‘Clown Co.’ YouTube Killer to Launch
A News Corp and NBC Universal joint venture to distribute TV shows and movies online could be announced as soon as Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times, following on a similar report from paidContent earlier this week.
The site would include premium video and “clips that users can modify,” and it would also syndicate the content on sites owned by Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL, and MySpace. The idea is to mount competition to tech companies Google and Apple, which have grabbed control of online media distribution while entertainment companies dallied.
“People close to the negotiations” distanced themselves from the moniker “YouTube killer,” saying they could possibly partner with Google as well, says the LA Times. However, Google continues to alienate big media, letting it slip that its internal nickname for the joint venture is “Clown Co.”
If big media has learned anything, and the content is reasonably priced, usable, and shareable, there’s no reason why the project couldn’t have a meaningful presence across its massive proposed audience. We shall see soon enough.
Perhaps YouTube should give up the ghost, and focus on the vibrant creator population it has fostered. The site does have its bragged-about 1,000-plus smaller distribution deals in the bank, and it’s apparently maintained traffic growth since Viacom started acting up. Maybe the long tail is where it’s at.
(Viacom dropped out of the joint-venture talks in favor of suing Google; Time Warner, CBS, and Sony Pictures Entertainment could still sign on, according to the LA Times.)
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[...] advertentie systeem wordt voorzien. Maar de vraag is of die rol wel aan Google gegunt wordt. Who’s the clown now?Volgens mij is het een kwestie van tijd voordat ook de Nederlandse TVpartijen gaan inzien dat ze [...]
infinite dreams (alpha) » YouTube killer is coming.. on March 22nd, 2007 at 6:50 am - Permalink
Another proof that 1999 mentality and management still prevails. Better yet, the bozos with circus ideas still rule!
In the end they will get the press and nothing more.
Luis Samra on March 22nd, 2007 at 7:38 am - Permalink
[...] we don’t want to get our hopes up too far, but the details of this morning’s announced (as expected) company formed to distribute News Corp and NBC Universal content actually sound quite reasonable. [...]
NewTeeVee » Surprise, Surprise: ‘YouTube Killer’ Sounds Appealing! on March 22nd, 2007 at 8:49 am - Permalink
So skeptical, Luis! I miss the YouTube of yore as much as the next person without cable, but any chance at more and better access to content seems good, no?
Liz Gannes on March 22nd, 2007 at 9:49 am - Permalink
Liz, I have been there and done that. So I feel I know where the thinking for this venture is coming from and its not good or original.
In the long run “better access” for the same content will be coming from hundreds of places making this partnership irrelevant. Except for the main stream media…… of course.
Luis on March 22nd, 2007 at 10:07 am - Permalink
I was just thinking - the likelihood of me commenting on a video probably decreases exponentially with the length of the video. But I don’t mind joining discussion forums about longer videos/movies.
Using myself as a basis, I’d say YouTube will remain a more social community where I’ll go when “I just want the clips”. Joost or this venture could become my destination if I actually want the full video.
Come to think of it, Joost is probably a more direct competitor than YouTube.
Anonymous on March 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 am - Permalink
I don’t see how Viacom’s lawsuit precludes them from joining this Joint Venture. Actualy, I’d expect NBC to be the next to sue, to protect these new revenue channels.
ChrisD on March 22nd, 2007 at 12:04 pm - Permalink
[...] week — the announcement that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and NBC Universal would launch an online library of big media video assets that could be licensed by any online distributor, provided they accept the terms and conditions set [...]
NewTeeVee » Did Murdoch just KO Google? on March 26th, 2007 at 12:15 pm - Permalink
[...] Young at NewTeeVee has an interesting post discussing why the News Corp./NBC joint venture is going to put GooTube on the ropes. Robert is not, alas, the late star of Marcus Welby and Father [...]
Did News Corp. kill the video star? » thinks on March 27th, 2007 at 9:26 pm - Permalink
[...] says Fancast.com will launch this summer and sounds like YouTube – and “NewTube” or Clown co or whatever News Corp. and NBC are calling their YouTube killer. In some respects, Comcast is ahead [...]
Vic Okezie » Blog Archive » Comcast acquires fandango; launches video site on April 12th, 2007 at 4:43 am - Permalink
[...] News Corporation, NBC Universal and Comcast Corporation today announced a detailed distribution agreement in which Comcast’s Comcast.net and Fancast.com will serve as main distribution sites for News Corp. and NBCU’s recently announced online video venture. [...]
Vic Okezie » Blog Archive » Comcast distributes content for Clown Co on April 16th, 2007 at 10:56 am - Permalink
[...] sites. The other, opposite trend is the one NBC and News Corp are working on, the so called “You Tube Killer“: a new place where viewers will be able to exclusively access all contents. CBS is hoping to [...]
Media Cool Hunting » Blog Archive » CBS Video Distribution Strategy on April 17th, 2007 at 1:36 pm - Permalink
interesting
Pericles on June 8th, 2007 at 12:07 am - Permalink
FYI : The Unofficial Clown Co. Logo >> http://flickr.com/photos/pierrefoucart/431326690/
Pierre Foucart on June 28th, 2007 at 8:45 am - Permalink