What is the real magic behind YouTube? Is it the collection and distribution of user created content? Or, is it the vast library of searchable video content that can be viewed on demand?
CNet and others have reported on Mark Cuban’s live rant on YouTube, and you can read the same things in his blog two weeks ago. Cuban believes that the downfall of YouTube is coming inevitably when rights holders see deep-pockets worth suing. For more discussion on the Cuban perspective, see Rob Hyndman (or Hyndman on YouTube part deux), Mark Evans and Mathew Ingram.
Another scenario is possible. That YouTube becomes the generic brand, the Kleenex or iPod of video-on-demand. At school or over coffee you hear about a snippet or clever commercial? Find the replay on YouTube. Wardrobe malfunction at the awards show? Check YouTube. Great catch at the Ohio State / Michigan game? YouTube.
Indexing and searching video is an interesting problem. User created video content is a start. Users create their own keywords.
But how do I quickly get to access some of the best football replays, Seinfeld lines, episodes of the West Wing, State of the Union speeches. Google’s mission is to be the leading organizer of information and make it accessible. They’ll have their work cut out for them.
Indexing and making accessible massive video libraries owned by major rights holders becomes a really interesting scenario worth studying. What happens if Time Warner looks at all their content and actually leverages AOL? Does YouTube become a launch pad for such a service, or does it evaporate when Google turns its focus to video.
Om Malik has an interview with Janus Friis, the co-founder of Skype. There is a good discussion of The Venice Project which enables users to download and watch TV programs – but working with content owners and not through file sharing.
Will telcos use such disruptive approaches to video, or choose to do battle on the cable companies’ home turf with broadcast TV?
