Category Archives: Distribution

Will Half of TV Melt Away?

Television shows have always worked as a binding agent in American culture since they exploded onto the scene in the 1950’s.  Gathering around the tube to witness a live event or a popular show on the night when a new … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Cable, Distribution, Innovation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Old, New and “Really Old” Media

One of the challenges in grappling with our current media environment, where old style mass media and new style Internet media collide and call each other out, is understanding how it is changing.  Generally we try to see how it … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Hollywood, Innovation, Old Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is ESPN worth what we are forced to pay?

Recently The New York Times revealed how much the typical cable operator (TWC or Comcast) pays per month for ESPN.  For each subscriber the operator pays $5.54 for ESPN and .70 for ESPN 2-a grand total of $6.24 per month.  … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Cable, Distribution, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Filmmakers: Gather Your Audience Early and Often

Film festivals have long been powerful tools for indie filmmakers who seek audiences for their films. They serve as launching pads for that elusive big distribution deal that catapults an obscure filmmaker and unknown movie to fame and (sometimes) fortune.  … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Independent Film, Innovation, Internet, Marketing, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Zoe Keating, “I want to be paid in data.”

Over two years ago, I wrote a post about Zoe Keating and why she was an artist that other artists (particularly filmmakers) could learn from.  Then she was a leader in using the Internet to distribute and make money from … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Innovation, Internet, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Memo Deep Inside HBO

Deep inside HBO’s New York offices is a memo that was originally created 5 years ago.  Each year it gets updated with new numbers and projections.  This document is controlled by its corporate strategy group and it lays out the … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Innovation, Internet, Television, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

You Need to Build a Database of Your Followers

Over the past two weeks I have had the chance to meet with some smart filmmakers and discuss how they might better think about and build their audiences.  And today, while catching up with my reading I had the good … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Independent Film, Innovation, Internet, Marketing, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

As Social Media Marketing Increases, Will TV Ads Decline?

“What is originality?  To see something that has no name as yet and hence cannot be mentioned although it stares us all in the face.  The way men usually are, it takes a name to make something visible to them.” … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Distribution, Hollywood, Innovation, Internet, Marketing, Movie Theaters, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

When Did I Sign Up For This “Audience Development” Thing?

Peter Kafka of the WSJ recently interviewed Robert Kyncl, the man who heads up the channel initiative at YouTube.  Kyncl was asked about what he had learned from his experience at YouTube thus far.  He states: “Lesson one: Audience development … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Independent Film, Innovation, Internet, Marketing, Social Media | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Who Are Those “People With The Algorithms”?

I am continually fascinated by what mass media business leaders think about the Internet. This was brought into relief for me recently while I was reading Steven Johnson’s new book, Future Perfect: The Case For Progress In A Networked Age, … Continue reading

Posted in Distribution, Hollywood, Independent Film, Innovation, Internet | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment