If you’ve been reading our blog regularly, you’ll have noticed the recent swell of posts around our trip to Africa to work with The Global Health Council. If you are new to the site, please read the WebsEdge in Africa blog here.

We’ve recently created a video upload facility, From the Field on Global Health TV, an online video site used to help raise awareness of health issues in the developing world.

The concept behind Global Health TV is that online video is the perfect medium to connect those throughout the world who are in a position to help. Although distributing video through mainstream media can reach a massive audience, online distribution reaches a very finely targeted crowd, who are more likely to contribute to the cause.

Mainstream media is also great at telling the big story, but often misses some of the smaller, but equally important stories. One of the benefits of Global Health TV is that we have been able to reach out and capture many stories directly from the communities most affected.

Global Health TV will also benefit the cause because it is a multidirectional form of communication: once videos are uploaded, the community can comment and interact with each other. Utilizing the social aspect of online video will connect dedicated advocates, strengthen the overall support group, and grow the community dedicated to social change.

So go on then don’t be shy! Go on to www.globalhealthtv.com and comment on the work that’s there and share videos with your friends and colleagues. And encourage people working in the field to upload their videos to carry on the conversation.

May is really hotting up for all of us at WebsEdge. We started off with our local government employee of the year awards. The aim here is to find those council workers who go over and above the call of duty in delivering excellent services. We’ve gone round the country making videos of the 41 finalists and now it’s down to the public vote. View the finalists videos on www.localgovernmentchannel.com.

And you know, something extraordinary has happened. On the first day we had over 5,000 votes and we expect over a quarter of a million before this thing ends. And this is in a field where apathy normally reigns. Local Government the world over has a poor reputation and people often don’t bother to vote in local elections. But if you make the stories real – and about people – voters engage.

We also started a new television service for secondary school teachers. Again, this was very well received. It seems examples of best practice, when told well, are really interesting to professionals. View the videos on www.nahttv.com.

And a bunch of us have spent the last week in Detroit. We’ve been looking at the whole issue of regeneration and how we can bring our inner cities to life. What have we found? That whilst regeneration means billions of pounds are spent on new buildings it only really happens when it extends to peoples lives. And again, it’s those people stories which really count. View the stories on regenerating brownfiled areas at www.icmatv.com.

Most exciting of all four of our colleagues are setting off for South Africa this weekend. They have a couple of jobs to do. We’re covering a major international event in Malawi. But we’re also stopping by our friends in Illinge in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. We’re really excited about that and can’t wait to see how they’re getting on.

So it’s quite a month and we’re not halfway through yet! But what ties all these activities together? You know it’s interesting. These events are global. But in each case we’re talking about community engagement and what makes a difference in people’s lives. And we’re just delighted to be able to play a small role in all of that.

So what’s caught my eye this week here at WebsEdge? Well it’s interesting. The headlines are full of news of the iPlayer and the iPhone. And as regular readers will know I’m a great fan of both devices.

But what’s really grabbed my attention is the work that’s being done to help communities engage using on-line video. More often than not it’s actually practical applications that are making a difference. Let me give you some examples.

We’re currently working on an initiative with Norfolk, Virginia to let job applicants get more of a feel for both the city and the job specification through the use of on-line video. Straightforward enough you might think. But it’s actually making a real difference to their recruitment. They’re finding it much easier to get people to relocate after watching the video.

Another is the work we’re doing with the International City Managers Association based in Washington DC. We’re helping them run a simple competition where young people can upload their own videos and have people vote on them. Again, nothing too complicated but it facilitates two way communications and lets people feel a part of things.

And I think this is the way things will develop. There’s a great demand for top quality content delivered on-line – be in Doctor Who or CNN’s Doctor Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Literally millions of people a month are consuming television in this way. And running alongside that you’ll see lots of different communities coming together in a very 21st century way through the growth of on-line video.

You’ll be pleased to know that family meltdown was narrowly avoided in our house this weekend. It was the much-awaited launch of the new Doctor Who series. And despite the best of plans we managed to miss the start of the programme. But thanks to the BBC’s iplayer all was not lost and our children won’t have missed any of the gory details.

And they’re not alone. According to the statistics around 500, 000 people are accessing content in this way. There’s other research too. A recent report from the Convergence Consulting Group states that one in ten traditional TV viewers look to the web for video content - and that in a few years one in four will be watching programmes on the web.

But it isn’t all plain sailing is it? At the same time some of the sparkle seems to have gone out of the on-line video business model. Millions of venture capital dollars have gone in but profits are thin on the ground. Recent rumours have it that even market leader Joost is starting to struggle.

So what’s going on? It’s clear that there is a very strong consumer driven demand for on-line video. And people want to watch high quality programming too. But the catch is that they might not be willing to pay for it. So where’s the business model to support on-line video?

Most pundits say it will come through advertising and we just need to wait while this catches up. But I don’t think so. We’re seeing a totally new medium here and it won’t be supported in this way. So we need a new plan.

And I think we’re starting to see it. People will pay for content that actually adds value – take for example the success of programming on the new iphone. And organisations will pay to do the same.

Look at our work with the AAC&U (the Association of American Colleges and Universities), which provides a variety of videos on US higher education.  This type of content would, once upon a time, be reserved for news programmes, or to be shown during conventions and meetings.  But the professionally produced content as online video allows it to be watched by anyone at anytime.  I’m proud to say that the production quality is good enough to be on traditional television, or hosted on a website.  Check it out for yourself here.

What’s a web based tv channel look like? Perhaps that’s a pretty strange question coming from me. But I’m concerned that we’re getting so caught up in the jargon (IPTV, video on demand, broadband tv, and so on) that we’re losing sight of what’s really happening here.

The reality is that people are now flocking to the web to watch video. The figures are quite staggering. Let me give you an example: during February’s Super Tuesday US electoral campaign coverage CNN.com boasted 8.3 million unique viewers watching a total of 86.2 million minutes of online video. And we all know about the 11 million streams from the BBC’s iplayer in January.

What’s more all this is actually changing behaviour. A recent informal survey which investigated how North Carolina students at Fayetteville State University, Methodist University and UNC-Pembroke obtained their news on the US presidential campaign, revealed that forty-six percent turn to the internet as their main news source, while 41 percent prefer television. Not one student claimed to rely on print editions of newspapers as a first source.

All this is ironic because newspapers started producing credible online versions in the 1990’s and that process is now accelerating as readership declines. Online publishers nationally and regionally have been revamping their websites to include video and audio to consumer demand. Publishers have adopted a broadcast model by effectively turning online readers into viewers by delivering on-demand over dedicated video channels.

So there are now plenty of video content providers matched by an array of technology. You can watch your episode of the hit show Damages on digital TV, through an IPTV set top box, on your PC or even downloaded through iTunes on to your iPod. And I guess that’s the point. The demand is massive and it doesn’t really matter how you access content or even who you get it from. All that matters for broadcasters of all shapes and sizes is that you stay relevant to your audiences and that you have the correct economic model to thrive in this new environment. 

However you look at it the revolution is happening! We’re seeing amazing numbers of people tuning in to watch their television on-line.

The figures around the US Presidential elections are truly amazing. Just look at the viewing figures for Super Tuesday. CNN’s video portal provided 2.7 million video streams along with 600,000 live feeds of the election day. Similarly, to date, MTV’s sites ChooseorLose.com and MTVNews.com had their busiest days for online video.

Where is this all coming from? I see two large factors influencing the increased online viewership this year: first and foremost is the updated technology has allowed more simultaneous viewers to watch smooth streams. Secondly, I think people are finding video online for their search for relevant content.

This is an incredibly tight presidential nomination race which has an impressive amount of the US public attached to it. A large portion of the voters are tuning in to follow the overall campaign coverage and specifically to hone in on their top candidate. Ultimately, this is where standard TV fails and IPTV succeeds- traditional TV is designed for everyone, catering to the interests of all the public where as online video is specific and tailored to a specific audience.

Online video allows viewers a more personal look at topics and content that addresses their targeted interests. If you are watching a single channel on traditional TV you are stuck with the topic the channel is covering at that moment. If you want more information on a subject the process to go about getting more information can be cumbersome and there is no telling if you will get it.

With the uptake in adoption to online video, everything changes. Your viewing habits become more targeted, you can engage with the subjects being discussed and ultimately - you select videos to watch about specific topics (or regions, in the case of the primary elections) that are relevant to you. If you want more on a topic, many sites provide the option to view similar videos.

We are at a major turning point regarding online video and the 2008 election will play a large role in influence and shaping the way we utilize online video. The rules and methods of broadcasting are changing with online video and viewer’s want to share their thoughts and ask questions about what they are viewing but more importantly they want answers too — the 2008 election will continue to serve as a great example of how this new medium of viewing content is evolving the way we communicate not only a government level, but with the communities we build on shared topics of interest.

So how did you watch the television coverage of “Super Tuesday”? I have to admit I was riveted to ABC News but not on a television as in previous years but on-line. The quality and reliability of the transmission really took me aback.

The excitement surrounding this election is clearly intense. Senators Clinton and Obama are going head to head and right now there is no way of knowing who is going to win. And Americans are witnessing history in the making with the first woman and African American man running for the Oval Office.

This election year it’s about staying informed and in tune with the positions your candidates stand for - and online video is a critical tool to help keep up with the latest topics around the election. I am inspired by their methods of engagement and will be dedicating several posts over the coming months to highlight what role online video plays during the upcoming presidential election.

The way I see it, IPTV enables political action: it allows communities to become better informed and it opens channels of communications to discuss what’s happening at both a local and national level. That’s why WebsEdge created the Local Government Channel, to help educate communities on local government issues that affect them.

As the election ramps up, there is an invaluable opportunity for online sources to get the message across using IPTV. Over the next several months, I will share my insight on solid examples of how the candidates are utilizing online video to help boost their campaigns within various communities. In the meantime, take a look at what CSPAN has for online election coverage. I think that once you’ve reviewed the site, you’ll feel inspired to stay connected and engaged to learn about issues each candidate is highlighting in their campaign.

Greetings from a very cold Washington DC!

It’s been a busy week for all of us here at WebsEdge. This week we’ve been broadcasting from the American Colleges and Universities conference here in Washington. Despite all the usual running around - and even catching a Washington Wizards basketball game - it’s given us a fascinating insight into how Colleges are starting to use web based video to get their messages across to what’s now a very wide and diverse audience.

Once again the focus is on the consumer. There’s been a lot of talk recently about people watching video on mobile devices. But to most of us this has remained just talk. But I heard an interesting statistic this week. AT&T tell us that people who own Apple’s iPhone are now twice as likely to view data - including video - on their phones than they were before.

The message is clear - once you give people the right tools they’ll figure the rest out for themselves. Which brings me back to business. The problem here is that consumers are getting way ahead of the curve. We’re starting to see an explosion of interest in web based television in 2008. Both AT@T and BT are announcing rapid growth in IPTV roll out. And again the number of video aggregators has risen dramatically. All a testament to the demand for video over IP. But right now the business model just isn’t there. Too many people are relying on advertising income or worse still have no real idea where the income is going to come from. And until we figure that out this surge forward in our industry just won’t be sustained.

Just to wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year.

Are you sticking to your new years resolutions? One of the things we’re sure of here at WebsEdge is that 2008 is going to be a transformational year for IPTV and we’re resolved to stay at the heart of that. Another of our resolutions is to serve the global comunity we work in. So I thought I would take this opportunity to post some of the pictures from the Isibindi project we support in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Technology is certainly bringing the world closer together and that puts obligations on us all. But do you know what, meeting those can be a whole lot of fun!

December 2007 was a landmark month for the Queen. Exactly fifty years after her first-ever televised Christmas broadcast in 1957, The Queen appeared on YouTube to host her first IPTV-based seasonal greeting. This video is a segment in the launch of “The Royal Channel”, the Monarchy’s YouTube video portal which is being used to connect to a “younger people and those in other countries ”.

Other world leaders have similarly found a place on YouTube: this year marked the first time the Japanese PM used the site to address his nation for a New Year’s greeting as well as Australia’s outgoing PM addressing voters through YouTube .

It’s great that we are starting to see IPTV mature into a more functional utility of communication than just a portal of viral entertainment. As the year progresses and the general public accepts the growing popularity of professionally-generated content emerging online, we’re going to see more and more government officials taking their messages to the web.

IPTV is on its way to reaching its full potential, though The Queen’s Christmas broadcast and the Japanese PM’s New Year’s Greeting combined have less than half the views of the backwards singing guy …