Posts for 'Miscellaneous'

A little update on VideoNuze today: I’m pleased to share a new VideoNuze logo and fully redesigned web site and daily newsletter. I hope that you’ll find the logo to be modern and lively. The icon is meant to evoke both the “play” nature of video and also a sense of “forward movement” that tries to capture the dynamic state of our industry. I also hope that you’ll find the web site and newsletter clean, simple and easy to read, which were my primary goals with the redesign project.

Irrespective of the new logo and redesign, the core elements of VideoNuze remain: daily (or almost daily) posts, constant curation of relevant news from third-party industry sources, “Inside the Stream” podcasts I’m privileged to record each week with nScreenMedia’s Colin Dixon and periodic “Perspectives” byline articles from industry executives (more of which I’d like to run). On the main navigation bar are easy links to VideoNuze’s upcoming events and last but not least there’s a tab to browse by “Categories” and search.

An updated logo and redesign have been on my “to do” list for longer than I care to admit. Part of me has felt like the proverbial “cobbler whose kids have no shoes.” On a daily basis I write about the most up-to-date happenings in our industry, yet the design of my own site and logo were a little bit “Soviet era” if were to be honest. In my defense though, I don’t think I’ve slacking off; over the years since I launched VideoNuze, I have written approximately 2,500 posts (that’s about 2 million words in case you were wondering), curated nearly 20,000 news items from third-party sources and recorded over 600 podcast episodes.

Beyond the content, I have organized over 20 VideoNuze events that have been attended by thousands of colleagues and at which hundreds of executives have spoken. I’ve also organized panels and keynotes at major industry events like NABShow, CES, etc. that have been attended by many others. November 16th and 17th will bring VideoNuze’s highest impact event yet, the Connected TV Advertising Brand Suitability Summit. And for the first time, in 2022, there will be three VideoNuze events focused on CTV advertising. I’m really excited to share more details about them soon.

Whew!

continue reading

As 2020 comes to an end, I’d like to wish all of you and your families a happy and safe holiday season - and a better year ahead.

It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year unlike any other. I’d like to express my deepest thanks to everyone in the VideoNuze community - readers, podcast listeners, conference attendees, sponsors, partners, friends and industry colleagues for your support during the year.

As we all know, the video industry is experiencing incredible change. Viewers have more choices than ever, and the entire industry is undergoing a profound shift to direct-to-consumer streaming services and monetization models. All of the building blocks are in place for key trends to further accelerate in 2021. I look forward to engaging with all of you as the year unfolds.

Happy Holidays!

2019 was yet another year of amazing innovation and change in the video industry. As Colin and I discussed on our podcast yesterday, in 2019 we saw the launch of Disney+ and Apple TV+, cord-cutting hit a record in Q3, Netflix lose subscribers in the U.S. for the first time in Q2, CTVs and CTV advertising surge, and so much more.

I’ve been saying for years that broadband delivery - allowing video to be directly delivered to viewers without any intermediary - would be highly disruptive to the video industry. Now, combined with OTT, CTVs, mobile and data-driven advertising, broadband’s impact is on full display.

It’s been another year of great fun trying to make sense of all of these changes, while trying to look around the corners to help VideoNuze readers understand what may be coming next.

2020 is setting up to be a monster year for the industry, with more cord-cutters than ever using their CTVs to watch their favorite OTT services - plus following the election and the Olympics - and lots more. We’ve also seen a lot of activity on the deal front (Disney-Fox, Disney-Comcast-Hulu, Viacom-CBS, etc.) and I expect more in the new year as established companies jockey for position.

2020 will also bring VideoNuze’s Connected TV Advertising Summit in NYC on June 11th, which promises to be the deepest dive conference of the year on CTV advertising, which is the biggest opportunity the TV industry has to capitalize on fundamental changes in viewers’ behaviors.

Thanks to all of the industry leaders who have sponsored VideoNuze in 2019. And of course a huge thanks to VideoNuze’s daily readers, podcast listeners and conference attendees. Engaging with you and hearing your feedback remains the most interesting part of what I do.

Wishing you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2020!

2018 has been another incredibly busy year in the video industry, with all participants investing heavily to position themselves for a future ever more driven by technology and consumer changes. Growth in SVOD, connected TV and mobile devices, data-driven advertising, cord-cutting, virtual pay-TV operators and original programming continue to remake the industry from top to bottom.

Analyzing and reporting on these changes continues to be an endless and fascinating challenge. Hopefully I’m contributing to industry executives better understanding the chaos and how to succeed. Through daily posts, VideoNuze’s annual Video Ad Summit (which drew 350+ attendees this past June), consulting, teaching and other activities, I am deeply immersed in the industry.

A huge thanks to all of the industry leading companies that have sponsored VideoNuze in 2018, without whom none of this would be possible.  And a big thank you to VideoNuze’s daily readers, podcast listeners and conference attendees. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the video industry and to help contribute to its ongoing evolution.  

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2019!

2016 has been another crazy year of growth and innovation in online video. Macro trends continued to gain momentum: viewers migrating from linear TV to online/SVOD, connected/mobile devices proliferating, advertising shifting to online video and programmatic, massive social platforms emphasizing video, cord-cutting accelerating, skinny bundles launching and much, much more.

It’s no overstatement to say that tens of billions of dollars in both advertising and pay-TV subscriptions - the financial backbone of the entire video ecosystem - are now completely in flux. All of these shifts have major consequences for both established media companies trying to evolve their business models as well as startups trying to gain traction.

continue reading

Happy Holidays! This will be my last post of 2015, as I plan to take some time off through New Year's.

It’s been another hectic year of growth for online video, packed with new product/service announcements, technology innovation, changes in business models and new content development. It’s safe to say that online video is now the biggest priority for everyone in the video ecosystem.

For VideoNuze, 2015 was a busy year of helping industry executives understand the swirl of activity through our daily editorial. Conferences have also become a bigger part of VideoNuze’s mission, bringing together industry executives to discuss and debate key topics.

In 2015 VideoNuze hosted its 5th annual Online Video Ad Summit, which drew 450+ attendees. We also introduced SHIFT // Programmatic Video & TV Ad Summit, which drew 380+ attendees. Finally we hosted our inaugural NABShow Online Video Conference in Las Vegas. We’ll be doing all 3 of these conferences in 2016 (contact me to learn more).

As always, I’m extremely grateful for all of the industry companies that have sponsored VideoNuze and our events in 2015, without whom none of this would be possible. Thank you! And of course a huge thank you to VideoNuze’s daily readers, podcast listeners and conference attendees.

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2016!

As VideoNuze readers know, the site is 100% focused on the online video and related industries. I respect that you are busy and read VideoNuze for business reasons, so I don't want to distract you with personal details. However, today I'm making an exception.

I’m excited to share news that is special to me: my 15 1/2 year-old daughter Abby has written her 4th book of fiction, “The Bell Sisters’ Discovery.” As with the prior 3 books, my wife Sarah and I have self-published it using Amazon's CreateSpace. Abby is selling the book for $10 and ALL of the proceeds are being donated to She’s the First, a non-profit that provides scholarships to girls in low-income countries.

Abby’s passion for writing dates back to her elementary school years, when she loved to create short stories. In 4th grade, one of them became her first self-published book, “Very Berry,” (all proceeds donated to Reading is Fundamental). Next came “Starring Eliza” in 6th grade (all proceeds donated to The Nature Conservancy). That was followed by “Beatrice’s Fortune” in 7th grade (all proceeds donated to Music & Youth Initiative). To date, Abby has raised nearly $6,000 for all of these wonderful organizations which Abby has found and identified with.

Each book is approximately 100-125 pages. They have become increasingly sophisticated as Abby’s writing has developed. “The Bell Sisters’ Discovery” is a compelling story of how 4 sisters, age 7 to 14, are inspired to overcome their respective personal challenges after discovering and reading the personal diary entries of a famous twentieth-century author.

Writing (and selling) the books has been an amazing growth experience for Abby, who more recently has also been publishing non-fiction online posts. Of course I’m a proud papa; her ability to do all this at a such a young age is terrific. This is her “thing,” just as other kids distinguish themselves in sports, art, music or other areas.

This holiday season, as you think about stocking stuffers, belated Hanukkah gifts and other inexpensive, but meaningful items for girls (and boys) ages 5-14, please consider “The Bell Sisters’ Discovery” and Abby’s other books. They are uplifting, original stories of girls learning to navigate life's ups and downs, while understanding the value of interpersonal relationships and how to make a difference in the world. Over the years we’ve have been told countless times that Abby’s books have helped spark young kids' interest in reading and writing plus initiated a variety of other personal “giving-back” projects.

If you have a daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend's child, or another girl (or boy!) who's special to you, I'm confident that any of Abby's books would be a cherished gift. And, in the spirit of the holiday season, your purchase(s) will help make the world a better place for all of us.

Click here to buy “The Bell Sisters’ Discovery” on Amazon, or visit Abby’s web site for more information.

Thank you, and wishing you all the best this holiday season.

Pardon a little personal horn-tooting this morning, but I’m honored to share that I’ve been selected by LinkedIn as one of their top 10 media writers of the year. To put this in context, as LinkedIn’s executive editor, Daniel Roth explains, every week there are 150K+ articles posted on LinkedIn by almost 2 million different writers. LinkedIn has become a massive publishing platform where original content is distributed to one’s professional network and beyond.

With LinkedIn’s “Top Voices” feature, the company is recognizing the 10 top writers in 8 different verticals (finance, technology, marketing, healthcare, leadership, media, education and venture capital). LinkedIn used a formula that measured engagement (especially comments), growth of followers tied to publishing, number of times the writer had been featured in their respective channel, and how often the writer had been chosen as an “Editor’s Pick.”

Daniel’s description of writing as being a “lonely, nerve-wracking process,” where “ideas bouncing around in your head turn into a worldwide conversation,” completely resonates for me. Each morning when I sit down to write my post(s), I grapple with what to focus on, why this matters and how to add distinctive value to a topic that is often covered in infinite other places. Some days things come easily; other days it’s grueling. While I talk to lots of people in the industry regularly, it’s rare when I discuss a specific post or seek any specific editorial input.

I’ve been doing this now for 8 years (remarkable how time flies!) and I can tell you in all candor that the anxiety over what to write about and what to say never diminishes. One thing VideoNuze readers have no doubt observed is that, unlike journalists who provide the valuable service of incorporating quotes/perspectives from industry experts to craft a narrative that supports their article’s headline, with VideoNuze posts, it’s all about what I think. I don’t look to 3rd-party experts to support a thesis; I aim to BE that expert, providing original analysis and insights which hopefully impart a deeper level of understanding to readers (the same is true of the weekly podcast I do with Colin). I rely on my own professional experience and analytical frameworks, creativity and data to guide my conclusions. It's the epitome of "flying without a net."

Admittedly, it’s a pretty ego-centric pursuit. In my more paranoid moments, I sometimes wonder, “why should anyone give a sh-t about what Will Richmond thinks anyway?” In our noisy media lives, VideoNuze is just one delete key tap away from oblivion, just like everyone else. Just to raise the stakes a little further, the online video landscape is extraordinarily confusing. There are days when I’ll concede I’m not 100% sure what to make of a certain product announcement or initiative. Is this truly meaningful or insignificant? Is it pure PR spin or is it a game-changer?

Of course, that’s the true fun of doing what I do - constantly analyzing, synthesizing and trying to make sense of the turbulence engulfing the video industry. It’s endlessly fascinating to have a front row seat to the disruption occurring throughout the industry, the new technologies and devices that are relentlessly pushing us forward and creating unprecedented new challenges. I love the intellectual challenge of trying to cut through the clutter and help explain to sophisticated industry professionals what’s really going on. I’ve always believed in quality over quantity in terms of how much to post and that worst thing I could ever be accused of is doing little more than regurgitating a press release. At the end of day, I view my role at VideoNuze as an analyst and an educator, doing my best to help busy executives understand things just a little bit better. It’s still a great thrill when an industry CEO periodically emails me to say “you nailed it” (though in truth, sometimes I'll receive the opposite “you completely don’t get it” email as well).

For those of you who are devoted VideoNuze readers and attendees at our conferences, thanks for your constant feedback and encouragement. The LinkedIn top 10 recognition is a huge validation of the work I do each day, but your loyalty and the trust you put in me each day ultimately means far more.

Happy Holidays! This will be my last post of 2014, as I prepare to take some time off through New Year's. I hope all of you will get time to rejuvenate over the next week and half as well.

As I mentioned in last week's podcast, 2014 was a key turning point year for online video, when it truly went mainstream and became a top priority for everyone in the media and technology ecosystem. 2015 will build on 2014's momentum as we see still further viewer shifts to online and mobile video.

For VideoNuze, 2014 was another year of growth and evolution with the industry, with over 300 original posts and over 2,200 curated links to the most relevant news around the industry. Each weekday morning I strive to have VideoNuze be an essential tool for industry decision-makers to better understand the disruptive changes sweeping through the video industry. Hopefully VideoNuze is hitting the mark more often than it's missing!

Once again, I'm deeply grateful for all of the industry companies that have sponsored VideoNuze and our events in 2014, without whom none of this would be possible. Thank you!

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2015!

I'm going to take some time off over the next week to relax and re-charge my batteries, so this will be the last post of 2013, assuming no big story breaks.

It has been another whirlwind year in online video as all the major trends continued to gain momentum. Nonetheless, there are still plenty of unknowns, as consumer behaviors and key technologies rapidly evolve. At VideoNuze we do our best to understand the fast-moving video landscape and connect the dots for our readers. The goal is to break through the hype help readers really get a better handle on what's going on.

This is also a key goal of our events, the June Online Video Advertising Summit and the December VideoSchmooze, as well as the weekly VideoNuze/nScreenMedia podcasts. Our recently launched sister site VideoNuze iQ, analyzes and curates industry research/data, to provide additional insights.

However you access VideoNuze content, I hope it adds value to your understanding of the video industry. I know you have lots of choices for how to stay informed, so I'd like to thank you for spending time with VideoNuze. These are fascinating times we're all living through and I hope VideoNuze is an essential guide.

I'd also like to say a big thank you to all of VideoNuze's sponsors in 2013. None of this would be possible without their ongoing support, which I very much appreciate.

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2014!

Once again, it has been an exciting year in the world of online video and great fun to report on and analyze the year's significant happenings. I know you have many choices concerning what to read, and so I want to thank you for spending time with VideoNuze. It's a pleasure to engage with you and get feedback on my posts - favorable or otherwise!

2013 is shaping up to be another transformative year for online video and the larger video ecosystem. Led by the proliferation of viewing devices, shifting consumer behaviors, innovative business models and evolving technologies, much change is still ahead. I look forward to covering all of it and interacting with many of you along the way.

I also want to say thank you to all of VideoNuze's sponsors in 2012 - on the web site, email and live events. They are critical to VideoNuze's success and I am deeply appreciative for their support.

I'll be taking some R&R next week, and won't be posting anything new unless some big news breaks, which is unlikely. I'd like to wish you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2013!