Streaming Media Is A Growing Profitable Internet Business Model, Reports The International Webcasting Association At NAB
LAS VEGAS, NV, Apr 25, 2001 (INTERNET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Streaming media is
evolving as one of the most effective business enterprises to emerge from the
Internet, the International Webcasting Association (IWA) announced today during
the annual National Association of Broadcasters convention.
The IWA, a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the art,
technology and commerce of webcasting, is composed of some of the Internet's
most prominent companies. The association's board of directors include, among
significant others, members from Microsoft, RealNetworks, Apple Computer, and
Morgan Stanley as well as webcasters, broadcasters, and educators from around
the world.
The IWA will present a panel today (4/25) at the NAB entitled, "Media on the Net
from Small Streams to a Sea of Revenue: from 2 to 6pm in Ballroom F of the
Venetian Hotel. Hosted by Peggy Miles, chairperson of the IWA, the keynote
speaker is Rich Lappenbusch of Microsoft. Panelists include Lorraine Barclay,
digital Spirit; Eric Scholl, Yahoo; Michael Turpin, Internet Wire; Richard
Wolpert, RealNetworks; Douglas Humphrey, Cidera; Mike Rockwel, Avid Technology;
Tom Rogers, PRIMEDIA; Graeme Weston, The Fantastic Corporation; David Woodrow,
Qwest Digital Media; Pierre Bouvard, The Arbitron Company; Jason Hollins, Edison
Research; and Larry Rosin, Edison Research.
Despite the current turbulence in the general technology community, the use of
streaming audio and video is one, if not the top requested technology being used
in conjunction with web pages. Streaming media on the Internet is one of the
web's most prominent benefits as it allows the display audio or video, live or
recorded along with text and datacasting information. It is being incorporated
into satellite, cable, digital TV and HDTV.
According to Peggy Miles, chairperson of the IWA, streaming media presents
profitable business models for both the business to business (B to B) and
business to consumer (B to C) communities. In additional support of this medium,
the NAB has announced a new show dedicated to streaming media, interactive radio
and TV called Xstream (September 6-8) in New Orleans, with the IWA as a
strategic partner.
The current difficulties in the radio internet broadcasting market, which have
seen major radio station groups withdrawing their Internet broadcasts due to a
dispute with AFTRA, is another temporary roadblock, said Miles. "Stations
understand their audience combines both over-the-air signal and Internet
listeners, so the current disputes will be of short duration until new contracts
are signed and new agreements reached.
"We predict resolution of these issues in the next six months. We believe that
both AFTRA and all Internet broadcasters want to work out this situation so both
parties profit equally by this new and exciting technology."
Another challenge for streaming media is to maintain clear and open
communications with the RIAA and other US and international organizations to
work together to make sure that the new laws for music on the Internet like the
DMCA evolve to benefit all. "It is important that everyone understand the
implications so that the recording industry, broadcasters and webcasters can
grow and profit fairly and share in the development of this industry," Miles
added.
Miles is president of Intervox Communications, a Washington DC digital
broadcasting, business development firm, and author of numerous books on digital
broadcasting and the future.
Despite market conditions and the resulting reduction of streaming media
companies, the news of some companies going out of business as well as stock
market fluctuations, and layoffs is expected, "Every great industry or
technological development comes to the market with a burst of euphoria, followed
by consolidation, and emerges as a far stronger, more powerful social force,"
said Miles. This is not news to anyone who has followed the broadcasting history
of radio, TV and cable. You will see Internet broadcasting following the same
steady growth path that we watched when we saw radio, TV and cable emerge in the
marketplace."
Other IWA board members' voices have been raised in strong support of the
continuing success of streaming media. "In the present market conditions, we are
challenged to analyze costs for the distribution of content to our clients" said
Roger Dean, Vice President of MultiMedia, Morgan Stanley, financial services,
"When I look at factors such as reuseabilty, flexibility, ease of production,
impact and global reach, nothing comes close to streaming media in terms of
cost-effectiveness."
William Mutual, chairman and founder of Popcast, Inc. which provides any
consumer with access to their personal videos on the Internet noted, "As the
market has driven out non-functioning business models, the streaming industry
has been particularly punished. The reality, however, is that streaming media
continues to accelerate exponentially in scalability and quality, with broadband
adoption increasing on track and the prerequisite automation technologies needed
for our industry now starting to enter service. For companies with proprietary
technology and strong innovation, the streaming media market remains brighter
than ever."
"Streaming Media is largely misunderstood and so it has been unfairly judged,"
said Tony Greenberg, CEO of RampRate, working with investments and business
growth. "For the past three years most of the hype (and disappointment) in
Streaming Media has centered around 'entertainment.'
Broadband is simply streaming media being sent faster on different wires or
fiber, Greenberg said. "Streaming Media is here to stay and every major
corporation will become a 'media', not 'entertainment' company producing
employee training modules to video conferencing, marketing communications and
more It is already happening in the financial sector.
"As companies begin to take advantage of cost- effective distribution networks,
they will realize the enormous cost-savings associated with various streaming
media applications (i.e., employee training / distance learning) and Streaming
Media will ride high again."
Noted Gavin Starks of Tornado Productions, London UK and Chairman of IWA Europe,
"The underlying commercial and consumer uptake of Webcasting continues to grow
in the Europe", comments Gavin Starks, founder and CEO of Tornado Productions.
"The fallout from the markets is that clear commercial models, products and
services have emerged as simple, sensible and sustainable businesses. We are
looking forward to continued expansion and innovation across an incredibly broad
range of sectors."
Former Chairman of the Massachusetts Broadcast Association and broadcast
management executive usan Pickering, is the Executive Director of the IWA. She
can be reached at spickering@webcasters.org or 800 783 6660 or cell phone at
508- 246-1641. To set up interviews with board members, committee chairs or
members of the IWA, contact Skip Ferderber, Skip Ferderber & Associates PR, at
425-418-0310. They can be interviewed following the SuperSessions and Keynotes
presented by the Association of Broadcasters Convention in conjunction with the
IWA on Wednesday (4/25).
About the International Webcasting Association
The International Webcasting Association (IWA) is a worldwide nonprofit
organization dedicated to promoting the art, technology and commerce of
webcasting on the Internet, and development of its members. The IWA serves
members in partnership with its members around the world with offices for
IWA-Americas in Washington, DC IWA-Asia in Seoul, Korea, and IWA-UK in London,
England. Future offices and partnerships will be announced in the next few
weeks.
Founded in 1996, the IWA's mission is to:
* Provide a forum for companies, technological organizations, educators and individuals to deal
with issues pertaining to the webcasting community.
* Offer an impartial forum to discuss the development of common webcasting standards, assuring
the public easy access to streaming content on the Internet.
* Encourage the development of reliable audience measurements for the business community and
consumers to determine accurate audience sizes for webcasting.
* Create a legislative interest group to inform the webcasting community on issues affecting
its members and the general public.
* Develop educational programs and research for the rapidly evolving worldwide webcasting community.
Offices for the IWA are located at 2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 182,
Washington DC 20006. Telephone number is (800) 783-6660. Website is
www.webcasters.org.
CONTACT: Susan Pickering
800-783-6660
