The 2009 Streaming Media Dream Team
Nicole Vanderbilt, VP, International, Bebo/People Networks
Previous job titles:
• Head of Industry Marketing, Google
• SVP, Marketing and Strategy and Senior Analyst, Jupiter Research
Proudest achievements:
• Living and working in India while at Google
• Launching Bebo in DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, IN within 6 months of joining
Next big thing:
"How to help media companies make their own sites more social and how to help them make their content get massive viral distribution."
Biggest trend in online video:
"There is so much great video out there. The next big frontier is figuring out how to drive great, relevant discovery and recommendations for consumers. "
Biggest challenge facing the industry:
"See above."
Alex Wolfe, Managing Director, Astream
Previous job titles:
• CTO, Next Venue
• Head of Technology, Streaming Television (STV)
• Streaming Media Manager, Globix
• Chairman, International Webcasting Association (Europe)
Proudest achievements:
• Winning the award for Best Streaming at the ISPAs for an unprecedented two years in a row.
• More listed here
Next big thing:
• Building out Astream’s own global CDN.
• We have also deployed a new cutting edge management portal (http://portal.astream.com, user: sample, password: test), which gives superb stats and reporting to customers. They get a deeper insight into who is watching what, from where and for how long. Key streaming metrics rather than the old measure of just hits. The pretty graphs are also popular: • Our transcoding system is impressive as well
Biggest trend in online video:
"The biggest trend is mobile streaming and mobile TV. Astream webcast live to 5 different mobile operators (a world first) for the Nokia New Year's Eve and more recently at the BAFTAs for Orange. With the deployment of 3.5G mobile data networks using HSPDA and HSUPA technology speeds beyond the normal 3G 300Kbps are now possible. Some networks deliver 1.5Mbps download speeds and increased upload speeds that we have even used to do Live Webcasts from locations where a DSL line could not be installed in time or the webcast itself is on the move from a car or person roaming around."
Biggest challenge facing the industry:
"The industry is on a progression to deliver more video, including live, at higher and higher bitrates. More people are now linking their computers to their TV or plasma screens and demand is growing for High Definition video quality at 720p and 1080p resolutions. ?We also need to be aware of regulators interfering with new laws on what can and can’t be broadcast online potentially holding the ISP responsible for actions of publishers and end users. That kind of regulation had a devastating effect on the internet radio stations in the U.S., effecting ISPs revenues as their suppliers."
[Editor's note: Soon after we honored Mark Zaleski for his work at Dailymotion over the last year, he left the company. On his watch, the company expanded its content and user base by significant amounts, and we're still honored to be calling him a member of the Streaming Media Dream Team.
Mark Zaleski, Former Chairman & CEO, Dailymotion
Previous job titles:
• Chief Executive Officer, QXL ricardo plc
• President, Webvan
Proudest Achivements:
• To welcome almost 50 million visitors on Dailymotion site every month
• To host on Dailymotion a community of over 20 000 Motionmakers, talented creative users
Next big thing:
• Expanding our international reach with new territories such as Eastern Europe, Turkey
• Dailymotion across all screens: PCs, mobile devices and TVs
• Allowing more audience participation where users control the medium, interact with others
Biggest trend in online video:
• The move toward quality programming
• Moving across platforms (device-independent, such as mobile phones, IPTV)
• From short-format video to longer features – series, documentaries, movies
Biggest challenge facing the industry:
• To guarantee Net neutrality; i.e. open, unrestricted access to the Internet for consumers
• To avoid inappropriate taxation or regulation of our industry
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