In the News:
- The number of IPTV subscribers in Western Europe increased 45% on year during 2008 to 10.4 million, compared to 7.0 million the previous year, according to new figures released by the Broadband Forum. The number of households and businesses connected to broadband increased 62.6 million during 2008 to 410.9 million. France is the largest IPTV market in the region, with over 5 million subscribers. Global subscriptions increased 63% to 21.8 million, compared to 13.3 million in 2007. The three largest IPTV subscription regions: North America (3.8m), South and East Asia (3.6m), and Asia-Pacific (3.1m). China has grown the most, increasing broadband subscribers from 66.5m to 83.3m. Conversely, the Middle East and Africa remained static, with 10,000 subscribers.The US increased from 69.9m to 79.0m subscribers, whilst Japan’s connections grew from 28.4m to 30.3m.
- IBM Study: Media Companies Falling Behind in Digital Space. A new study (download report here) from IBM reveals a “growing rift” between advertisers, consumers and content owners, as media companies “struggle to keep pace with” new demands from tech-savvy viewers and marketers. Beyond Advertising: Choosing a Strategic Path to the Digital Consumer cites four key trends in the media business today: consumer adoption of new distribution formats, a shift in advertising spend, digital migration of platforms and the emergence of new capabilities due to moves by new entrants and existing players. The report notes the adoption by consumers of sites like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Between 2007 and 2008, the adoption of social-networking tools soared to 60 percent from 33 percent; online/portable music services more than doubled to 46 percent from 22 percent; mobile Internet data plans nearly tripled to 41 percent from 15 percent; and access to mobile music and video quadrupled to 35 percent from 7 percent. IBM is calling on content owners to “fundamentally” change the way they deliver information to audiences.
- ComScore has released its first overview of Web usage in Singapore. The report includes a ranking of the most engaging and visited Internet site categories and properties, based on the comScore World Metrix service, and the top search properties, based on the comScore qSearch service. In February 2009, more than 2.5 million people in Singapore age 15 and older accessed the Internet from home and work locations, consuming an average of 1,785 pages of content and accessing the Internet an average of 21 hours per person. “Singapore is one of the most advanced digital markets in the Asia-Pacific region and represents a growing opportunity for digital marketers,” said Will Hodgman, comScore executive vice president. “The combination of high broadband penetration, heavy online engagement and the overall tech savvy of Internet users in Singapore make it an ideal market for the adoption of valuable existing and emerging digital technologies, including search, social media and online video.”
- New Endemol Series: Endemol has won rights to sell brands the chance to be integrated into a new web TV series called ‘Section 8′ that gives users the chance to engage in character and plot development, which will eventually be distributed on DVD. ‘Section 8′ was developed by Viacom’s Paramount Digital Entertainment and film production business Gaumont.
- Babelgum Premiers Downstream: The online TV service Babelgum is premiereing the environmental documentary Downstream as it enters the U.S. market this week with a tailored version of its mobile video application and a redesigned Flash-based website. It is hosted on Babelgum’s dedicated channel for nature and the environment, Our Earth.
- YouTube still trying to make money! While YouTube Inc. is beginning to share advertising revenue with media partners and other content suppliers, executives at the top online video site say they are still trying to figure out how best to monetize videos on the site. Meanwhile, YouTube announced last week that its Web site had been blocked in China. Google said it did not know why the site had been blocked, but a report by the official Xinhua news agency of China last Tuesday said that supporters of the Dalai Lama had fabricated a video that appeared to show Chinese police officers brutally beating Tibetans after riots last year in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital
- Looking at Facebook US audience growth over the last 180 days, it’s clear that Facebook is seeing massive increases in adoption amongst users 35-65. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is still women over 55 - there are now nearly 1.5 million of them active on Facebook each month. The biggest growth in terms of absolute new users over the last six month came amongst users 35-44. Over 4 million more US women 35-44 and nearly 3 million more US men 35-44 used Facebook in March 2009 compared to September 2008. With the rapid growth amongst older users, the majority of US Facebook users are now over 25. There are now 6 million users 13-17, 19.5 million 18-25, 13.4 million 26-34, 9.7 million 35-44, 4.6 million 45-54, and 2.8 million over 55. In other words, there are more Facebook users 26-44 than 18-25 today. For a detailed analysis of Facebook and its statistics, visit InsideFacebook.com
- The BBC’s Project Canvas is not about setting a new technological standard for TV-over-internet, the Beeb’s IPTV director Richard Halton told IPTV World Forum in London last Wednesday. Instead, he said, the BBC is talking with broadcasters, content owners, networks and technology providers to “develop” existing standards under an industry-wide brand name. “Canvas is not an attempt to create standards. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this job, it’s that IPTV is not short of standards and we want to bring those together,” Halton told delegates. See our comprehensive review of Project Canvas here and here, and more on PaidContent
- How To Make a Web Series: The online video elite turned out for the Fine Brothers’ take on how to make a Streamys-worthy web series.
- Current TV’s comedic Twitter Spoof. Makes you think….Are we “communicating with no-one and everyone? ” While on the subject, follow us on Twitter!!
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