RE: Pay per view: PH Blog

[Bullett]

Netflix is not specifically online content, it is movies and TV programs that have always been chargeable either via tv subs, buying DVD's etc. It's only the delivery method that makes them online.
Youtube is purely content created and distributed via the web. It's a way of showing off your home movies.

[Mr Whippy]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Of course.

But if Drive had tried to be Drive back in the days of VHS or DVD, or even a slot on TV once a week for 20 mins, maybe... it wouldn't work.

No one would go out and rent a VHS or DVD for a few quid to watch Chris Harris drive around. They'd just watch Top Gear instead or something. Or buy a full 2hr DVD or whatever.


People are still consuming with the same mentality, just using the conveniences of the internet.

I think their view on value for money is probably even MORE stringent now given so much at a reasonable quality is free too.


The value of anything like this should be in driving traffic and ad revenue to other services.


Trying to charge people a fairly high price to watch what is ultimately still like enthusiast made content is never going to work.

Jeez, even Autocar are still making videos with woofly inaudible bloody voice-overs that I can't hear.

But all is forgiven because it's free

Dave

[dele]

Seeing as this thread is still living

Two months ago Drive posted a comment reply to someone on YouTube saying "We have over 5,000" when questioned about the number of subscribers

Interesting to see/hear how much that has changed

Also, they seemed to have released the new M4 video for free on regular Drive YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwhq2-xdQO4&li...

[DonkeyApple]

Mr Will said:

DonkeyApple said:

Where is the web model for a SME that doesn't sell a physical, highstreet product or ad space or confidential data? The only one that I can think of are the app stores. App stores are the first and arguably only truly new model to successfully monetise the web and it has only achieved that because of what most term Web 2.0, for the original www it is valueless.

App stores? You mean selling software like has been done since the dawn of computing? The only difference is that it's delivered via download rather than disk and the cost is lower, reducing the barrier to entry for smaller items.

iTunes did the same for MP3s, Kindle has done the same for eBooks. Small, ad-hoc sales work on the internet - what makes video any different?

That is the exact question to ask and seek the answer to.

What does make video different? The answer is that it has been free to the user in direct terms since inception. The huge question that has been asked by every business running a non traditional model on the web since inception is how to now add direct monetising.

Paywalls, ppv, subscriptions. The media industry has tried them all and in the main nothing has yet stuck beyond packaging into apps. The original ad space model is still at the heart.

As I said originally, it's folly for a SME to try and front run a whole change in the way the web and it's content is monetised when some of the largest firms on the planet have not been able to break away from traditional models.

A start up needs to stick to what is proven to work not base its delivery revenues on a total gamble of a new charging means.

Look at what already works and build your product delivery into those structures. Ad space brings a little revenue in. DVD sales can be huge (it's only a matter of days before the Z list fitness videos, live comedy acts and motoring DVDs hit the shelves). Personal endorsements hit higher than as vending. Crowd funding is an interesting new angle and for something like this would work easily to raise annual investment. Lots of proven streams that make gambling on being a multinational's guinea pig bh a waste of time.

[SpeedBall]

...
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/business/media/c...

[DonkeyApple]

SpeedBall said:

...
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/business/media/c...

So in short, Drive now is just an advertising business that creates either long adverts they will try and disguise as content or shorter clips specified by Hearst to advertise the magazines?

No issue with that. Hope it delivers good revenue for them but it's certainly no longer any form of journalism or media outlet just a production crew for hire.

[A4B]

btdk5 said:

Can you let me know what decent free content is still out there?? I can't seem to find it....

If I may.... http://youtu.be/IKueOLQVSP4

[Funk]

I couldn't give a st about Drive and the attitude of Farah has also meant I'll never bother with any of his other ventures now either.

[Output Flange]

Since it got linked to in this thread, I've been listening to the Smoking Tyre podcasts. I don't think I'd watched any of his videos before, so knew nothing about him. For the most part, I've quite enjoyed them - they're very different to most other UK car podcasts in style (very relaxed) and opinion (massively pro-US). I doubt I'll still be listening to them in three months' time, mind.

[Mr Whippy]

So they are doing video production, video production that the fat guy said wasn't so good with their current team because they were too slow and couldn't make enough content fast enough?!

Ah well, C&D and R&T videos will now come with crappy voice-over audio now I'm guessing

None of this entire thing stacks up.

/Drive has been Munsoned... not sure if that is the right way to use the word

Dave

[kenno78]

So Chris has got new material and it's not behind a pay wall.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8AMAhCRmep7VJKe1...

Though you can donate a little change if you wish.
http://www.patreon.com/user?u=401656

[Mr Whippy]

kenno78 said:

So Chris has got new material and it's not behind a pay wall.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8AMAhCRmep7VJKe1...

Though you can donate a little change if you wish.
http://www.patreon.com/user?u=401656

Glad to see Chris going it alone and wish him lots of luck.

But that audio is still very frustrating. It's lovely and natural when he's talking to camera, with a nice tone and volume. Then when it goes to canned voice over it's soft, muffled, quiet and turning up the volume still seems to leave it wooly and hard to hear

[Truckosaurus]

It will be interesting to see how the Pateron funding goes, as it is a funny sort of on-going 'subscription' with no end product rather than a one-off payment towards a set goal in exchange for goods and services like Kickstarter.

Personally, I'd rather put £10 in a virtual 'tip jar' than sign up for £1 a month and remember to cancel in the future.

I assume the Anglesey branded clothing (and mention of it in the commentary) was the start of a sponsorship/product placement income stream.

Finally, it is a great time to be an enthusiast where content providers are at least trying to get their output online for 'free' when a generation ago we'd only have 30mins of William Woolard on the tv and monthly car magazines to get our fix.

[loudlashadjuster]

Always said Patreon was worth a try, have now signed up (D+ never got a penny), here's hoping it works out.

[Output Flange]

Love the seamless continuity with the green and black t-shirts

[FrankCayman]

Great...don't have to navigate all the american crap on Drive now...straight to Chris...though I hope he does more than drifts around race tracks...it's kind of boring after a while...

[EricE]

Truckosaurus said:

Personally, I'd rather put £10 in a virtual 'tip jar' than sign up for £1 a month and remember to cancel in the future.

I agree... I signed up for the patreon site but i'd pay twice as much if I could just send a one-time donation once a year and then forget about it until a friendly yearly reminder arrives in my inbox. (like I do with wikipedia)

[peterattheboro]

Chris has been on Joe Rogan's podcast.

Nice to hear him chat for 2 hours rather than just on a 10 minute video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcFPOPB0MmE

[sagarich]

peterattheboro said:

Chris has been on Joe Rogan's podcast.

Nice to hear him chat for 2 hours rather than just on a 10 minute video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcFPOPB0MmE

Really enjoyed that!

[stitchface]

/Drive - including Chris Harris - NBCSN Season 2 trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARd-YODc-40