Comments on: In a Free World, How Can We Make Content Pay?

By: BBG Communications

BBG Communications — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:58:05 +0000

Great post. I really appreciate the information. You are doing a wonderful job communicating your message. Keep up the great job.

By: » Blog Archive » 4Docs: “VODO: Is this the future?”

» Blog Archive » 4Docs: “VODO: Is this the future?” — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:56:21 +0000

[...] was focussed around questions like the one raised by digital film consultant Brian Newman - in a free world, how can we make content pay? We have to move with the times and stop wasting our energy on battling P2P sites which are, in a [...]

By: Douglas Smith

Douglas Smith — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:38:32 +0000

One of the main problems is that the Cable TV model is now out of date. Cable providers, like Virgin need to jump fully on the digital-downloads on-demand model, using the monthly subscription plan. This needs to be supported by a realisation of the major studios releasing that multi-channel simultaneous releases is simply smart business in this new age. They fail to realise that in the digital world, when you see a trailer, you want to see that film now! Not in 6 months. And when the film is released, and you see it in the theatres, you want to see it again, often right away instead of waiting 3-6 months for the DVD release. Release schedules no longer make any sense and are just representative of an industry that refuses to wake up to reality.

The other untapped opportunity is any serious growth in legal peer-to-peer. Technically, peer-to-peer should enable 100% custom ad-serving embedded within the peer stream. However, no platform has yet to do this correctly. If a robust ad model existed that was non-interruptive, and was supported by fast service and the above mentioned change in studio behaviour, then legal peer-to-peer would replace illegal torrenting.

However, as you can see in both models, the industry needs to change their tune in regards to how they release content before revenues can be released in digital.

By: Scott Walker

Scott Walker — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:05:02 +0000

Completely agree with Ben: wrapping services around content (which is moving closer to behaving like a commodity or advertising than a differentiated product) is key to monetizing content going forward.

Few industries like what’s happening in this age of digitization and piracy, but reality is requiring changes in business models if companies want to continue to be relevant.

Consumers want content, and most are willing to pay (something) for it. Content creators are challenged with finding at what price and under what conditions they can extract value from the content they produce.

Legislated subsidization will not save outdated business models…

By: Ben Garman

Ben Garman — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:31:10 +0000

Just read this article in Screen and I found it particularly interesting, and great to see that people in the industry really are addressing possibilities for change to adapt to this digital age.

My own two pence is that something along the lines of what Spotify did for music is needed for film. Or similar to what itunes is doing but much more up to date and with swifter releases, perhaps with a monthly subscription.

For instance, if I knew I would have instant access to stream films that are literally just out of the cinemas whenever and wherever i wanted, just by signing in to my account, that would be a service I would happily pay £25+ a month for. And you could pay more for a premium service of some sort too. There is definitely still a considerable amount of money to be made from film, people just need to start looking in the right places to make it. Piracy is only a threat because in some ways it offers a better deal than any legal options available. As soon as the industry is the one providing the best service, people won’t have a problem with paying.

Thanks for your article though. Perhaps this idea might find it’s way to the right places?!