My Latest Guest Post in Venturebeat -- MCNs, Why the $500M-$1B Exits?

For those who follow my ruminations, you know that I have focused heavily on MCNs and the overall YouTube economy in the past couple months -- mirroring the excitement and activity in that space.

Yesterday, Venturebeat published my MCN-focused guest article titled, “Why Everyone Suddenly Wants a Piece of LA’s Super Hot YouTube Networks” (in which I discuss the recent $500-$950 million Disney/maker mega-deal and near-$1 billion rumblings surrounding leading MCN Fullscreen).  Here is the link.

Later today, I moderate a panel at Streaming Media East in NYC titled, “New Opportunities for Monetizing Premium Video” in which we will discuss MCNs, among other players in the overall multi-platform premium video eco-system.

Things Heating WAY Up for Content-Based Digital Media Companies

Wow!  What a week for content-based digital media companies -- and I’m not just talking SXSW.

Let’s take a quick look -- on the heavily-watched MCN/online video side of things:

(1) Warner Bros. makes an $18 Million investment and takes a major stake in gamer/young male-focused MCN Machinima;

(2) Disney counters by looking to buy rival MCN Maker Studios for $500+.

Disney hasn’t yet closed the deal with Maker apparently.  But, you know what’s coming next.  Full Screen.  Big Frame.  Anticipate acquisitions later this year by competing studios.  Micro-video networks most certainly are “in” -- expanding the palette of the majors to include broader content offerings (and, importantly, also harvesting new talent to be featured “upstream” in bigger and more traditional content offerings).

How about on the online music side of the house?

(1) Spotify acquires Echo Nest and, subsequently, takes a $200 Million line of credit -- likely to fund even more acquisitions -- and, in the words of Venturebeat, as another sign that it is preparing for an IPO;

(2) Beats Music counters by closing a round of financing of at least $60 Million -- likely for the same reasons.  Meanwhile, the steady drumbeat of new startup online music services continues.

Content-focused digital media/tech-focused companies are white-hot right now.  And, that action is taking place primarily in LA.

Exciting times.

And, I haven’t even discussed the madness this past week at SXSW Interactive!

My 2013 Guest Posts in TechCrunch, Huffington Post, Wired, Venturebeat -- Curated for the Holidays

In 2013, I wrote several guest articles for TechCrunch, The Huffington Post, Wired and Venturebeat  -- here they are -- consolidated for your holiday reading:  

“A New Golden Age of Content” -- The Huffington Post.

"Instagram for Video -- Music, Meaning and Moments Succeed Where Others Fail" -- TechCrunch.

"Media's Online-Offline Nexus: Connecting Virtual, Physical Worlds"-- Wired.

"Why Content Creators Should Know About the New 'Share Economy' -- Venturebeat.

"8 Ways to Maximize Live Sports & Music Revenues" -- The Huffington Post.

"For Family Videos, Less Is, Well, Less: Welcome to the Age of Video Snippets" -- The Huffington Post.

Check them out -- and, if you read anything you like, spread the word!  And, thanks for reading in 2013.  I hope to shed at least a few digital media/tech insights in 2014 -- beginning on January 6 at CES where I will be moderating one panel, and participating on another.  Reach out to me via LinkedIn if you would like to meet.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Kiosked - A Company to Watch - Just Announced New Round of $6.9M

Kiosked is a compelling new ad-tech company launched in Finland, but now with substantial new business operations in the U.S.  The company adds real immersive interactivity for meaningful and “value add” brand engagement (Venturebeat ran a feature story about the company yesterday which explains the overall consumer and marketeer value proposition very well).  I just watched a demo at the company’s LA-based offices the other day, and I liked what I saw.

Clearly, others do as well.  Blue-chip investors are behind this company, which announced a major new round of financing -- $6.9 million -- just yesterday.  Check out this “who’s who” list of major investors -- world-renown live event producer Kevin Wall (whose company, Control Room, produces some of the largest live events in the world -- including the Live Earth concerts), Kaj Head (who runs Rovio, the company behind “Angry Birds”), John Lindfors (of Digital Sky, an investment firm that was a major investor in Facebook, among others).

Definitely a company worth checking out -- and reflecting the continuing growing vibrancy of the LA digital media/ad-tech entrepreneurial scene.

Nimble & WeDemand! -- 2 "MUST CHECK OUT" Companies (For Very Different Reasons)

Yesterday, I participated in live demos for two digital media services that I urge you to check out now -- for very different reasons:

(1) Nimble -- think of this service as LinkedIn on steroids, consolidating -- and making sense of -- all of your social networks (including LinkedIn) in one place.  Lots of power here to do lots of powerful things that will -- guaranteed! -- add value to your business networking.  Run, don't walk, to this one -- it has broad application to virtually all of you who are reading this.  I am adopting it today.

(2) WeDemand! -- this is a very different service with perhaps more limited appeal, but directly in my sweet spot of several of my interests -- including live music and the "Share Economy" (about which I just wrote in Venturebeat).  Think of this one as crowd-funding for music fans to connect to their favorite bands and bring them to a venue near them (by essentially expanding tour dates to reach those motivated pockets of fans).  It is pure "win" on this one -- musicians drive more live concert (and related merch, etc.) revenues; and fans get to see bands that otherwise would be unavailable.  At a strategic level, WeDemand! also gives artists (and their booking agents) important data about demand for them in any particular city.  Although similar to Songkick's Detour service (about which I previously wrote in that same Venturebeat article), WeDemand! operates a bit differently and is not 100% pure crowd-funding.  WeDemand! also was first -- and works within the current "system" a bit more by crowd-funding only a portion of the artist's minimum guarantee, thereby mitigating the concert promoter's risk.

My TechCrunch, Huffington Post, Wired, Venturebeat Guest Posts -- Curated for Your Holiday Weekend Reading Pleasure

In the past several months, I have stepped up my writing of guest articles for industry-leading pubs such as TechCrunch, The Huffington Post, Wired and Venturebeat -- all of which, of course, have a digital media angle.  Many of them, however, touch upon other themes near and dear to me -- including the "magic" that comes from media integration of online (virtual) and offline (physical) experiences (and the magic of live experiences in general), the continuing march (and promise) of premium video and 24/7 "anytime anywhere" distribution, social impact and the new "Share Economy," and my overall continued focus on great young entrepreneurial companies leading the charge in terms of digital media innovation.  I "re-print" them here because I believe they continue to be timely and instructive.  Here they are -- which are in addition to my own near 1300 posts I have written on this (my own) blog:  

"Media's Online-Offline Nexus: Connecting Virtual, Physical Worlds"-- Wired.

"Why Content Creators Should Know About the New 'Share Economy' -- Venturebeat.

"Apple Schooled Music Execs Then, Here Are the Lessons Online Video Should Learn Now" -- TechCrunch.

"Instagram for Video -- Music, Meaning and Moments Succeed Where Others Fail" -- TechCrunch.

"8 Ways to Maximize Live Sports & Music Revenues" -- The Huffington Post.

"Online Video vs. Music -- Different Game, Same Rules" -- TechCrunch.

"For Family Videos, Less Is, Well, Less: Welcome to the Age of Video Snippets" -- The Huffington Post.

"Instagram for Video -- Massive Opportunity, Yes!  Done Right, No!" -- TechCrunch.

"Indie Filmmakers and The Digital Dilemma" -- The Huffington Post.

Check them out -- and, if you read anything you like, spread the word!  And, thanks for reading.  Let me know what you think.

My Guest Post in Venturebeat -- Media & The New "Share Economy"

As many of you know, I like to write about all things d ... and I write ... a lot -- including frequent guest posts in TechCrunch and The Huffington Post.

Here's my latest guest post -- but this time in Venturebeat -- titled, "Why Content Creators Should Know About the New 'Share Economy'".

The article discusses the exciting new promise of, and new opportunities enabled for, media financing, distribution and monetization by "Share Economy" services (including crowd-funding, crowd-sourcing and direct distribution).  I have spent a great deal of time in this milieu -- and with companies and executives of such new "Share Economy" services -- and I identify the most promising ones in my this article.

Enjoy.