Pay-Per-View: Google Leading the Way

Google recently announced that they are in talks with executives at TV networks to “re-broadcast” certain programs soon after they are shown on the standard TV stations. For those interested in getting into the Pay Per View industry this is good news! No, really . . .

Acceptance of a New Idea

Want to follow the evolution of the Internet? Just follow the porn industry. Yes, you read it right: the porn industry. For reasons known only to geneticists and social scientists, the pornography business has led every trend in the advent of media technology every since the ’70s.

Just examine the facts.

In the late ’70s, Sony introduced the “Beta” video tape technology. Most people agreed this was a great idea, but no one could figure out exactly how to make money with it. Until, that is, adult entertainment production houses showed them: by filling a demand for video entertainment in the home. Once they saw how successful it was, other media companies — TV networks, film studios, et al — followed their model, and a new industry was created.

Sometime in the ’80s, “on demand” was the hottest technology. (”On Demand” is basically a synonym for “Pay Per View,” so you can see where this is going.) Again, many people in the industry scratched their heads, and said “huh?” Once again, the erotic video houses set up the model, and other companies soon followed. First as after-hours entertainment in hotels, and later through cable networks.

New Pay Per View Accessibility

Fast forward to the mid ’90s, and the popularization of the Internet. Once again, companies with content (newspapers, magazines, film producers, TV studios) new people wanted it, but didn’t know how to monetize their property. Not so with the porn websites, which started with photos, then quickly moved into video. (In the process, they took the concept of affiliate marketing to new heights, and revolutionized that technique as well.)

But the Internet has created a level of availability in terms of distribution that makes it fundamentally different from the hard media (videotapes, DVDs, CDs, etc.) and the previous on-demand technology. Now, you don’t need millions of dollars and the task of building a new infrastructure. Pay Per View events can be launched for just a few dollars, and are instantly accessible anywhere that has an Internet connection. One of the best Pay Per View Services on the Internet for high quality yet very inexpensive is AudioVideoweb.com

Why Google’s PPV Entry is Important

Which brings us back to the original point: Google’s plan to launch pay-per-view service is good for those of you who want to run your own service. The technology is in place, the cost is reasonable. With a top level company like Google offering it, users everywhere will become more and more used to the idea that it makes sense to pay for valuable video and audio content online.

Ready to start your own Pay Per View program? Be sure to read: Pay Per View “How To,” a guide to everything you’ll need in order to plan, deliver, and profit from your own Pay Per View event.