Here’s what the shape of some of the future content and ad deals will look like on video sites (similar to what’s happening over at MySpace). In this case it’s CBS distributing its content via YouTube.
This is smart and complements what CBS is doing with Yahoo! news and Google Earth. And see how the link to the CBS channel is cleverly integrated into the “organic” video on the site.
These distribution deals are in no way at odds with CBS’s destination site strategy. Online you just have to go where the users are and, for video, that’s YouTube right now. It may soon be the case that online video sites like YouTube become the primary and most effective way to expose consumers to new TV shows or movie premieres.
___
Related: The NY Times (reg req’d) and GigaOM report on how the music companies that announced deals with GoogTube the day before the acquisition was announced apparently stand to make $50 million from the deal. As Liz Gannes of GigaOM suggests, this is somewhat “shady” (her word, I agree) and may be insulation or protection against litigation.
–
Greg Sterling is the founding principal of Sterling Market Intelligence, a consulting and research firm focused on online consumer and advertiser behavior and the relationship between the Internet and traditional media, with an emphasis on the local marketplace.
