Google CEO trumped by power video play
Google’s greatest cheerleader, CEO Eric Schmidt, is being trumped at his own online video game, big time!
Schmidt confidently boasted just weeks ago that the Google one-two YouTube and Google Video punch renders Google invincible on the Internet video front, saying to Wall Street that other sites may host their own videos,” and that while it is “possible” that they may be competitive, it is “not likely.”
As of today, it is, in fact, more than likely.
Schmidt believes the video law is in Google’s favor, the “Power Law (video) Distribution,” that is. With only a small number of online video winners feasible, many other players will be “crowded out,” he confidently puts forth. Number one search engine Google does not envisage being a video contender among many. Schmidt states unequivocally: “We want to be number one,” in video too.
News Corp., NBC Universal, AOL, MSN, MySpace, Yahoo see things differently, however, and are joining together to jointly power their own winning video venture:
News Corporation and NBC Universal will launch the largest Internet video distribution network ever assembled with the most sought-after content from television and film, it was announced today by Jeff Zucker, President and Chief Executive Officer, NBC Universal and Peter Chernin, President and Chief Operating Officer, News Corporation. The video-rich site will debut this summer with thousands of hours of full-length programming, movies and clips, representing premium content from at least a dozen networks and two major film studios.
AOL, MSN, MySpace and Yahoo! will be the new site’s initial distribution partners. Their users, who represent 96 percent of the monthly U.S. unique users on the Internet, will have unlimited access to the site’s vast library of content. This media alliance will offer consumers free long- and short-form video and create a compelling platform for advertisers, targeting the rapidly growing audience of online video consumers.
Not only will the collaborative competitive effort bring to the online video table properly licensed, professionally produced copyright video content, it has paying advertisers too:
Charter advertisers include Cadbury Schweppes, Cisco, Esurance, Intel and General Motors.
“Ubiquitous distribution,” is how Jeff Zucker, President and CEO of NBC Universal characterizes the power mulit-player video venture.
Viacom has said “Who needs YouTube,” to the tune of $1 billion, and now News Corp., NBC Universal, AOL, MSN, MySpace and Yahoo are saying it too, in unison, loudly.
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