Exactly like the music and publishing biz, the network TV people here in America don't seem to get it... The news today is that, ABC announced its first significant revision to its Web TV plans since 2006. In an effort to distribute programs across the Web, they will start letting Web users embed clips of its shows on blogs and other sites. ABC.com also will make it easier for users to find specific portions of TV shows, and will roll out a new video player that lets users expand the video to the full screen.
For ABC, the upgrade makes sense. If TV networks don't make it easy for users to embed content, other companies will. Some already have. RedLasso -- now under attack by the networks -- has a large following of blogger's who use its service to embed TV clips in their sites. CBS, Fox and NBC have recently sent them a cease and desist letter, ordering it to stop enabling syndication of network shows.
RedLasso CEO Ken Hayward, meanwhile, argued that the company is helping traditional TV networks. "RedLasso believes we are providing a valuable service to the content producers and the blogger's," Damn right. Make it easy for people to use your stuff. If it's good, it will drive people to the network. If it sucks, you're screwed!
George Parker
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