1997 Article on “Making Money on Online Video”

Just stumbled into this article by John Leland from a Jan. 1997 article in Videography magazine. Title: Making Money with Online Video.

Check out some highlights. This is almost a decade old!

• What relevance do the Web’s financial realities (virtual and otherwise) have for video professionals?
• One very lucrative site that has proven the viability of using the web to create a unique transaction environment is the online bookstore, Amazon.com. If you haven’t heard of it, you should check it out.
• …web advertising revenue can also be considered an ancillary revenue opportunity, and in today’s developing market it should not be expected to carry the whole revenue “ball.”
• Immersive experiences like films and long-form videos will continue to be served better by TV and VHS distribution channels.
• I believe that major new online business opportunities requiring the expertise of professional videographers are already emerging. For example, video enhanced dating services or real estate listings can offer low-resolution pictures that provide value with “decision quality” compressed footage.
• This reality makes investing in the web more like investing in a marketing campaign, a new video deck or a better phone system than it is like investing in a new “miracle” cash cow.