While the money spent on broadcast and cable production is reducing, threatened by tighter budgets imposed by shrinking audiences in the face of more diversity in programming sources, it’s great to see that there are others stepping into the gap. Obviously Netflix, who plan on spending $2 billion a year on original programming, but there are many other original programming sources coming down the pipe.
Yesterday I pointed to Even more Original Programming Sources and since then I’ve found stories pointing to AOL’s original programming, (which also references original programming by Yahoo, Netflix and Hulu); and Vimeo will be the exclusive online distributor for the new Kristen Bell movie via their VOD platform the same day as it hits the theaters.
AOL’s plans are quite extensive (and likely expensive):
AOL is also giving more of a push to its online programming with 15 new shows. The company announced Tuesday that it has enlisted A-list celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jonathan Adler to either host or star in original Web series. AOL plans to debut all of the shows on its AOL On Network, which is the company’s video platform, and across its 1,700 partner sites.
It’s great to see such diversity in original programming sources. We no longer have to wait to be discovered by the big players. If you have an idea you can get it produced and out there, even if it’s only via YouTube and advertising support.
One reply on “Even more Original Programming Sources”
All the more reason why as a content creator I’m not flipping out about the shifting distribution models. Sure, broadcast is past its heyday but broadcast-style shows will still be produced because people still want to watch them. The friction has never been with the content itself but with the delivery method and schedule.
With that being said, distribution shouldn’t be confused with monetization and w/o monetization production will stop regardless of how accesible distribution has become. Getting it ‘out there’ is great. Getting paid for it so you can keep the lights on is even better. 😉