Veoh CEO Dmitry Shapiro seems as philosophical as his title is poetic. Speaking at the Video on the Net Conference in Boston, an extension of VON, Shapiro begins with the printing press and ends with “democratized Internet television.” In due course of course, this changes everything.
Shapiro‘s journey begins in time – in 1436 on the heels of Gutenberg toting the first printed Bibles. Fast forward through smoke stacks and interchangeable parts, on past what used to be a squiggly fast-forwarding screen, beyond even the choppy silent digitized puppetry of 128x DVD skippingtake a minute to breathe, time traveling is hardand you have the still hormonal and adolescent Age of the Internet, within which we are now standing.
It was a long journey, wasn’t it?
In 2006, as broadband became more prevalent and proper platforms evolved, the explosion of video on the Net took those still wrapping their minds around blogs and podcasts by surprise.
“2006,” said Shapiro, “was the year that Internet television really came into existence allowing anyone, virtually, to deliver television to the masses. Of course, Web video is not necessarily Internet TV, as seen with YouTube.com.”
“This lower cost allows content owners to embrace many new business models,” he said. “We also believe that Internet video, as a television life experience, is really the killer app for video centers.”
This is the beginning; Web-video is the sapling that becomes Internet television. “I call it the wwVw (world wide video web).”
Tools have emerged for easier, quicker and cheaper video production. Shapiro predicts that content will continue to improve. “Soon you won’t be able to tell the difference between content created by pros and content created by amateurs.”
New businesses are launched, new talent is found, content is democratized and as available as a Trekker on a Friday night.
How it will happen: the Internet TV world according to Shapiro:
– Tools get easier, cheaper and more available
– Transport technologies allow for cost effective data transport
– Televisions being connected to computers
– Transactional systems being built
– Content discovery
– Advertising systems get re-invented
– Traditional broadcasters need to digitize, clear rights, rethink release windows.
– Independent producers already embracing news medium
– Copyright issues must be resolved.
– Hundreds of companies will be created by this new medium.
“I also believe that the search game we have today, even with Google, is just getting started. I personally don’t think that indexed search is the end-all. The real killer application is to be able to deliver content you want before you know you want it.”
Add to 
Bookmark Murdok: 
