Broadcasting and television blocked BT, copyright owners raised prices, video sharing networks encountered obstacles, national television stations entered the Internet, video license systems, content review became more stringent, and portals launched video. This series of keywords is undoubtedly the end of 2009 and early 2010. The most popular topic. This also determines that private video websites will face a test of life and death in 2010.
Facing the test of life and death, private video websites have two approaches: Youku and Tudou have increased the amount of financing, hoping to have more money to purchase copyrights in order to abandon the uncontinuable UGC video sharing model; on the other hand, Ku6 Choose "The Strong Man Cuts His Wrist" to share "byebye" with the copyright-free video and enter the Shanda Online Disney camp. Whether it's financing or cutting off a strong man's wrist, I think they are all ways for private video networks to deal with challenges. Which one is more effective?
Is the video network a portal or an APPS?
Before demonstrating which private video network is more effective in meeting the challenges of 2010, I think we need to better understand the position of video networks in the development of the entire Internet.
I personally think that video websites are just an APPS (component) of the Internet. Comparing the Internet to a car, I think the video network is like a car seat, an essential component. The Internet battle has fallen into the "entrance battle". What is tested is the cluster combat capability of Internet products, not the strength of a single APPS.
To give the simplest example, independent blog sites cannot survive, but portal blogs are thriving. Similarly, we have been worried that private video networks are unable to break even quickly due to huge cost investment, causing investment to go to waste. However, we have never worried about the funding problems of portal video websites such as Sina Video and Sohu Video.
Moreover, the Internet has always had the following entrances: search, IM, email, and news, and these four entrances have created the five major portals: Baidu, Tencent, NetEase, Sina, and Sohu. And with the escalation of competition, we see that the strategies of the five major portals have converged. Everyone has entered each other's sphere of influence. The purpose is to realize "online life" and provide enough applications for Internet users, thereby increasing the stay time of Internet users. Create more profits.
But video cannot be the first entry point for users to surf the Internet, but is more like a tool. So I personally am not optimistic about independent video websites, whether they are UGC or P2P.
Enhancing cluster combat capabilities becomes the key to survival
Since the video network is not an Internet access, but only exists as components and tools, it is necessary to find a platform for cluster operations to play the role of the components. I agree with the merger of Cool 6 into Hurray, because this is not only the listing of Cool 6 through Hurray, but more importantly, it has found a platform for cluster operations.
I don’t know why Li Shanyou made the decision to merge with Huayou before Radio and Television cracked down on BT and regulated the video network. But the decision now seems timely indeed. Shanda's online Disney plan requires a video tool, and Shanda's Shengshi Pictures also has a platform to export movies. Moreover, after the listing of Ku6, it has freer funds to develop copyrighted content, which is easier than taking venture capital money.
At the same time, Shanda's online platform has expanded beyond online games to novels, publishing, movies, music, media, etc. The average daily page views of Shanda Literature's three websites are close to 400 million. These users will naturally become Ku6 users and bring traffic to Ku6. After Ku6 merges into Shanda, it will work with Shanda to develop its "cluster operations" capabilities. Being able to create an entertainment online platform, seize the first entrance to the entertainment Internet, and allow users to stay on the platform longer will naturally bring more revenue.
The author personally believes that financing is related to the strong man cutting off his wrist, and I still prefer the strong man cutting off his wrist. Perhaps this is the path that private video networks will eventually take, but it will only happen sooner or later.