmaker and expert in digital technology, in July 2007. At launch, Szalavitz and
Somerset envisioned 7 Robot as more of a production company. As the co‐founder
and CEO, Szalavitz now primarily works with brands, networks and platforms to help
them develop an engaged community around their content.

“We realized there was not much of a market for selling content yet,” Szalavitz says.
Instead, clients were hiring her to help them figure out how to build an audience for
their content. “The goal of our company is to transform storytelling into
storysharing,” she says.

She is first and foremost an advocate for the digital storytelling space, according to
Jordan Levin, one of her clients and founding partner and CEO of production and
management studio Generate. “[Sarah's] been largely working with both our
production front and our talent side in thinking about the distribution ecosystem,
from a macro level of what that strategically looks like to a very granular level of how
deals need to be constructed,” Levin says.

Unlike most companies in the arena, at less than two years old 7 Robot is profitable
and has never accepted venture capital money. In addition to helping other content
companies build audiences, 7 Robot is also developing content franchises they own,
using their projects as test subjects with platforms, technology and media. Once fine‐
tuned, they apply the new practices to building communities for clients.

Among 7 Robot's properties, it produces and owns ZapRoot, a green pop‐culture
Web series Szalavitz created with Somerset while at Veoh and now distributes
through Next New Networks. According to Fred Seibert, Next New's creative
director and co‐founder, ZapRoot distinguishes itself from the plethora of
environmental programming online because Szalavitz has found a way to “activate
[the environmental community] and get them involved with the programming itself.”
ZapRoot has a viewership 10 to 100 times greater than its competition's, with close to
half a million viewers per episode.

Seibert attributes Szalavitz's success to a few key differences between her and other
industry players online. “She has taken a lot of the skills that I have seen in television
producers and television people, and applied them to the interactive world in a way
that most television people or movie people haven't taken the time to learn,” he
says. “But more importantly, she has a real on‐the‐ground understanding of this
interactive world and how it's different than the passive media world, which just sort
of shoves information at you.”

Szalavitz's success also is due in part to how vocal and genuine she is about what she
believes in, Levin says. He describes “seeing her argue with people of great influence
and power, and it comes from a place of believing—genuinely believing—in the
world view that she espouses.”

That's probably because she sees arguments as stories and stories as arguments, in a
way. She has degrees in political science and law, and that's all a matter of telling—
and selling—tales as far as she is concerned: “There's very little difference between
politics and film and law in that they're all trying to tell a story that motivates people
to behave in a particular way or do a particular thing.”

In the traditional media world, positions of leadership and power are designated by
letters such as CEO or VP. But those labels are much less meaningful in Szalavitz's
new‐media world, which she describes as “a new movement of micromedia
companies that fill a particular purpose, and are lean and mean and operate in a way
that allows people to achieve more but work differently, and hopefully live
differently.”

In her world, one is defined more by what one does successfully than by a title, and
that's where her rank shines through. (Co‐founding a profitable startup company
doesn't hurt, either.)

“What interests her is industry building, not in helping herself first and foremost,”
Levin says, adding that her approach is rooted in protecting the online world from
“being wholly and universally controlled by a relative few voices.”

To that end, in addition to her work at 7 Robot, Szalavitz organizes Delicious Digital, a
series of Sunday brunches for people who work in digital storytelling. Participants
come from throughout the industry, including studio and ad‐agency executives,
actors and musicians.

“It was formed to create a place for people who are interested in digital storytelling
to get together and share their resources, their experiences and maybe make some
deals,” Szalavitz says. “It's not a place where people are coming and giving speeches.
Instead, it's brunch where you sit down next to people, chat and play musical chairs.”

Szalavitz takes as much personal satisfaction from the projects that arise out of
Delicious Digital as any studio executive would with a money‐making property. As she
puts it: “Honestly, it's one of the most rewarding things I've done in this space,
because a lot comes out of it for other people.”

Barely Digital
Coverage Highlights
 
With the presidential campaign over, the
producers of the Obama Girl videos have a
new target for parody: technology.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image
Barelypolitical.com
Amber Lee Ettinger, who played in the

Internet “Obama Girl” parodies, will make
appearances in satirical jabs at technology.
Related
Net Watch: A Hit Shows Big Interest in
Racy Material — and Obama (June 15,
2007)
The Obama Girl character, played by the actress Amber Lee Ettinger, became a
bona fide Internet hit when she showed affection for then-Senator Barack Obama
in mid-2007. Since then, YouTube has counted more than 13 million views for the
first of the low-budget music videos, “I Got a Crush on Obama” — twice as many
views as any of the campaignʼs official videos. The clip, showing Ms. Ettinger
dancing in a bikini in front of a photo of Mr. Obama in the ocean, helped
crystallize the view of the candidate as a pop culture figure and, to some, a sex
symbol.
Dozens of subsequent videos parodied the presidential debates, Mr. Obamaʼs

competitors, and even the federal stimulus package. “The videos became part of
the political conversation,” said Ben Relles, the creator of Barely Political, the
producer of the segments.
Political zingers, of course, may not draw as many video views now that Mr.
Obama has moved from campaigning to governing. While Barely Political will
keep writing the Obama Girl character — she was in Washington last week
filming an “inauguration dance party” video — it is establishing a spinoff channel
called Barely Digital to give technology the same treatment.
The videos are financed by Next New Networks, an online video venture that
hosts Internet channels devoted to cars, comic books, do-it-yourself fashion and
other subjects. Lance Podell, the chief executive of the company, said that Mr.
Obamaʼs technological sophistication “provides for an interesting liaison”
between the networks.
The first Barely Digital videos parody the iPod with a Hipster Pod, “a new device
that tricks people into thinking youʼre hip,” and mock YouTube users who argue
pointlessly in the comments threads of videos.
The producers arenʼt counting solely on digital appeal: the Obama Girl will be
making cameo appearances. BRIAN STELTER
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Barely Political
Coverage Highlights
 
 
 
 
Obama Girl still hasn't met her man.
After flying in from New York to cover the

Inauguration for Barelypolitical.com, Obama
Girl (real name: Amber Lee Ettinger) went
shopping and hosted a party. But she never
came face-to-face with the candidate-turned-
president she famously serenaded in "I Got a
Crush ... on Obama" and other Internet videos
(including a new one released before the
Inauguration).
"He's pretty busy. I don't think I'm gonna meet

him this week [but] maybe someday," Ettinger,
26, told PEOPLE during a pause in the
festivities in Washington, D.C.
Still, her admiration for the new leader of the free world is undiminished. "He's
hot. He's just hot," says Ettinger. "Not all presidents are hot, but he has charisma.
And when I watch him on TV he has this swagger about him, and it's not quite
cocky. I hope he doesn't get cocky."
Kidding aside, Obama Girl says she is happy to keep her distance from Obama;
in real life, she admires him, but isn't infatuated. "I'm very respectful of him and
his entire family," says Ettinger, who has launched a singing career.
"I've met his campaign manager, and his chief speech writer," she says. "And his
chief speech writer told me they love the videos and they play them in the office.
And I said, 'Oh, one day I'd love a note from him.' And he was like. 'Oh yeah, I'd
probably be the one to write it.' And I was like, 'Aw, all right, not cool!' " says
Ettinger.

Ben Relles created Obama Girl, one of the pop culture artifacts of the 2008
election, Relles, along with actress Amber Lee Ettinger and his team of
collaborators, gave YouTube one of it's first original smash hits with their video
I've Got A Crush On Obama.
I spoke with Relles and Ettinger just after last week's inaugural.
Were you a fan of Barack Obama when you created the "I've Got A Crush On
Obama" video or was it strictly business?
Ben: When we first did the video I thought it might help him and I thought he was
a great candidate. After the first few videos we were acquired by an online
television company called Next New Networks. Now we are able to produce
consistent videos. It's also enabled us to build our team - which now includes
people that support Obama and some who don't.
Amber: When I was first pitched the idea I liked it in part because I saw Obama
on Oprah and was impressed by him. As the year went on I started to learn more
about him. And by election night when he won I was kind of caught of guard and
started crying and was just totally ecstatic like a lot of people.
Were there any videos that never were released?
Ben: We had a few that were scrapped. There was an ObamaGirl15 series that
spoofed LonelyGirl15 where Amber vlogged about him that was tossed out for
being a little creepy. Same with To Catch a Political Predator.
Do you think you effected the election in any way?

Amber: Nah. I think online video affected the election. But I don't think me
dancing to Obama songs impacted how people voted. I do get people telling me
all the time the first time they heard of Obama was our video and I hope in some
small way it helped Obama.
Ben: When we did the first video Obama was trailing Hillary Clinton by a
significant margin. Then it just started to become really clear that he was a
frontrunner. Online video kept playing an increasingly important role. From
democratizing the process by giving user generated videos like ours an audience
to the candidates figuring out how to use online video to the thousands of clips
that surfaced on YouTube and accompanied almost every major political story. I
don't think our video substantially helped Obama, but I think it is part of the
bigger story of how online video played was a part of this election in a way it
never had been previously.
Any reactions from people along the way that really surprised you?
Amber: Bill O'Reilly interviewed me and said he liked what we were doing. That
surprised me. And at the YouTube awards Will.i.am said he watches our videos.
That was fun to hear.
Ben: We met Karl Rove the other night here in DC. I heard he enjoyed it.
Ben Relles recently launched Barely Digital.
Lee Stranahan is a writer and filmmaker who has collaborated with Relles and
Barely Political on videos like No, You Can't.
 
 

 
Amber Ettinger, better known as "Obama Girl," has teamed up with
Stickam for coverage of the presidential inauguration. Live
coverage will be streamed live Monday at 8 p.m. EST from
InauguralFest, and viewers will be able to see what she is doing all
day at the inauguration starting at 10 a.m. EST Tuesday.
Integrated Media Measurement, an online research firm, found (PDF) that women
between the ages of 15 and 48 tend to watch a television show and surf the Web an
average of 17.5 minutes per day, while men do the same for just 15.7 minutes each day.
Women between 30 and 39 average 23.3 minutes of simultaneous Web and TV usage
each day. More importantly for marketers, women tend to multitask more as they get
older, while men multitask less often. According to Amanda Welsh, head of research for
IMMI, "women are more inclined to multitask than men" while using the Web.
Professional social network LinkedIn announced Monday that it has partnered with IBM
to bring social-network functionality to Lotus Notes, an enterprise client that provides e-
mail and instant-messaging services to users. The social-network plug-in will provide
Lotus Notes users with contact and networking information about those they're
contacting (as long as they are using LinkedIn) and browse LinkedIn's news feeds. The
companies plan to unveil the new plug-in at Lotusphere later this year and hope to
release it to Lotus Notes users by June.
Juniper Research released a report Monday saying event-based sales should increase
the value and monetization of mobile dating and chat room sites. The report said that
although subscription revenue will still contribute the most revenue to online dating sites
over the next five years, charging customers to contact one another or providing virtual
gifts will become increasingly important in their business models going forward. Juniper
also found that free services that charge for contact are becoming more popular and
could become the standard sometime during the next 10 years.
Navitell, a Belgium-based start-up that develops software that adds location-specific

multimedia content to mobile phones, announced Monday that it has raised
approximately $2.6 million in a round of funding that was led by FPIM. According to the
company's executives, they plan to use the funding to expand their set of personalization
services.

 

Internet sensation “Obama Girl” was early to jump
on the Barack Obama bandwagon and is
continuing her unlikely ride to fame - even tapping
Fox News personality Bill OʼReilly for new material.
Amber Lee Ettinger - who stars in the racy “Obama

Girl” videos - superimposed herself in OʼReillyʼs
seat for her latest cyber video, “Red States, Blue
States.”
“Thank you so much for meeting me, Barack. I had

to wait a really long time,” Ettinger coos to Obama
during their “sitdown.”
“It took a little while. Iʼve had a few things to do,”

Barack responds in a clip taken from OʼReillyʼs pre-
election interview.
Ettingerʼs latest video, released by barelypolitical.com earlier this week, already amassed more
than a million hits on YouTube yesterday.
The video features Ettinger, 26, dancing around in shorts, tank tops and a bikini all the while
“dueting” with the commander-in-chief in superimposed clips.
Watch the Obama Girl + Obama Duet
An amused OʼReilly had Ettinger on his show earlier this week.
“Now, donʼt you owe me a lot of money for purloining my interview and putting yourself in my
chair?” OʼReilly asked. “You looked a lot better than I did.”
OʼReilly told her that somebody who wasnʼt as generous as himself would be angry that she
“stole” that interview and is making money off it. But Ettinger said he should be flattered because
he did a “great” interview and “thatʼs why we used it.”
By Mark Shanahan & Paysha Rhone
Globe Staff / January 20, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. - For some celebrities, like Lindsay Lohan, the red carpet
can be a chore, even at a party celebrating the historic Obama inauguration.
LiLo, it's safe to say, was paid a bundle of dough to appear at Norman Lear's
"Declare Yourself" bash the other night, but the actress would only play peek-a-
boo. Looking wan and rail thin, Lohan arrived late - after almost everyone else -
and then posed for just a minute before waltzing away in her spike heels. (She
did reappear later, sitting on stage while her girlfriend Samantha Ronson DJ'd.)
Other celebs, though, are soaking up the circus-like atmosphere, and even
having some fun. Pausing to talk to reporters at the same star-studded shindig,
Jamie Foxx broke into song, doing a dead-on sample of Ray Charles's "What'd I
Say." The Oscar winner then started in on "Shout!," offering $100 to anyone who
could name the song's writer.
"The Isley Brothers," someone yelled.

Foxx tilted his head and grimaced.
"Damn, I need $100 over here," he called out to a buddy, who promptly handed
over the Benjamin.
Other stars celebrating the youth vote at the Renaissance Hotel included Ben
Affleck, Sarah Silverman, Maria Shriver, Bootsy Collins, Hayden Panettiere, John
Cusack, Olivia Munn, "Top Chef" Spike Mendelsohn, McCain supporter Rick
Schroeder, Herbie Hancock, John Legend and glamorous girlfriend Christine
Teigen, and host Jessica Alba and her husband, Cash Warren, who seemed
humored when a reporter referred to Alba as his girl-friend.
"She used to be my girlfriend," said Warren, grinning. "Now she's my wife."
The choreography on the carpet was temporarily interrupted when Maroon 5's
muscle man accused a paparazzo of trying to take video of Adam Levine
relieving himself. To the amusement of everyone, a loud argument then ensued
and the videographer was made to erase any evidence of the band's bathroom
break.
With so many parties and so little time, many guests bolted before Maroon 5 hit
the stage. Some, including Foxx, went to catch Usher and Nelly perform at Fur,
and some dropped by the Latino Ball, where Rosario Dawson was rocking a
floor-length purple gown. (Others there included Shakira, in a fluffy green
number, and, of course, JLo.) Still others made their way to Young Jeezy's
Presidential Status party, where the crowd included Jay-Z, Akon, Bow Wow, and
Wale, among others.
We also ran into one of the 44th President's biggest fans, Amber Ettinger, better
known to most Americans as "Obama Girl." A YouTube sensation since her "I
Got a Crush . . . on Obama" video went viral in '07, Ettinger is bouncing all
around town, reporting on the inauguration for a satirical website. Last night, she
was at a party at Ibiza.
"It's been really amazing and flattering to hear people say I helped him get
elected," said Obama Girl, who's managed to parlay her 15 minutes into a CD, a
jewelry line, and a radio show but not a one-on-one meeting with the president-
elect. "I just think he had an amazing campaign from start to finish. . . . I don't
think my video could have that kind of impact."
Yesterday started early with an Entertainment Industry Foundation breakfast

attended by Martin Luther King III, "Spiderman" actor Tobey Maguire,
"Superman" actor Brandon Routh, and Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. Maguire
was hosting a party of his own last night at Cafe Milano - an Artists and Athletes
Alliance/ Service Nation soiree - and the guest list was believed to include
Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessica Alba, among many others. (Maybe Bill Murray
got the time wrong because he was in for lunch yesterday, along with Sharon
Stone and Bo Derek.) The bash didn't disappoint: We spotted Maguire, a Chanel-
wearing Jennifer Lopez with husband Marc Anthony, Moore, Kutcher, David
Arquette, Fran Drescher, Luke Russert, comedian Jeffrey Ross, Isaiah
Washington, Queen Noor of Jordan, Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell,
and retired baller Jalen Rose in the crowd.
Meanwhile, director Spike Lee hosted a daylong symposium at Howard

University yesterday with a panel that included Sean Combs, Queen Latifah,
Rev. Al Sharpton, congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., Harvard's Henry Louis "Skip"
Gates and Charles Ogletree, and former Harvard prof Dr. Cornel West. As for
Oprah, we spied the talk show queen at the Four Seasons yesterday after her
sold-out show, which she taped at the Kennedy Center.
The itinerary for Bay State bigshots included several events, but none bigger
than the optional black tie bash hosted by John Hancock at the Willard Hotel. In
addition to Boston Mayor Tom Menino, boldfacers making the scene included
Hancock bigwig John DePrez, Red Cross CEO Deb Jackson, Home for Little
Wanderers chief Joan Wallace-Benjamin, former Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston
head Linda Whitlock, Boston chamber prez Paul Guzzi, WCVB producer Karen
Ward Holmes, veteran news anchor Liz Walker, Tufts Health Plan CEO John
Roosevelt, and attorney Fletcher "Flash" Wiley.
The hottest tickets last night were the Manifest Hope and Huffington Post
hoohas. The former was hosted by It artist Shepard Fairey, who'll have a solo
show soon at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Also expected to attend were
REM singer Michael Stipe, actress Heather Graham, and performers Moby and
Santagold. The Huffpo party, described as the first-ever interactive ball -
whatever that means - was held at the Newseum, and the Twittering tumult
included Sheryl Crow, will.i.am, Sting, Halle Berry, and Tom Hanks.

The Web site's live concert, streamed from San Francisco, was part concert and part 
variety show. 
 
At the YouTube Live event billboard-ranked musicians and the most popular online video 
stars performed together on the same stage. 
Story continues below 
Advertisement 
 
Will.i.am, Akon, and Tay Zonday were in attendance. 
 
YouTube Live brought mainstream musicians together with online celebrities to show 
that the distinction between the online world and the real world is getting very blurry. 
 
"It's a whole new machine now because the new machine smashed the old machine. 
What's the difference between me and Chocolate Rain? What's the difference between 
Chocolate Rain and Christina Aguilera?" asked Will.i.am. 
 
13 million people have viewed Snosh, two guys lipsynching the theme song from a video 
game. 12 million people have viewed Obama Girl. 11 million have viewed 15-year old 
Fred. 
 
The mainstream stars are very aware of the online celebrities. 
 
"I am a big fan of fred," said Katy Perry. 
 
"I am psyched to see Chocolate Rain Tay here. It's bizarre to go backstage and see all 
these guys in person," said one of the guys from Mythbusters. 
 
So, while the line between the online world and the real world is blurring, the message to 
publishers, studios and other celebrities is becoming very clear: 
 
"The internet is here to stay." said Perry. 
(Copyright ©2009 KGO-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)  

 

 
 
 

 
Like never before, inauguration experienced
online
Posted 1/21/2009 8:30 AM
NEW YORK (AP) — In an inauguration defined by a sense of change, the

experience of watching Barack Obama take office was fittingly revolutionary.
Like never before, Americans watched the inauguration of an incoming president

online through live video streaming across their computers. And wholly wrapped
up in following Inauguration Day 2009 on the Web was reacting to them —
blogging, vlogging and tweeting.
Essentially every major news outlet offered live feeds on their respective
websites in what was potentially the most Web-driven coverage of a significant
news event yet. It was partly out of necessity, since many viewers were at work
in front of their computers — and away from TV sets — for the midday swearing
in.
It was also a notable benchmark in the fast evolution of online video. At the time
of the last inauguration, YouTube didn't even exist.
Akamai Technologies Inc., which delivers Internet video for many websites, said
the inauguration was a record for them, with 7.7 million people watching video
streams at the same time.
So much video meant bandwidth was stretched considerably for many sites and
many servers. On the whole, the webcasts appeared to function well, albeit with
some lags.
Keynote Systems Inc., which tracks website performance, said the Internet's top
40 sites slowed down by as much as 60% when the ceremony started at 11 a.m.,
and many news sites saw even sharper declines in performance.
Many sites streaming the festivities gave four different perspectives on the
ceremony, giving the viewer the option of watching the primary feed, the crowd
amassed along the Mall or other views. The Associated Press' Online Video
Network provided a webcast for many news outlets, including AOL News.
Several outlets looked to combine traditional coverage with new media
interactivity.
CNN partnered with Facebook (for users of the social networking site) to include
status updates from friends alongside the webcast. The result was that it (kind of)
felt like you were watching along with your friends.
As of 3:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, CNN.com said it served more than 21.3 million live
streams globally since 6 a.m. That was nearly four times the amount of live
streams on the site on Election Day when there were 5.3 million lives streams.
Mimi Wong, a 28-year-old public defender from Brookline, Mass., watched the
CNN.com webcast at work with her colleagues.
"It was pretty cool," said Wong. "I was actually kind of surprised that the
connection was so good."
Current TV, the user-driven TV network co-founded by Al Gore, likewise

combined streaming of the event with Twitter messages or "tweets." Messages
from viewers played at the bottom of both Current's broadcast and webcast.
Other webcasts were offered by Hulu.com, C-SPAN.org, Joost.com, Ustream.tv

(whose feed was available on iPhones, too) and the Presidential Inauguration
Committee itself.
But not everyone had a seamless experience watching online.
Lyndsey Lewis, a 22-year-old student at the University of Florida, wanted to catch

the inauguration online at her school library before heading to class. She
checked the webcasts from numerous sites, including CNN and Hulu but was
frustrated by the interruptions.
"There were so many pauses that I missed really crucial moments of the
inauguration," said Lewis. "I didn't expect it to be TV quality, but I definitely
thought it would be a lot better than it was."
Loath to leave behind his BlackBerry, Obama is easily the most tech-savvy
president and the country's first president of the Web 2.0 era. Shortly before
taking the oath, he also issued a tweet of his own:
"We just made history. All of this happened because you gave your time, talent
and passion. All of this happened because of you."
The inauguration committee offered official inaugural news updates,

transportation notices and invitations by cellphone text messages.
"There's just a lively discourse on our website," said Linda Douglass, a
spokeswoman for the inauguration committee. "It's very satisfying because our
goal here is to make people feel connected to the party and to the events in
Washington and to their government."
Several sites aimed to let people in on the celebrations in Washington.
The Huffington Post hosted a ball Monday night in Washington that included
blogging from attendees, live video on the website and photos.
Second Life and Wee World also hosted virtual inaugural balls so that even if you
were far away from the festivities, your avatar could be partying the night away.
A number of sites offered bells and whistles to their coverage.
The Washington Post provided satellite imagery of the District of Columbia area
and culled a user-generated photo mosaic of Obama through submissions on
Flickr.com. (The photo site also began to see pictures pour in Tuesday from
Washington and elsewhere, documenting the day.)
YouTube partnered with C-SPAN to gather inaugural addresses from

presidencies past. One of YouTube's stars, Obama Girl, streamed her take on
the events live on Stickam.com.
MSNBC.com created a video explorer to let users search transcripts of the past
18 inaugural speeches, matching words with the corresponding video.
MSNBC.com and CNN.com both touted Microsoft's "photosynth" technology, a 3-
D panorama of the inauguration.
CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric followed the network's prime-time
special with an hourlong webcast on cbsnews.com. A more laid-back Couric
reported live from the Commander in Chief Ball and apologized if she seemed "a
little cuckoo" after being on the air for so long.
A digital transition was also evident at the official site of the president. At noon
ET, WhiteHouse.gov unveiled a new design.
It announced: "Change has come to WhiteHouse.gov."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
'Obama girl' comes to D.C. for inaugural
by Mark Silva
What would President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration be like without "the

Obama girl?''
Amber Ettinger, who gained some level of notoriety during the presidential
campaign with her video odes to Obama, has issued a new one entitled, "Red
States, Blue States." See it above.
Ettinger and her "Barely Political'' Web-team also have come to Washington to
cover the inauguration. She will cover the Inaugural Fest, attending the
Inauguration itself, the Hawaiian Inaugural Ball, several Inauguration parties and
will host her own:
The Obama Girl After Party on Tuesday evening.

 

 

The celebrities were everywhere at the YouTube Live event at Fort Mason on Saturday -
sipping wine, looking great on camera and chatting just like regular folk.
There was Michael Buckley talking a mile a minute and, oh my god, that Esmée Denters
is so pretty. Obama Girl, well, what can you say about Obama Girl?
What! You've never heard of them?
You better get with it. They are YouTube celebrities - stars of their own cyber videos.
In this new media world fraught with self-glorification, everybody is a star. That was
essentially the point of the celebration that brought together hundreds of videographers,
performers, sponsors, advertisers and a few narcissists from the Web site's nebulous
user community.
"They are just average, everyday people who want to share their talents and express
themselves to the world," said Aaron Ferstman, the spokesman for the San Bruno-based
video-sharing Web site. "This was an opportunity to get them together."
The gathering was, of course, captured on live streaming video and broadcast on, you
guessed it, YouTube.
The party was a roiling menagerie of musicians, comedians, jugglers on stilts and folks
taking video of themselves. Celebrities like Soulja Boy Tell'em, Akon and the Black Eyed
Peas had face-to-face communications with their cyber brethren, and some of the live
performances on stage were as good as, if not better, than the online versions.
YouTube has become a worldwide sensation since it was created in 2005 by three
former PayPal employees. Google Inc. purchased the company in 2006 for $1.65 billion
in stock.
Users upload an average of 13 hours of video on the site every minute of every day, the
equivalent of 57,000 full-length Hollywood movie releases a week, Ferstman said.
Although many of the personalities found on YouTube are celebrities only in their own
minds, some actually have become famous for their work on the site.
Michael Buckley has generated millions of views with his "What the Buck" show that
humorously skewers celebrities. Some 12 million people know 26-year-old model Amber
Lee Ettinger, otherwise known as Obama Girl, who starred in a series of videos
indicating she had a crush on the president-elect.
"It's so awesome that we were invited to this," Ettinger said Saturday after she flew in
from New York for the event. "It's been a pretty surreal year and a half for me. It's
exciting to watch it build and grow."
The real power of the YouTube phenomenon is manifest in Esmée Denters, a 20-year-
old want-to-be singer who recorded herself on a Webcam at home in Oosterbeek,
Netherlands, and the next thing she knew she had a million viewers. She was recently
signed to cut an album under Justin Timberlake's label.
"I'm so thankful," she said as she prepared to sing at the YouTube event. "I dreamed
about becoming a singer, but I could have never dreamed what happened with
YouTube."
The "Yes We Can" music video by William James Adams, who goes by the name of his
record label, "will.i.am," was so popular on YouTube that many believe it won the youth
vote for Barack Obama. Adams said he made the video because he was inspired to
make it, not because he wanted to make money or gain fame. It's the same spirit, he
said, that has made YouTube so popular.
"I did it strictly on my own because I just wanted to inspire people," said the Grammy-
winning artist, dancer, songwriter and founding member of the Black Eyed Peas. "When
inspiration calls and you talk through that conch, there is an eight-out-of-10 chance the
call is going to be answered."
E-mail Peter Fimrite at pfimrite@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page B - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Next month celebrates the fourth anniversary of a pop culture phenomenon: YouTube.
In four short years, one small Web site revolutionized the media. Coincidentally, four years ago
was also the second inauguration of George W. Bush. Looking back on that last election, it is
hard to fathom how different it was from this past one.
Celebrities have always endorsed their candidate of choice, but this past year, YouTube took this
sponsorship to a whole new level. Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am took one simple quote
from Barack Obama and turned it into music video that scored over 15 million views.
On a similar note, politically active Leonardo DiCaprio produced a video in which a myriad of
celebrities tried the reverse psychology approach of telling teenagers not to vote. Whereas
will.i.am openly supported Obama, DiCaprio and crew focused on encouraging teenagers to vote
for any candidate, so long as they exercised their privilege to choose.
When it comes to celebrity endorsements, it is hard to forget YouTube sensation Amber Lee
Ettinger, or "Obama Girl." The 26-year-old shot to fame with her jazzy, albeit tasteless video, "I
Got a Crush... On Obama." Parading around in tight clothing and crooning about her desire for
the married candidate, Ettinger gained notoriety with her, um, overzealous, support.
It's hard for me to decide whether or not the rise of YouTube is overall beneficial to the American
public, and particularly, the 2008 election. On one hand, YouTube serves as a means to mock the
candidate.
Take Tina Fey's spot-on Sarah Palin impression - while it might have been popular in the pre-
YouTube era, it certainly wouldn't have been watched millions upon millions of times.
In contrast, YouTube has been a great platform for candidates to reach their audiences.
Speeches are easily accessible, and even the inauguration itself was posted for those who could
not see it live. There were even debates in which United States citizens personally asked the
candidates questions - via YouTube submission.
There is no doubt that the times they are a changin'. Like every new technology, YouTube has
conjured both positive and negative results. Ultimately, it is up to the American people to use it
responsibly and in a way that is respectful to both them and the candidates in question. Obama
Girl, take notes.

According to popular opinion, the 2008 US presidential election was the most lively and exciting in
US history. In particular, the candidacy of Barack Obama got so many people who traditionally
are cynical about politics to be fired up, and believe in the process again.
Before long, the rest of the world was also caught up with
the Obama frenzy, and responded accordingly. This
became evident when Obama officially won the elections,
following unprecedented celebrations around the world.
Before most people could get to know Obama, one person

had done already discover him: Obama Girl (Amber Lee
Ettinger). She became a media sensation around the
world, with her viral video: "I Got a Crush on Obama,"
which in 2007, was the most watched clip on YouTube. [It
has been viewed over 12 million times, as of this writing.]
Ever since, she has not only won many fans but also
become a media darling, with huge interests on her videos
and activities.
When I interviewed her last year, in the middle of the

primary elections, she was optimistic about Obama's
prospects, and they did materialize with his election as the
44th president of the United States. I invited Obama Girl
for another interview, especially to have her take in the aftermath of the elections. She not only
shared her overwhelming joy, but added that she is already set to attend the inauguration on Jan.
20 in Washington D.C. Before the inauguration, however, she contends that she is bent on
keeping her fans funky with brand new videos.
I initiated the interview in November 2008, and after back and forth correspondences, with the
facilitation of BarelyPolitical.com, Obama Girl answered all my questions on Jan. 14.
OhmyNews: How did you like the last interview with OhmyNews? Have you visited our
site ever since?
Of course! I was thrilled at the opportunity in Fall 2007 to introduce myself as Obama Girl to your
readers. At the time, "I Got a Crush on Obama" was new to the Web and it was an exciting time
to join the political discussion. Looking forward to seeing how you all cover his presidency.
You were undoubtedly one of the spotlights of the 2008 presidential elections, and some
people only got to know Obama through your famous song "I Got a Crush on Obama."
Looking back now that he has finally won the elections, what can you say?
That first Obama Girl video led to many other video hits on the Web for Obama Girl and
BarelyPolitical.com. Then I got to go on TV shows like Saturday Night Live and Good Morning
America, and be in magazines like People and Newsweek. This has been such an incredible year
in politics, and I am glad to have been a part of it. I still can't believe Barack Obama has been
elected the next president!
How many votes do you think you helped Obama to get. Were they enough to impact the
outcome of the elections?
Some people have credited Obama Girl for helping Barack Obama win the presidential election. I
wouldn't say I was the deciding factor, but people do tell me that a lot! I'm flattered with the credit
and am proud to have been involved in this momentous election.
Where were you when Obama was declared the 44th President of America? What was
your first reaction? Did any friends call you? What were their opinions?
On election night I hosted a party in New York City with my friends to watch the results come in.
When I heard he won, I couldn't help but burst into tears! My friends were all there and we were
so excited for the change for the new President-elect Barack Obama.
It is 2009. Should we expect another big surprise from Obama Girl that would get
everyone clicking on YouTube as was the case in 2008?
Obama Girl will definitely still be around after the inauguration, so I think it is safe to say that you
will be hearing from me. Stay tuned!
What will you say about other spoofs and parodies in the course of the 2008 presidential
campaign. Did they in any way impact your own satires?
I think that the Tina Fey and the other political impersonators were fantastic this year. It was great
to see political satire move beyond old media to new forms of entertainment, like the online
videos we do with Barely Political.
Do you plan to attend the inauguration on the 20th of January?
Yes. We'll be in Washington D.C. actually Sunday through Wednesday.
Are you going to release any songs before the inauguration?
Yes! We have a new song coming out a few days before the inauguration.
Has your role as Obama Girl come to an end, or does it continue all the way during the
Obama presidency?
Oh sure, looking forward to new videos in the works for Obama Girl and BarelyPolitical.com.
If you were to make three wishes to President-elect Obama, what would these be?
I wish for President-elect Obama to have an easy transition to the white house. I hope that the
move from Chicago to D.C. is easy for him and his family so that he can get down to business
and run the country. And would be nice if he sent me an email!
And if you were to say three things to McCain and Palin, what would these be?
First of all, I would thank them both for giving the people at BarelyPolitical.com so much funny
material to work with during the election. Thank you, Sarah Palin, for your accent and unique
hairstyle. And to John McCain, I would say better luck next time.
Any further comments?
I just want to say thanks to you and all the fans for supporting Obama Girl this year. I have been
very privileged to be a part of this exciting time in the history of the United States, and owe that to
every loyal viewer who has watched the videos.
 
Video Odes to Barack Obama

PETER THORNE REPORTING
January 18, 2009
It all started with a beautiful

unknown who became universally
identified as Obama girl. She
kicked off a trend and a whole new
genre of music.
We're talking about video odes to

then candidate Barack Obama. In
an amazing PIX research project,
we searched the far corners of the
web to find the very best Obama
tunes.
Check out our top ten and let us

know if we got it right.
 
As Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th US
President, his Number 1 fan has posted a new video
tribute to her 'crush' on YouTube, winning nearly
700,000 viewers in just over a day.
Obama Girl, or model Amber Lee Ettinger as she is

better known, first became a celebrity last year with
video tribute "I Got A Crush ... On Obama".
Using digital trickery, the vid seemed to show a

bikini-clad Amber running through the surf with her
hero while singing about how much she fancied him.
Of course, it wasn't all Amber's work - the idea came

from comedy duo Leah Kauffman and Ben Relles at
satirical video site barelypolitical.com.
But thanks to Amber's impressive, ahem, hanging chads, this particular video has been
watched a whopping 12million times.
And more clips of the babe flashing her cleavage and revealing briefs with 'Obama'
written on the back threatened to turn the Web into a blue state.
The beauty became an overnight sensation, appearing on news networks and boosting
sales of I Got A Crush ... On Obama t-shirts.
Now the sexy New Yorker is back ... with what looks like a love song duet to mark the
inauguration.
Watch the hilarious video above and see more Obama Girl videos in our links above
right.
 
After staging the hugely successful ROFLCon in Boston last Spring, Tim Hwang
and a gang of fellow Harvard brainiacs have found themselves with a hit meme
on their hands: Getting the stars of the Internet in a room together. ROFLCon
was a weekend conference dedicated to Net culture. Tron Guy and the "I Can
Haz Cheezburger?" web master were there. As were a slew of other Internet rock
stars, nearly 800 conference goers, and a giddy press. If you didn't think
ROFLCon was the place to be that weekend, you are using the Internet totally
wrong.
The organizers are now staging a series of smaller day-long conferences and
parties called ROFLThings. The first ROFLThing was in San Francisco over the
summer and there are plans to do one in Toronto in the future. New York's is
coming to town this Saturday with as much buzz as the others. With the
emergence of i-culture fests like SXSW Interactive and Internet Week New York
as well as celebratory gatherings like The Webbys and YouTube Live, the
sudden flourishing of internet celebrity gatherings seems inevitable.
I chatted with Hwang, who's out of school now. "We decided to keep the
ROFLCon name for big events," he says. "The whole thing started as a joke
originally, like, 'I wonder if we could do this conference with an incredibly lame
name.'"
Of the special guests in attendance, Max Goldberg, "You're the Man Now Dog!"
founder and heroic Internet person, is scheduled as a "Featured Attendee" at
ROFLThing NYC. After all, making a four-star animated gif on YTMND.com ranks
up there with memorizing the "Single Ladies" dance or seizing a cocktail bar
piano for a rousing rendition of the Growing Pains theme song. It's probably the
coolest, most useless thing anyone can do.
What does it mean exactly to be "featured" though? "I think 'featured attendee' is
merely a label for a handful of people who have some sliver of Internet notoriety,"
says Featured Attendee Rex Sorgatz. "As far as I know, we won't actually be
doing anything in particular, except socializing."
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According to Hwang, several of the Internet celebrities attending actually have
artistic representation. Whether or not you'd consider them famous or "Internet-
famous," most everyone on the bill can boast millions of hits or views.
At ROFLThing NYC, some guests get a full hour and a stage to meet their fans.
"In a presentation entitled 'You Suck at You Suck at Photoshop,' we will be
discussing how YSAP has changed the course of web history from a geo-eco-
political perspective, with citations and supporting evidence from Howard Zinn,
Desmond Morris and Paul Krugman," jokes Troy Hitch of last year's breakout
sensation, You Suck at Photoshop. Creative partner Matt Bledsoe chimes in, "We
will also reveal how we got so many people to 'download' our sperm."
The man behind Obama Girl, Ben Relles—who prefers not to be called
ObamaGirl's handler—will be there with The Obama Girl, Amber Lee Ettinger. "I
think it's a blast meeting people you've only seen previously online. For example,
at YouTube Live we met Tay Zonday, LisaNova and several other YouTube
personalities that were great to hang out with instead of watch on a two-by-three
screen. Some are exactly like their online persona. Some are completely
different.
He adds, "Amber and I both recognize that without the Internet, there is no
Obama Girl."
OMG, that is so true and unexpectedly deep. For some of us, we live on the
Internet. So when we move the Internet offline, it's sort of like dying and LARPing
in Heaven.
Surviving the Obama Comedy Crisis: A Report From the Front Lines
January 17, 2009, 1:32 pm
Guest Humorist | Daniel Kurtzman
For those in the business of political mockery, the last 16 years have been a glorious golden age.
If Bill Clinton was a full-employment act for political comedians, then George W. Bush was a
welfare program.
But when Barack Obama takes the oath of office on Tuesday, the era of easy presidential punch
lines may be coming to a close. As it has been widely noted in humor circles, Obama remains a
tough target. So far, the most memorable Obama mockery has ranged from the utterly atrocious
(see: the “Barack the Magic Negro” song parody debacle) to the mildly amusing (Fred Armisen’s
competent but guffaw-free impersonation of Obama on “Saturday Night Live”).
What’s in store for political humor in the age of Obama? Will he be the president who presides
over the bursting of the comedy bubble? Or can he find a way to bail out the comedy industry
too? There’s no better way to find out than directly from those on the front lines of the comedy
crisis — the comedians, joke writers, and satirists tasked with the urgent work of fortifying our
nation’s strategic humor reserves:
Joe Grossman, writer, “Late Show With David Letterman”:
My best guess is that the late-night hosts will have to reinvent their shows now that political
humor will cease to exist. Most likely, you’ll see Letterman replace all of his comedy material
with cooking segments, household safety demonstrations, poetry readings, and public service
announcements imploring America’s teenagers to practice sound physical and social hygiene.
Either that, or the Obama administration will prove fallible, and mockery of government will
continue as it has for most of recorded history. Could go either way.
Michael Colton and John Aboud, screenwriters, VH1 talking heads, and writers for Fox’s
upcoming animated comedy “Sit Down, Shut Up”:
Barack Obama is a transformational figure who represents the fulfillment of the American dream
and the end of all humor. His wisdom and judgment will erase every single social and political
discontent that fuels comedy, including marital strife, the inconveniences of air travel, and
D.M.V. wait times. He will cause humans to cease breaking wind. We forecast the last joke in
America will be told on Aug. 5, 2009 — a tepidly received one-liner conflating Leon Panetta with
the foodstuff “pancetta.”
Kevin Bleyer, writer, “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”:
On the contrary, I’m thrilled about an Obama presidency. During the Bush years, all my jokes
were written by a team of Chinese pre-teens in a Shanghai sweatshop. Not that they didn’t do a
superb job — I thought their take on seating the Michigan delegation was especially insightful —
but I’m just happy to have my job back.
Peter Gwinn, writer, “The Colbert Report”:
We do face a serious problem, because now that George Bush is no longer president, nothing is
funny in the entire world. I expect that in 2009, most of my own comedy will consist of reading
Laffy Taffy wrappers out loud: “Why are rhinos so wrinkly?” “Because they’re hard to iron.”
That joke right there will always be comedy gold, at least until America elects a rhino president.
Charlie Kadau, senior editor, Mad magazine:
Why am I optimistic? Look who Obama has included in his inner circle — the Clintons! Talk
about a humor stimulus package!
Baratunde Thurston, self-described comedian, vigilante pundit, and Web and politics editor for
The Onion:
For the first few weeks, I plan to scream for joy and hug strangers on the street as I’ve done
continuously since the night of Nov. 4. Then I plan to keep writing material that uniquely
illuminates this country’s socio-political reality while causing laughter and self-urination among
my audience. That’s what political comics do. Too many people had one Bush-is-dumb joke and
thought that made them the next Mark Twain. The arrival of a president fluent in English should
raise the bar.
Raymond Lesser, editor, the Funny Times:
I don’t think Obama will be hard to make fun of. Cartoonists and comedians just need to get to
know him better. But I think he’ll be much more like Bugs Bunny than Bush, who has pretty
much turned into Elmer Fudd. (Or am I thinking of that other great hunter, Dick Cheney?)
Anyway, people love Bugs Bunny and wind up laughing much more with him than at him.
Rusty Ward, writer, BarelyPolitical.com:
When Lex Luthor first encountered Superman he faced a difficult dilemma, how do you stop a
man who is unstoppable? Comedians face a similar dilemma in 2009: how do you make fun of a
president who is unmake-funnable? Eventually, Lex discovered kryptonite. I’m confident
BarelyPolitical will find Obama’s comedy kryptonite (his Hawaiinite, if you will) but if by some
chance we fail to do this we’ll fall back on our strengths: Hillary Clinton impressions, girls
dancing, and grown men running around the city in animal costumes.
Katie Halper, comic, blogger and co-founder of Laughing Liberally:
I’m freaking out because it’s hard, not to mention forbidden, to make fun of your messiah. In all
honesty, I’m not nervous that Obama won’t make any material-inspiring mistakes — he already
has. His vote on FISA was disappointing (although it does show Obama’s in touch with the
American people and listening to everything we say). And unless a native American lesbian
Wicca priestess delivers part two of Obama’s invocation, Rick Warren will not represent
inclusion (although the pastor does resemble a big tent). But how can I stay mad? All Obama has
to do is smile at Fareed Zakaria or go topless in Hawaii, and my ire and satire melt away. Oh,
Obama, I hate myself for loving you.
Jay Jaroch, writer, “Real Time With Bill Maher”:
There will be no humor in the new order. You’ll learn that in the re-education camps.
Steve Young, TV writer who blogs at steveyoungonpolitics:
I see comedy entering a more difficult, more painful era. For the past eight years of Bush and
Cheney and the intern years of Clinton, we were pretty much stenographers. Come Jan. 20,
comics and writers will actually have to make up satire instead of relying on cut-and-paste inanity
lifted directly from political speeches and off-the-cuff remarks of the newsworthy. Thank God
we’ll still have Joe Biden, and with Bill O’Reilly continuing to be a nightly factor, it’s not like
we’ll have to generate all the nonsense ourselves.
Elaina Newport, co-founder of the Capitol Steps comedy troupe:
Of course, every time we lose a president we worry, “Will the next one be funny?” I remember
being quite distressed to lose Bill Clinton — how could George Bush possibly be as good for
comedy? But they always come through! In the case of Obama, I’m thinking that this might be
the scenario: he’s the straight man, surrounded by comedy gold in the form of Joe Biden, Hillary
Clinton — and I think we’re also entitled to several second-round draft picks. For now, we are
having fun with the fact that the press is so enamored with Barack, in the form of our song
“Obama Mia.” And Hillary grits her teeth and tries to be happy to be Barack’s Secretary of State,
in the song “Ebony and Ovaries.” But it’s true, the worst thing for comedy would be a quietly
competent president. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!
Sam Means, writer, “The Daily Show”:
How do I plan to survive the Obama years? Law school.
————————————————-
Daniel Kurtzman edits the Political Humor page of About.com, which is part of The New York
Times Company. He is author of the books “How to Win a Fight With a Conservative” and “How
to Win a Fight With a Liberal.”
I was randomly perusing RedState today, when I saw a list of Barack Obama's New Years
Resolutions by someone calling himself Absentee.
The list was really funny (I especially liked the doodles in the margins), so I immediately wanted
to steal the premise. I hit a major roadblock, however, when I tried to
think of a single Republican who matters anymore.
Instead, I have obtained snippets of many different political figures'

New Years resolutions. Let me know if you think I've missed any.
New Years Resolutions

Rod Blagojevich - Get copy of "Writing 'For Dummies' Books...For
Dummies" and write "Deriving Personal Gain From Political
Appointments...For F---ing Dummies." Read it, go back in time, warn
self.
PUMA - Every member must get Tommy Christopher to autograph a copy of "The Audacity of
Democracy."
Rahm Emanuel - Learn to stop crying privately when people makes cracks about my middle
finger.
Rahm Emanuel - Actually end people whom I have told "I will f---ing end you!"
Hillary Clinton - Get rid of boxes of "Dream Tickets" I ordered in July for that announcement
party.
Keith Olbermann - Get production staff to pepper their "ambient laughter" with compliments
about my handsomeness. Or fire them.
Sarah Palin - Pass bill giving me right of prima nomine, where I get to name every Alaskan's
first-born. Trailmix, Timpani, Pteradactyl, Triangulate, Rexico, Barack...no Katies!
John McCain - Stop standing in front of green or blue backgrounds.
John McCain - Welcome any and all comers to my lawn.
Caroline Kennedy - Roll out that "I'm Caroline Kennedy, byatch" I've been practicing in front of
the mirror.
John Edwards - Reminisce fondly about that $400 haircut. Turn down some strange.
Joe the Plumber - Score a cameo in that "Sham-Wow!" infomercial.
Erick Erickson - Stop endlessly re-writing my apology to Tommy Christopher, and just send it,
already.
Joe Biden - Start saying "Are you retarded?" until I actually hit one.
Joe Biden - Go up to Rahm Emanuel and say, "Pull my finger!"
Eliot Spitzer - Find out who does Edwards' hair and turn her out. Turn down some strange.
Alan Colmes - Stop taking advice from Andrew Ridgely and start listening to John Oates. Turn
down some strange.
Obama Girl - Borrow Blagojevich's time machine, trademark the word "girl."
Obama Girl - Publish paper on string theory.
Reverend Wright - Get the "K" key on my keyboard unstuck.
Bill Clinton - Stop doing this:
Don Fowler - Shut the eff up one time.

Ted Stevens - Design "Bridge to Nowhere" prison tat, just in case. First, find out what a "tat" is.
Brian Simpson - Become able to "quit" Tommy.
Chelsea Clinton - Text sexy cellphone pics to McCain. Now, who's ugly, byatch?
Ron Paul - Google myself.
Michelle Obama - Stop leaving "Whitey Tape" and real birth certificate lying around.
After much confusion, it is becoming clear what works in online video
IN THE spring of 2007 Jason Kilar was trying to beef up the video offerings of his
employer, Amazon, the worldʼs largest online retailer, when he got a call from a
headhunting firm. Would he consider running Hulu, a new joint venture by two
“old media” giants, NBC Universal and News Corp? The idea was to enter the
confusing online-video market by starting a service from scratch—and doing it
properly. Mr Kilar said yes. He showed up in his new office in Santa Monica, near
Los Angeles, and with his small team started scribbling ideas on the “whiteboard”
wallpaper.
The excitement as well as the confusion

had started in 2006, when a young
website, YouTube, shot out of nowhere
to become that yearʼs “next big thing”.
Within months, YouTube sold itself to
Google, the worldʼs largest internet firm.
YouTube had risen so fast by making it
easy to watch and share videos in any
web browser, and by making it almost
as easy to upload home-made videos to
its site. Such “user-generated content”
seemed to be the future.
In one sense this turned out to be correct. YouTube went on to dominate web
video as measured by the number of videos that users watch (see chart). Its
social and even political importance are hard to overstate. From “Obama Girl”
videos and tutorials about tying shoelaces or folding origami to Yoga and
aerobics instruction, YouTube has changed lives. But there was a catch.
Advertisers, by and large, will not touch user-generated content with a barge
pole. Its quality is variable, to say the least; its content occasionally off-putting.
No brand wants to be near it. And much of it is illegal—pirated from large media
companies and uploaded by fans. Media giants, led by Viacom, were suing. So
there was a threat of costs and no promise of revenues. YouTube is undoubtedly
a phenomenon, but it is not a business.
So others showed up hoping to fill that gap. Until recently, says Shahid Khan, a
video analyst at IBB Consulting, there were only question-marks. Did a new
service need user-generated content as well as professional videos? Was it
better to aggregate the content of many media companies or to be an outlet for
just one? Would people prefer to download films or television shows to their
computers, then transfer them to their iPods, as Apple was betting? Or would
they prefer “streaming” a video just once? If so, might they be persuaded to
install a bespoke video application onto their computers, or would they insist on
watching videos inside their web browsers? Would they pay to watch, or would
advertising provide the revenues?
Almost every permutation has been tried. From Amazon to Apple, from Netflix to
Joost, from ABC to CBSʼs TV.com, companies old and young started serving
videos over the internet. Into this mess Mr Kilar tried to enter with the service that
was to be Hulu. The bloggers at first scoffed: it turns out that Hulu can mean
“cease and desist” in Swahili. But then they started paying attention.
Tune in for the answers
Today, even though advertising is destined for a depression, Hulu appears to

have clarified much of the confusion. Mr Kilar will not say what revenue or profit
Hulu is making. But it seems to be successful by any measure. Although Hulu is
still far behind YouTube (see chart), users have been flocking to it, watching
216m videos in December. Just as importantly, Huluʼs inventory for advertisers
appears to be sold out. So Hulu is in the rare position of being able to increase
inventory (through new content and more views) and make money from it. Hulu
now has more than 100 advertisers, including big brands such as McDonaldʼs,
Bank of America and Best Buy.
It therefore appears that Mr Kilar has, in effect, answered a lot of the questions.
He contemplated user-generated content, then decided that “the world didnʼt
need yet another” YouTube; so Hulu has only professional content, and
advertisers love it. He also talked with his bosses at NBC Universal and Fox and
agreed that aggregating the content of many was “something potentially much
larger” than piping out the videos of just two. Hulu now offers content from more
than 110 partners.
Mr Kilar also bet on streaming via the web, rather than letting users download.
Rivals such as Joost have made the same choice. Films and TV differ from
music, says Mike Volpi, Joostʼs boss, in that people watching tend to sit still,
whereas people listening tend to move; and people usually watch a show only
once but listen to a song again and again. There is a place for Appleʼs model of
downloading and buying videos—children, for example, like to watch the same
TV programme many times—but that market is likely to be smaller.
Mr Kilar was also early to choose the right way of streaming video: through the
browser, with a simple and sleek design. He began, he says, with the idea that
the site should “not look like Tokyo at night”—in other words, it should be as
simple as YouTube is cluttered. And the service should be so easy to use that
“my mother would be proficient on it in 15 seconds or less, with no help from me.”
Mr Kilar, who began his career at Walt Disney, wanted Hulu to offer the same
rich-but-clean experience as Disneyʼs theme parks do.
Accordingly, he decided against making users download a special piece of

software, which would not have “passed the mom test.” This turned out to be
correct. Joost started by offering video through its own software application, but
lost out to Hulu and did an about-face. A few weeks ago it discontinued its
downloadable application and began streaming only through the browser. This
late conversion was Joostʼs “biggest flaw”, says IBBʼs Mr Khan, and now leaves it
far behind.
The browser-based approach favours streaming rather than downloads, but that
does not mean that the paid-for download model is dead. Mr Khan thinks that
some viewers will want to own content, and that may become a premium option
on free services such as Hulu.
But the bigger lesson from Huluʼs success is that supporting streamed video with
advertising, rather than charging for downloads, turns out to work very well.
Huluʼs ads are few and short, with a subtle countdown timer that makes them
even more bearable. In some cases viewers can even choose which ad to watch,
so it is more likely to be relevant to their interests. And people tend to remember
the advertisements they see on Hulu much better than they recall television ads,
says Mr Kilar, so advertisers are pleased.
It is too early to declare Hulu the winner. It “has done a very good job,” admits
Joostʼs Mr Volpi, but “the die has not been cast yet.” Mr Khan thinks Amazonʼs
offering may become more compelling, and that TV.com, formerly a provider of
television listings and now a streaming site owned by CBS, may yet come from
behind. But for the moment it appears that YouTube proved that people would
watch videos online—whereas Hulu is proving that advertisers will foot the bill.
 
KELLNER: Tech stuff Obama should fret about
Mark A. Kellner
Sunday, January 18, 2009
If all goes according to plan and schedule, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as
the 44th president of the United States at noon Tuesday. History will certainly be
made with the swearing in of one of the youngest chief executives in U.S. history
and the first black to hold the position. I've read about the meal he'll have after
the ceremony, and the menu sounds great.
I just hope he doesn't get indigestion afterward: There's enough tech stuff
brewing to promote a bout of heartburn.
Some tech worries for the new commander in chief - and the rest of us: At the top
of my list are Micro SD cards, with the "SD" standing for Secure Digital, a card
format that's rather popular for cell phones and some cameras.
There's a tremendous boon in being able to put as much as 16 gigabytes on a

card that's smaller than a postage stamp and shorter than a paper clip's length.
But there's also a tremendous danger: Such devices, which truly are tiny, can be
easily concealed, connected (via an equally small card reader) to a computer's
USB port, and used to transport sensitive data out of a building.
Of course, installations with high-security needs already ban such devices, as

does most of the Department of Defense, which suffered a computer virus attack
imported via a larger "memory stick" last year. But in some offices there may be
little or nothing to stop a disgruntled employee from spiriting out a sneak peek at
next year's budget or this year's white paper and handing it over to a reporter,
friendly or hostile. Or give it to someone else. Data security will likely be a top
priority for the new administration, and, in my view, it should be.
Next up is the potential for online social media to enhance - and obstruct - the
next administration's agenda.
There's nothing like Facebook or Twitter to make mass communication to a

defined niche as nearly instant as possible. Old-fashioned telephone trees or
call-down lists can't cut it, and e-mail can get lost in a sea of spam. But if I get a
Facebook status message from you, that can be important and informative. A
short clip on YouTube can have tremendous reach, as the "Obama Girl" video
ably demonstrated.
Given that Mr. Obama has put his weekly addresses on YouTube and that
Facebook's millions played a not-insubstantial role in the election, it would
appear that he and his team are aware of what social media can do. The
question is how this will be harnessed for good, and how it might be abused by
less friendly forces.
Here, too, information security will play a role. Again, I'm sure this is being
thought about, but it's an area of potential concern: Messing with a presidential
video could create problems.
A third area where attention should be paid, in my view, is the question of

broadband access. South Korea and Japan are doing better jobs of providing
high-speed broadband to their citizens than the U.S. is, as a whole, and this
needs to change. If you don't believe me, let's talk after Tuesday's expected
mass gridlock. Having a solid, high-speed and high-capacity broadband
infrastructure would let more of us work from home, at least part time, and that
could help when roads are clogged or gas prices soar.
It appears Mr. Obama is in sync with this. On Jan. 10, in an Internet address, he
said part of the new economic stimulus would go to "build the new infrastructure
we need to succeed in this new century, investing in science and technology, and
laying down miles of new broadband lines so that businesses across our nation
can compete with their counterparts around the world."
Along with access to the global network, we need to figure out access to
information: Google's plan to digitize most of the nation's out-of-print books, and
many of its more current ones, is a great idea. But should this move from the
commercial to the noncommercial realm? Fair handling of copyright questions
could resolve this.
It'll be a full tech agenda, and I've barely scratched the surface. We can hope,
however, that the issues will be addressed aggressively and with both
consumers and business people in mind.
ThreadBanger
Fast Lane Daily
Garage 419
TMI Weekly
Indy Mogul
Channel Frederator
Coverage Highlights
 
 
 
 

It's Sew Easy To Make & Mend
Feb 1 2009
SEWING is no longer a Cinderella subject and customising your own clothes is

an easy way of stamping your sense of style on them.
You can buy beautiful fabrics pretty cheaply from places such as Remnant Kings
and Mandors, along with a host of trims, buttons and linings.
You'll need a sewing machine, pins, scissors, needles, thread, tape measure and
a sturdy table to work at.
Patterns can be picked up from charity shops, haberdashery stores and the
internet.
Look out for Burda, Vogue, New Look and Simplicity who have easy-to-follow
patterns with no tricky techniques to master.
Books such as the Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing are useful or join a club, like
Glasgow-based Stitch and Bitch, for inspiration.
WEBSITES
Craftster.org is an online community for offbeat craft projects.
It has tutorials on everything from making a prom dress from scratch to

transforming a pillowcase into a ra-ra skirt. www.threadbanger.com are an online
network for people who make their own fashion.
Join the handcraft revolution at knitonthe net.com, or Burdastyle.com provides

free downloadable patterns.bootyvintage.etsy.com borntoolatevintage.com and
misshelene.com specialise in selling vintage patterns.
Sewmamasew.com offers free patterns and tips, plus a huge selection of fabric.
Ebay is crammed with yarn, knitting and sewing patterns while Reprodepot.com
stocks unusual buttons, ironon patches and pretty ribbon and patterns.
Another user-friendly site on how to sew, make and design your own clothes is
crafts ofchaddsford.com/sewingclothes.htm
 

By Stef McDonald, Sprig.com
You just spent the weekend cleaning out your closet and have a pile of stuff that
either doesnʼt fit your body or doesnʼt suit your lifestyle. What do you do with the
leftovers? These seven ideas will help you save money, save the planet and just
feel good about yourself!
1. Repair It.
Paying to have an ill-fitting pair of pants tailored to your size is less expensive
than buying a new pair—ditto for stretching a pair of shoes or giving them new
soles. Simple fit issues can be fixed by your local tailor or shoemaker. (Donʼt
know where to go? Ask for a recommendation from your favorite local boutique.)
A good tailor can also adjust the style of a piece, updating flare legs to straight or
minimizing puffy sleeves on a blouse.
2. Rework It.
If it pains you to part with that XL R.E.M. tee from college, channel your inner
crafter. Thread Banger and T-Shirt Surgery are among the resourceful websites
that offer do-it-yourself instructions for restyling pieces like jeans and T-shirts that
are easy enough for sewing novices (really—some donʼt even require a needle
and thread).
3. Swap It.
Before you go on a shopping spree to fill in the holes in your newly-clean closet,
consider swapping. “Circulating items is definitely a green idea,” says Melanie
Charlton Fascitelli of Clos-ette, a New York-based closet organizing company.
Host a clothing swap party at home with friends (and friends of friends). Ask each
person to bring all of the clothing and accessories she no longer wants. Then
either make a big pile in the middle of the room and have a free-for-all or
separate clothing into categories for easier “shopping.” You can also swap online
from sites such as Clothing Swap, Swap Style, and Swap Thing, which allow you
to trade clothing with other registrants.
4. Sell It.
Yep, you can make money selling your castoffs! Start by checking with
consignment shops in your area. Ask to speak with a manager or buyer about
what theyʼre most interested in acquiring. (Keep in mind that many consignment
shops shop sell seasonal clothing, so you wonʼt have much luck getting rid of a
puffy jacket in June.) They do the selling for you and either offer instant store
credit or a percentage–usually about half–of the resale price on items that move.
For a more hands-on approach, you can sell on eBay, either with bidding or a
simple “buy it now” price. Never done it? Itʼs really a simple process; just upload
a digital photo and description and pay no more than a few bucks per item. Save
trips to the post office and lower your carbon footprint by ending each of your
auctions on the same day. Items of lesser value are best sold locally on Craigʼs
List, where you can set up a window of time for potential buyers to shop for and
haul away your goods. During fair weather months, you can plan a
yard/gate/garage sale or, better yet, arrange a group one with neighbors.
5. Donate it.
The possibilities for donations are endless. Start with your local thrift store,
homeless shelter or womenʼs shelter, which accept tax-deductible donations and
serve your community. And check out these sites for donating particular items.
Dress for Success: Accepts business-appropriate clothing for female job-hunters.

You can also find a local group that does the same (check their directory for more
info) here.
Glass Slipper Project: This Chicago-based group re-circulates dresses for girls in
need of prom gowns.
Brides Against Breast Cancer: This non-profit collects contemporary wedding

gowns to benefit those suffering from metastatic breast cancer.
I Do Foundation: Resells your donated wedding gown then makes a contribution

to the charity of your choice with partial proceeds from the sale.
Pick Up Please: Supports Vietnam Veterans with the sale of donated items,
including clothing and accessories.
Soles4Souls: Collects shoes for victims of natural disasters, including Hurricane

Katrina the Thailand Tsunami.
Nikeʼs Reuse-A-Shoe: Recycles materials from worn and donated sneakers for
new shoes or for materials used to build playgrounds and sports courts.
6. Give it A New Purpose.

Nothing needs to end up in a landfill. If itʼs not worth selling, swapping or
donating, you can find new uses for items that would otherwise end up in the
trash. Torn cotton shirts become dusting and cleaning rags. Other garments can
be used to stuff in handbags or shoes to retain their shape when not in use. The
legs of jeans or sweats can be cut and used as covers for packing shoes.
7. Donʼt Give Up!

Even old hangers can use a new home! Return excess wire hangers to your local
dry cleaner for re-use and donate plastic hangers to your local thrift store. Down
to the bottom of the pile? The last of your unwanted items can be distributed free
through Freecycle.

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Stephen Hutcheon
January 1, 2009 - 10:54AM
Google's all-seeing roaming cameras have captured images of a clandestine

high-altitude road test featuring a fleet of new Porsches.
The images were unearthed by the Garage 419 blog on the Google Maps Street
View feature, near the end of Mount Evans Road, Idaho Spring, Colorado.
The road is the highest paved road in North America and ends at a point just 40m
below the 4267m high summit of Mount Evans.
Car manufacturers routinely take new cars out on test runs prior to launch.
These are deliberately kept below the radar to ensure that the auto world's
equivalent of the paparazzi don't get a chance to grab shots and spoil official
launches.
The Porsche have been identified as Caymans, Boxsters, a 911 Turbo and
Targa.
The image set shows men throwing tarps over the cars in an attempt to conceal
them from the oncoming Google Street View car.
Mount Evans Road, which climbs 2133m in 45km, is frequently used by car
manufacturers for high-altitude testing.
Street View images are shot by a fleet of distinctive cars mounted with tripods
carrying a special camera which takes 360° horizontal panoramic photographs.
Launched in 2007, Google's Street View footprint expanded rapidly the past year
and now covers seven countries, including large parts of the United States and
Australia.
The images from Mount Evans were added last year, but it's not clear when they
were taken. Often, it can be several months between the time images are
captured and when they are made publicly available on Street View.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
I have a running google document of ideas and things I have been meaning to
mention on the blog. I thought Sunday would be a good mish mosh day of cool
finds and random others.
Many of you may know about this, but I really love the Runnerʼs Lounge blog.
Lots of great running information. They recently had a great round up of how to
run your best half marathon blog posts.
Shane turned my on to Nonsociety. I donʼt really recommend it, but must admit I
definitely stop by a few times a week. They do have a series of very useful
videos called TMI Weekly. Definitely check out their best Websites of 2008.
A few of them I knew about, but some are amazing resources. Particularly
search me , zeer (buy better groceries)and shop it to me. How did I not know
about these?
I also wanted to mention my the Revlon Run/Walk for Women spring dates (May
2nd in NYC and Mary 9th in LA) were recently announced. This event is near
and dear to my heart because was the first “race” I ever ran and the first time I
actually ran more than a mile. My friend Heidi and I have now done it together 5
times. It is the perfect beginner race because it is so fun. Good cause, celebrity
hosts, tons of freebies–including lunch–at the end, no competetiveness at all! It
is definitely for casual runners because there are about 50,000 people, so you
have to be able to deal with walk/jogging the first 1/2 mile.
For the NYCers, you can take a free Pilates classes at Park East Pilates and a
free yoga class at Yoga Works. Mention Time Out if you need to.
Oh is anyone planning on attending the Blogher conference in July? I get the
newsletters, but I havenʼt seen too many bloggers mentioning it. I am not sure if I
will be around in July, but I would definitely like to visit Chicago and, of course,
meet some of you all!
Today has been a pretty great Sunday. I met Gena for a great Pure Core class, I
will review it this week, but all I have to say is “dude whereʼs my yoga?” Haha!
Then I had a great brunch with a friend at Jane. Jane is definitely my favorite
brunch place lately. It was impossible packed despite itʼs ample seating.
Fortunately, they take reservations, and I had one. It would have been pretty
miserable to wait in such a packed area on an extremely bitter day, even if I
would be smushed among the very attractive 20-something clientele.
The atmosphere is trendy, the decor of West Elm sensibility, and dance music
was pumping even at 12:30 in the afternoon. What I really like is that the brunch
prix-fixe includes a great list of cocktails. I selected the Raspberry Champagne
Cocktail. I love that they are served in very small champagne flutes, rather than
huge goblets. That way you get just enough, but not too much, alcohol and
sugar for a weekend afternoon. Their menu has lots of options ranging from
very healthy (egg white omeletwith spinach and goat cheese) to super indulgent
(brioche vanilla bean french toast), as well as a range of options in between
(roasted shrimp ranchero baked eggs). They also offer an amazing bread basket
that comes with strawberry butter. I usually opt for a protein-based entree, so I
can enjoy a generous slice (or two) of the delicious raisin walnut bread, the
perfect way to satisfy my sweet/starch tooth. They also have a good selection of
lunch items, which I truly appreciate because I did not like eggs, pancakes,
waffles (except eggos) until I was 24. These days I have come to like many
things that I wouldnʼt go anywhere near (tomatoes) until my early twenties.
Happy weekend!
 

 
 
 

 

It's been a little more than two years since Publicis said it would buy Digitas for
$1.3 billion, and it seems fair, even now, to wonder whether the vibrant
independent digital organ that was Digitas could have been rejected by patient
Publicis, the big holding company that at the time had arguably the smallest
digital footprint of its competitors.
Even through the dot-com downturn, Digitas was usually considered in a class by
itself because of its direct-response heritage, its firm belief in strong analytics and
a client roster that any agency would envy. It was a shop filled with gearheads
who talked about CRM tools with the same passion traditional agencies talked
about Cannes Lions.
But in the early 2000s, the agency, which began life as the direct marketing
agency Bronner Slosberg Humphrey, was different in another way, as well: While
many other digital agencies got scooped up by major agency holding companies,
it held on as a small, public company, which, at the time of the Publicis
acquisition, meant it had only four U.S. offices and no global footprint. Despite its
strengths, the shop's future looked limited. "Our belief was that we needed to be
in media at scale and that we needed to be global," says David Kenny, the
former Digitas CEO who now, along with Jack Klues, serves as comanaging
director of Publicis's VivaKi, a unit formed this year with the mission of bringing
scale not only to Digitas, but to all of Publicis's digital assets.
Yes, the idea of being acquired by Publicis looked great on paper. Now, two
years in, it's safe to say, as Digitas CEO Laura Lang says, "It was really the right
thing to do." Because the shop had a transformational year in its own right and
simultaneously helped the fortunes of the much larger holding company it is now
part of, it is OMMA's 2008 Agency of the Year.
No AOY story is complete without stats, and here are some noteworthy ones:
With 25 new clients in the United States (including nine at its Digitas Health unit)
and more than 10 new ones in its expanding overseas markets, the company
saw 100 percent new business growth year-on-year. New clients include Crest
toothpaste from Procter & Gamble, AstraZeneca's Crestor and Pulmicort, and
AOL; it also expanded its relationship with Mars Snackfood's Starburst brand.
Starting as the brand's online media planning shop, it took on digital strategy and
creative duties this year. The media team, under executive vice president and
global media director Carl Fremont, doubled.
Maybe all of this is to be expected from a company that suddenly goes from
being a digital agency with a handful of offices to one with the resources of a
huge communications conglomerate at its disposal, resources that helped it
move this year into far-flung locales such as Brazil, Sweden and Singapore.
"They opened the checkbook," admits Lang, a long-time Digitas exec who was
promoted to the top post this year. (Even Digitas is not entirely immune to the
dismal economic climate, though: Due to reductions in client spending, it cut 2
percent of its U.S. workforce in mid-December.)
In 2008, Digitas did more than grow. For one, it became more creative, as
evidenced by edgy, outlandish campaigns such as the "Share Something Juicy"
effort for Starburst. Clients still come to Digitas because of its analytics and CRM
capabilities, but today, the shop is becoming stronger at producing media-
influenced creative; messages that live within their audiences' milieu, rather than,
as Lang puts it, delivered "to consumers in the cracks between the content they
were consuming."
"Share Something Juicy" is primarily consumer-generated content wrapped up in

a larger campaign idea - just as Starbursts are meant to be shared, so is content,
particularly the kind those in the 18-24 demo are prone to distributing. The
campaign has resulted in a host of Web natives sharing something juicy, and its
success in driving click-throughs, visit duration and video consumption has
beaten expectations.
Agency of the Year 2008 (Gold): DigitasDigitas' Starburst work also included
sponsorship of a series of animated videos called "Nite Fite," which feature two
characters arguing key questions of the day - such as whether or not Rush is a
heavy metal band. (Okay, maybe not exactly "key.") The series has so far
resulted in more than 2.5 million YouTube views, and a healthy number of video
responses. "Their strategy was not about building a Web site. It was about being
out there on the Web," explains Carole Walker, vice president of integrated
marketing communications, Mars Snackfood U.S. On a broader level, 2008 was
the year Digitas put a stake in the ground as a producer and curator of Web
content. It launched The Third Act, a brand content arm aimed at helping clients
produce and distribute content in a world where old production and distribution
models are being upstaged. To that end, it did something the old gearhead
Digitas probably never would have: It sponsored an event called the Digital
Content NewFront. A play on the old TV network upfront, it invited key thinkers in
online content and even competing agencies, to discuss the role brand content
plays when marketers are no longer bound by the strict production and
distribution hierarchies of old media. It's all part of what Fremont describes as the
shop's endeavor to answer the question: "How do we join [the consumers']
world?" The shop's mantra - "creativity drives performance" - weds its CRM
heritage to its increasingly creative leanings.
Breaking out of its CRM box is only one reason Digitas earned our top honor.
The other is that even if Digitas is only a small part of its holding company, it has
been able to make the entire agency group stronger, not just by being owned by
it, but by becoming truly a part of it. The relationship between Digitas and units
such as Starcom Mediavest and VivaKi are anything but arm's length. Says
Klues, "I would say there are things that are part of their culture I knew we'd
value as a media business, but I just didn't know how much." He adds,
admiringly, "Before getting to know Digitas, I would've given us pretty high
marks."
Kenny says the close relationship between Digitas and entities such as Starcom
and ZenithOptimedia was fueled by those groups' willingness to embrace Digitas.
"What was a pleasant surprise was how much they were willing to change their
businesses to accept Digitas," he says.
This strong sense of partnership plays out in a number of ways. One is in making
Publicis's clients happier. Klues notes that having Digitas in the fold has made for
a stronger partnership between Starcom and Samsung, and the shop has also
done things such as push Kraft's sponsorship of Dancing with the Stars, which
was originally engineered by Starcom, so that it's much more a part of all of the
digital touch points for fans of the show. Klues credits the shop with "having truly
activated" both Starcom and Zenith. In addition to Kraft and Samsung, Starcom
and Digitas share clients including p&g and Mars; ZenithOptimedia and Digitas
share clients including Delta Air Lines and Whirlpool.
Another way in which Digitas's partnerships benefit Publicis is that the shop has
played a core role in redefining Publicis as a holding company steeped in digital
know-how. Lang sits on the board of VivaKi, and, as the lead digital agency of the
unit, it is playing a central role in developing technologies that can be used
across all of Publicis's digital assets. While the goal is to co-develop platforms
with major media partners ranging from Microsoft to Disney, it's not entirely
beyond the realm of possibility that such platforms could also be used by
competitors.
As with Digitas's other intra-holding relationships, it works both ways. Digitas has
been able to leverage other Publicis digital assets, such as the mobile marketing
company Phonevalley, to bring campaigns onto other platforms.
We've emphasized many concrete rationales for naming Digitas OMMA's Agency
of the Year, but maybe the best reason to have done so is this: Digitas seems to
be the root cause of the digital competition between Publicis CEO Maurice Lévy
and WPP's Agency of the Year, but maybe the best reason to have done so is
this: Digitas seems to be the root cause of the digital competition between
Publicis CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. At ubs' annual Global Media and
Communications Conference in December, Sorrell used the forum to clear up
what he called "a misunderstanding over our digital businesses" in terms of their
relative size. Sorrell said digital marketing now accounted for almost a quarter of
the Group's revenue and that its "digital prowess" was three times that of its
nearest competitor - you guessed it, Publicis.
Kenny claims that Publicis is Google's biggest customer; at the usb conference,
Sorrell said WPP's GroupM was its "largest single agency customer." But,
through a program that started at Digitas, it's Publicis who has truly cozied up to
the search giant, operating a talent exchange in which Google and Digitas
employees have temporarily swapped roles. (That deal, according to Kenny, was
the precursor to a similar job swap between Google and p&g.)
Whichever holding company you choose to back, one thing is clear: Publicis
wouldn't even have been part of the equation if it weren't for Digitas.

 
Since 1998, Frederator Studios has become one of the largest and most prolific
independent cartoon studios. Through their affiliation with Nickelodeon,
Frederator is currently producing four television series and has more than 100
projects in active development and production for features, books, television, and
video. Their most recent project to hit the airwaves was an animation showcase
called Random! Cartoons, which premiered on the Nickelodeon and Nicktoons
networks in late 2008.
I recently conducted interviews with Fred Seibert, the head of Frederator Studios,
and several Random! Cartoons directors to learn more about the studio, several
recently-released and upcoming shorts and just what makes an animated cartoon
"random."
Fred Seibert, head of Frederator Studios
Andrew Farago: How do the Random! Cartoons differ

from your previous Frederator showcases?
Fred Seibert: Random! Cartoons was a series unique

to its moment in time. Like with all the others, we
relied primarily on artists and animators who wrote
their own films. Common to all of the shorts series
was my production companion, veteran Larry Huber.
What a Cartoon! was nurtured inside of an existing

studio, Hanna-Barbera, and depended on the
support of the great staff that had built the company.
We made 48 shorts with 40 different creators across
the world. Veterans like Bruno Bozzetto and Ralph Bakshi, newcomers, including
Genndy Tartakovsky, Craig McCraken and Butch Hartman, and complete indies
like New Yorker John Dilworth.
Oh Yeah! Cartoons was our first project with Nickelodeon. Executives there were
eager for us to introduce them to the talent bubbling in the industry. We created a
mini-studio within Nickelodeon, and our 51 original shorts had 33 filmmakers,
many with multiple shorts.
Random! Cartoons was 39 shorts created in

an industry that had learned our methods
and where all the networks and studios were
making shorts of their own. New production
techniques like Flash and CG had become
viable. And, unlike our first two series, the
talent pool had "grown up" with a healthy
industry eager for new voices. The
competition for cartoons to be great had
never been more intense.
One of the clearest differences this time

around was the complete diversity of the
creators, a must in a worldwide environment
we now live in. For the first time, we had
pictures from creators [who were] Korean,
Mexican, African-American, Japanese. And,
not at all incidentally, after 99.75% of our
shorts being made by men, we had nine
women creators. These shorts are among
the most exciting we've ever done.
AF: How did you recruit the artists and directors for the Random! Cartoons?
FS: Cartoons came into Frederator in three ways. Eric Homan is our vice
president of development and led the effort to reach out to creators everywhere.
Eric and I started together at Hanna-Barbera more than 15 years ago, and he's
got a deep reservoir of good will among cartoon talent everywhere. He's a
passionate regular at industry events, festivals and colleges, and, as president of
programming at Channel Frederator, virtually around the globe. Eric led our
development team of Melissa Wolfe and producers Kevin Kolde and Larry Huber
to encourage creators to come into Random!
We love working within the walls of Nickelodeon Studios, and then with the other
crews in town, talking to people looking for the chance to make their first
commercial cartoons. We made six Random! cartoons with returning creators,
but that's 33 creators we've never had a chance to know before.
New this time around was our effort on the Internet. We started Frederator's
blogs in those prehistoric days of 2004, and the more we posted about new
Random! pitches, the more new pitches cascaded in. The launch of Channel
Frederator in November 2005 just added to the fray.
AF: What goal are you trying to accomplish with these shorts? Have any of the
Random! Cartoons been tapped as potential ongoing series?
FS: Random! Cartoons fulfilled my goals from our first day. We've met some
incredible talent and I'm sure we'll be working with everyone again many times
over the years.
There are already two series in production (Fanboy & Chum Chum at
Nickelodeon, and Adventure Time at Cartoon Network) [and] we're developing
even more for series or feature films.
AF: All of the Random! shorts I've seen so far proudly label themselves as "Made
in Hollywood" at the end of the credits. Is all of the animation for these shorts
handled in the U.S., and is all of the work being done at one central location?
FS: Lots of cartoons are made in the United States, contrary to popular opinion,
and as you say, we're darn proud of it. On the case of Random!, two thirds of the
production is done stateside (most in California, but some in New York, Boston
and elsewhere), with writing, boarding, design and color, direction, casting,
recording, scoring and post production. Animation is often done across the world,
from Canada to Asia.
Our Random! Cartoons production home base is at Nickelodeon Animation

Studios [in Hollywood].
AF: One thing that I've really enjoyed about the various Frederator anthologies
(KaBlam! was a favorite back in my college days) is the range of style, format
and tone that the studio is willing to try. Do you keep a general target audience in
mind when creating each short, or do you expect certain cartoons not to go over
well with certain audiences?
FS: We love it when viewers love our cartoons, and everyone on our team wants
to find audiences for their shorts. We've always felt that style and tone are just
two of the elements a filmmaker uses to make his or her film, and we don't feel
limited by trends of the moment. We look to whatever inspires the creator,
figuring it'll inspire everyone else too. We make shorts for all kinds of audiences,
and we're cognizant of where they run and who's watching, like The Meth Minute
39 shorts for adults on the Internet.
Random! Cartoons is made for Nickelodeon and all the creators know their
audience is kids. But, they're not limited by kids. In the end, our creators make
funny cartoons with great characters, and we don't talk down to those kids, we
make ourselves laugh and I think it's why so many of our cartoons have broad,
popular appeal. A note of clarification: Frederator didn't produce KaBlam! (though
I sure wish we had). The very talented producer/writer Bob Mittenthal produced
Kablam!, with Will McRobb & Chris Viscardi. I was initially involved with Action
League Now!, but had to drop out when I went to Hanna-Barbera.
AF: Has the current economic downturn altered any of Frederator's plans for the
next year or so?
FS: It's always challenging for everyone in a down economy, and Frederator's not
exceptional. We're finding it harder to find financing for projects, but we feel more
than lucky to be doing as well as we are today. In the final analysis, like all
production companies making popular films, we're only as successful as our
ability to make cartoons our audiences love.
AF: What is Frederator's current relationship with Nickelodeon Studios?
FS: Frederator's in the midst of a long run, special relationship with Nickelodeon.
For 12 years we were exclusive producers, now we're "first look," with four series
on the air, three in production (two at the studio) and a number in consideration.
We happily continue to be network consultants.
AF: In the summer of 2007, you, Kevin Kolde and Eric Gardner founded
Frederator Films, with the express goal of creating feature films under a $20
million budget. Do you have any features in progress at the moment?
FS: Frederator Films has a number of studio and independent pictures in various
stages of development or production. You'll be the first to hear about them.
 
 
 

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Public Relations Summary

Mid-November 2008 – February 2009

611 Mission Street, 7th Floor  San Francisco, CA 94105

La Strada’s video for “The Sun Song” on 99dollarmusicvideos.com

Today it’s launching a video network

The site is designed to introduce music

The barebones structure is simple: the

Feb 19, 2009, 07:00 AM ET

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

The site's goal is to match directors and bands, giving

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Tim Shey, Next New Networks: About a

The band loved it and immediately

(Interview continues below.)

Wired.com: How does the sponsorship aspect work?

(Interview continues below.)

The N.Y.-based digital content production and distribution

The low-budget music videos will be available at Google-owned YouTube.

1. It must be made for $99 (or less).

$99 Music Videos will attempt to give musicians

"We wanted to find a way to be useful to the

The Web site will premier a music

$99 Music VideosIt's "a perfect match

But first, the concept in their words….

And the resulting genius…

JACK FERRY, CREATOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

I always wanted to make music videos, so this gave me an idea.

Can we still make something cool if we could only spend 99 dollars?

From this, “$99 Music Videos” was born.

JACK FERRY, CREATOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Can’t afford to rent lights? Use the sun!

MELISSA SCHNEIDER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

JACK FERRY, CREATOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

MELISSA SCHNEIDER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

TIM SHEY, NEXT NEW NETWORKS:

TIM SHEY, NEXT NEW NETWORKS:

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

Verizon is the exclusive launch sponsor for the network, which

New videos will premiere every Thursday at

1. It must be made for $99 (or less).

Most musicians and filmmakers are unable to spend thousands of dollars on a

$99 Music Videos [Official site]

La Strada - The Sun Song (via 99dollarmusicvideos)

(also, how awesome is this song? La Strada has their debut EP

The low-budget music videos will be available at Google-owned YouTube.

The principle applies to much more than social media.

1. It must be made for $99 (or less).

Tags: innovation, Music, videos, websites

La Strada - The Sun Song directed by Jack Ferry.

$99 Music Videos is exactly what it sounds like; a network

More info about the project here.

Look, if McDonalds can concoct some sort of

Gee, aren't recessions fun?

Here's my final take:

To better understand the state of online video, consider the following:

Online Video's Five Subject Categories

Eight Ways to Use Online Video

Four Ways Online Video Contributes to Profitability

Seven Online Video Metrics

Next New, which produces 13 targeted channels of content, has distribution

BoomTown provided continuing coverage of the Yahoo

More next week.

The channel, located at http://www.metacafe.com/nba, features basketball highlights