Back to the "Photo Business"

(updated... scroll down)
This is an interesting post about the old media's attempt at new media. I think it will work.

Commercial photographers should look at this example and think about some of the take-aways. We are not that different than media folks. We have been struggling for control of our creative product for a while now. Old media may have decided that trying to do things the old way (sue people who steal the product), may be the wrong road in this digital, connected, viral and community focused world.

Case in point. I know a place where a photographer can easily place images and let the bride and groom print different versions of the book that they could design themselves. Or maybe let them print as many copies of their proof book as they want... heck, give 'em to everyone that was at the wedding. The profit margin on the books were small. but since the photographer had control of the images, his/her name and URL would be on every page. I presented this idea to several photographers and they thought I was nuts. Giving up control of the usage of the images was something they couldn't do. And even though the books would be financed by a third party, distributed on their dime, and have a reach that the photographer could never reach, it was not something they could put their arms around.

I do it. My little books have been printed a couple of hundred times. So far I have 'lost' no revenue, because the people that bought them were not clientele of mine. The upside is that the viral marketing has landed me two large projects in the last month. And I started this post as I hung up from talking to a new client about a huge project he wants to do... because he saw my little book.

So, yeah, I 'give it away'. But I 'monetize' it by making sure that every copy is sporting my name and contact information.

A VC: NBBC: "Anway, back to NBC (or NBBC as they are calling it). Randy Falco, NBC Universal Television Group president and chief operating officer, said:

'We're going back into the broadcasting business - on the Internet'

Indeed they are.

NBBC will syndicate video clips--produced by NBC as well as other companies--to a variety of Web sites, including those owned by NBC competitors.

NBBC is selling pre-roll ads to accompany the clips, and will share revenue with the sites that distribute the video clips and the companies or individuals who license them. If individual Web sites wish to run their own ads instead of ones sold by NBC, they can do so, but must agree to pay NBC a flat fee that will be shared with the clips' owners.

I am going to go back to the four rules I outlined in my Future of Media post:

Here is the future of media:

1 - Microchunk it - Reduce the content to its simplest form.
2 - Free it - Put it out there without walls around it or strings on it.
3 - Syndicate it - Let anyone take it and run with it.
4 - Monetize it - Put the monetization and tracking systems into the microchunk."

Update: From Tech Crunch

"The race to put TV on the internet continues with an announcement today from NBC that all of their new prime time shows will stream for free this fall. Each show will have a cast member, creator or producer “host a live blog immediately after the premiere episode,” according to the episode. Does this mean a live chat or several blog posts with comments enabled and responded to? One way or the other, it’s an interesting attempt to turn a streaming broadcast into a public event."

When major media starts putting content out there for free, you have to know that they have finally figured a way to make money out of it. Commercials are embedded, and the addition of the live 'blog' thing kinda cool. I think we will see lots more of this.