Pay-Per-View

The concept of pay-per-view, or paying a fee to watch or obtain specific content, became popular through cable television during the 1990s. By 2000, the pay-per-view cable and satellite industry was securing $1.5 billion per year by charging customers to view certain movies and special events. Believing the Internet would prove a lucrative sales channel for pay-per-view events and content, many firms began utilizing the World Wide Web to broadcast movies and television shows, as well as content, on a pay-per-view basis. The development of streaming media in the late 1990s allowed radio, television, and movies to be heard and viewed on the Internet. This technology, coupled with faster Internet connections including digital subscriber lines and cable modems, allowed Web surfers to use personal computers to view what had traditionally… Continue reading Comments Off

Sell Your Pay Per View!

Want to increase your pay per view sales? Hire a host! Sometimes it's the simplest things that make the difference between failure and success. That was a lesson learned by vendor On Command Corp., the company that provides those pay-per-view movies that you can watch in hotel rooms around the world. Not satisfied with their already substantial sales, some genius in the marketing department (okay, it may have been a group decision, but the "genius" thing is more dramatic!) came up with a plan: they would add an attractive "host" to appear when viewers clicked on the movie channel. Inventing the Pay Per View Model At the point that this momentous decision took place (sometime in 2002), VOD (Video On Demand, another term for Pay Per View) was a new… Continue reading Comments Off

Pay Per View Music Events

Any band can webcast their live concert, and reach world-wide audiences. It's been said that many successful bands lose money on record sales, break even on tour ticket sales, and make all their money in merchandising. While this is a bit extreme, there's a lot of truth to the concept. Bands on a major (or good sized indie) label have to pay back large sums of money out of their record sales, so often it takes platinum status (1,000,000 sold) to see a profit. The substantial costs of touring can, in many cases, outweigh even healthy ticket sales. But the real benefit in touring comes from merchandising: the sales of T Shirts and other "auxiliary" products that have a high profit margin. It is when loyal audience members… Continue reading Comments Off

Major News Going Pay Per View

That's right: pay per view is going mainstream. Seriously mainstream. Recently, News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch announced that viewers will soon have to pay to access News Corp material on the Web. In Murdoch's words: "Quality journalism is not cheap and an industry that gives away its content is simply cannibalizing its ability to produce good reporting." What this means is that one of the most prolific, successful entrepenuers in the last 50 years realizes that the time is ripe for people to begin paying for content on the Web. And, since a huge portion of the population prefers to get their news in a video format, the video pay per view market will be expanded. Pay Per View Model Gaining Acceptance To other companies launching pay per… Continue reading Comments Off

Pay Per View How To

Planning to host a pay per view single event or series? Here's what you'll need. Given the growing popularity of video streaming services over the Web, as well as the growing possibilities of charging for video content (pay per view), it's no surprise that more and more people and companies want to get involved. But it's still a relatively new concept, and can be overwhelming. Following is a general outline of what you'll need to think about in preparation for launching your own program. DIY (Do It Yourself)? Unless you are a technical wizard, have your own merchant account, and want to spend lots of time and money setting up your own PPV system, leave it to the professionals! You'll be glad you did. But what exactly should… Continue reading Comments Off