Videojug – what a fantastic site

It has taken me far too long to discover this terrific “how to” site. VideoJug hosts one of the world's largest libraries of factual content. The video content is either produced by VideoJug or vetted (in the case of user-generated content). I think the style of videos hits the right note between factual with a touch of light-hearted amusement.

Videojug has offices in Los Angeles, London and Spain (where one of the founders lives) and is creating (so the company’s blurb says): “thousands of films each month”. If you haven’t visited the site you should. Dick Stroud

New strategy for CNN site

CNN intends to further blur the line between television and the Internet with a major push into online video starting on the 15th January. CNNMoney.com‘s editor says it in words of one syllable: "The future of business television is online".

This article contains more detail about what is planned and what it means to the way financial information is consumed between the Web and TV. Dick Stroud

Haven Holidays great use of video

Just before Xmas there was an article in BrandRepublic about Haven using video e-mail to its past customers.

I had a quick look at the company’s web site which is excellent – notice the prominence of video on the home page. As you would expect they also have a YouTube channel. The videos are pretty good as well. That’s how to do it. Dick Stroud

New streaming video service

This is an interesting video streaming service Qik that enables you to take a mobile phone with a video camera on a fast mobile connection, and stream video live for other people to watch. It has a lot of similarities with UStream.tv, Veodia, and Comvu.

Other than the fun aspects of the service (which are not to be dismissed) I cannot think of too many applications. No doubt I will eat my words in the future about that comment! For the full article. Dick Stroud

Video hosting services compared

I missed this item when it was first published. It has just surfaced and provides an excellent way of understanding about the range of video hosting services.

Obviously, YouTube remains the destination of choice for the vast majority of consumers but there are now lots of alternatives that support more file types, bigger uploads, and higher resolutions. They also place fewer restrictions and provide an array of features simply overlooked by YouTube.

These are the services covered in the article: blip.tv, Brightcove.tv, ClipShack, Crackle, DailyMotion, Sony eyeVio, Google Video, Megavideo, Metacafe, Motionbox, Revver, Spike (ifilm), Stage6, Veoh, Viddler, Vimeo, Yahoo Video, and YouTube.

The service I do recommend you look at is Sony’s eyeVio – here is an example of it in action. What brilliant quality. Dick Stroud

Video press releases

Brandweek has an interesting article about using video for press releases.

The company that it most quotes is Allstate, the insurance company. This company now has part of its Media Web section devoted to video releases. I have to say that I am not wowed by the quality, but it does illustrate how video can be used to substitute for the boring old text releases.

There is an interesting quote from the director of broadcast communications at GM saying that video now account for 10% of the company's press releases.

Somehow I think we will be hearing a lot more about using video in this context during 2008. Dick Stroud

Media consumption in the US

Here is an interesting factlet. CNN.com had 30.2 million unique users in October of 2007 and 61.3 million video streams. The average age of its user is 41.

Another factlet. People aged 25 to 54 spend the most time at work or at home on the Internet a week (7.3 hours). That's more than young adults aged 18 to 34 (5.1 hours) or teens 12 to 17 years old (3.4 hours). (Turner Broadcast System chief research officer, Jack Wakshlag, citing Nielsen Media Research data). So much for the young being the “Internet Generation”.

Final factlet. 42% of YouTube users are 35 to 54 years old and that 19% are over 55. The 12-17 year olds make up only 20% of YouTube users.

These an a lot more interesting things about age, technology and media can be found in this article from Broadcasting Newsroom. Dick Stroud