Google Launches Nonprofit Campaign ‘Thermometer’
Google’s just launched YouTube Campaigns, a “digital thermometer” to support its nonprofit partners. Gleaning inspiration from those thermometers nonprofits so often draw to indicate how close they are to their fundraising goals, this digital version can be used on videos and in channels to show progress of an overall campaign — except it’ll measure video views instead of cash.
The theory is that this’ll compel to share the video when they’ve seen a contribution is as simple as a view.
Over 18,000 organisations use the YouTube Nonprofit Program. YouTube also includes a Live Streaming feature and a donate button for its organisations.
(via thenextweb)
Citizen Journalism Just Got that Much More Accessible
Easy publishing on YouTube, the prevalence of mobile phones that can film and photograph, and the instantaneity of Twitter have all worked to transform journalism into the calling of a few to the calling of everyone, everywhere, who sees something that merits reporting.
Now, citizen journalism is that much more sophisticated: YouTube’s launched Face Blurring, a feature that enables users to blur faces in videos for their protection (and maybe yours). Could come in handy on Tahrir Square, at your next Occupy gathering or, hell, the impending reality TV uprising.
Too bad you can’t blur faces in real life! But once everybody’s got Google Goggles, that’ll probably be a default feature.
(via adverve)
YouTube Launching 13 French Networks: ‘Producers’ Include Agencies, Websites
It’s all happening. This October, YouTube is launching 13 themed networks for France, which will appear both on the web and on connected TVs.
An RFP was released for programmes to populate the networks, a process that sticks out especially because it wasn’t only major production firms that could enter; agencies and websites were also eligible. Brands that made the cut include production firm Endemol, agency Capa, website Auféminin.com (for women) alongside sister site Marmiton (for cooking); and “new generation” producer “Troisième Oeil” (“Third Eye”). Jean Dujardin, who made a big Stateside splash this year, has also been asked get involved in a comedy project.
The budget for partnering producers may range from 500,000€ to 1,000,000€ for the development of 20 hours of programming. The networks will be closely themed around family, health, cuisine or culture, and — crazier still — the annual programming budget is roughly the equivalent of French primetime network TF1.
Ad profits above and beyond a promised minimum will be split between content creators and YouTube, although pending contracts suggest that producer margins will be squeezed. Producers will also be forbidden from airing their programmes on other media for the first year.
Similar deals are currently being made for YouTube network launches in Germany and the UK.
YouTube to stream the Olympic Games (in Asia and Africa)
Traditional broadcasters pay enormous sums for the rights to show the Olympic Games on TV, so news that YouTube is getting in on the action will make their execs shift uneasily in their box-seats this summer.
YouTube has struck a deal with the International Olympic Committee, which will be hosting an official channel on its service to show more than 2,200 hours of Olympic action – but to countries in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The channel will offer 10 live feeds from the games at HD resolution, running from 9am to 11pm BST, with additional highlights organised by day, medal event or sport.
This has the makings of a test run: could YouTube make a move for wider rights for future Olympic Games?
The key will be whether the IOC believes it can gain more from revenue-sharing deals with YouTube than it will lose from its traditional broadcasting partners if they see this as cannibalising their own coverage.
Calling All Screenwriters! Calling All Directors! Amazon Moving in on Youtube Territory
…or is it TV network territory? Hard to say, but if it succeeds it’ll make waves in both.
Amazon Studios is seeking scripts for a 22-minute primetime comedy or an 11-22-minute series for children. Entries should be “smart, character-driven series” that’ll be subjected for a 45-day option and evaluation period.
Promo videos can also be entered for a potential $7000 in awards. They can be from 10-60 seconds and should briefly communicate the show idea and its visual style. In terms of format, looks like sky’s the limit.
If you fall into the Development pool, you’ll get $10K plus guidance for developing the pilot. And if your show makes it into series production, you get $55,000 plus 5% of net merchandising receipts from toy and T-shirt licensing. Not to mention distribution on Amazon Instant Video — something we don’t take lightly.
In our childhoods, direct-to-DVD programming was considered a mark of shame (although some did pretty well, like the Aladdin sequels). Direct-to-‘net programming is a little like its pixel-packed cousin, except that it makes overheads lower for producers while broadening the distribution pool significantly. Success is a matter of marketing and storytelling prowess.
Consider the success of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” during its brief life online; it’s now available in Blu-Ray on Amazon, as well as on iTunes.
A survey just released by Nielsen and BabyCenter claims mums (or moms, if you insist) are keen early adopters when it comes to technology, particularly online video – they’re 50% more likely to be watching video online than the general population.
That’s good context for the launch of a YouTube channel by magazine publisher Hearst, based around its key brands like Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar. It’s one of the companies working closely with YouTube as a channel partner.
Strands include Big Girl in a Skinny World, Visible Panty Lines and Real Beauty. The channel launched on 15 April, and has just over 22,000 subscribers so far. It looks like a canny bid by Hearst to position itself if more ad dollars start flowing away from print magazines and towards YouTube channels.
(Source: Mashable)
Invisible Children’s KONY 2012 documentary went super-viral, notching up more than 87m views on YouTube and sparking global debate about Ugandan guerilla leader Joseph Kony. Its sequel, KONY 2012: Part II? Not so much.
It’s only generated 1.7m views so far on YouTube. How much that’s due to internetweb gadflies turning their attention elsewhere, or to the criticism of the original video, is unclear.
But it does hit home the point that a huge online audience can melt away as quickly as it grew. That said, 1.7m views for a YouTube video isn’t a figure to be sniffed at.
(Source: Mashable)
