Editor’s Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect the wireless industry.
–AOL announced it rolled out “video ticker ads,” advertisements that will run for 15 seconds at the bottom of AOL’s premium videos. The move follows a similar announcement from YouTube, and further highlights the efforts of Internet video vendors to cash in on their content. The announcements also show that it is only a matter of time before such ad-supporting technologies make their way to the mobile arena.
–The user-created video scene received a boost as Sony BMG announced it inked a deal with Yahoo that essentially lets Yahoo users legally upload content that includes videos from Sony BMG artists. Under the agreement, Sony BMG will get a cut of Yahoo’s ad revenue. The deal, which follows a similar tie-up between Sony BMG and Google’s YouTube, shows that the user-generated content space is gaining traction and legitimacy, which could in turn spark growth of user-generated material in the mobile industry.
–MySpace announced it will launch a network-quality TV series called “Quarterlife.” The series follows a young woman who spills her friends’ secrets on a video blog. The move is notable as it was created specifically for Internet distribution, and is owned and controlled by its creators. The implications for the mobile space are fairly obvious, although the crucial factor in bringing such content onto cellphones is the number of eyeballs available and willing to watch.
–TV monitoring company Nielsen announced it will introduce an all-in-one ratings system next year that will measure viewership across television, the Internet and cellphones. If successful, the offering could give definitive insights into the power of new mediums for content consumption.
