Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Remember that British import from the 70’s? We’d watch it religiously on the local PBS affiliate in the New York (WNET, “channel 13”).
A couple of months ago, Monty Python launched their YouTube channel and it’s become rather popular. The YouTube blog post on their “click to buy” program is getting results, specially for Monty Python:
We’re happy when we can help YouTube users enjoy the content they love, and we’re happy when we can help our partners build their businesses online – but we’re happiest when we can do both.
That’s why last year we launched our eCommerce platform for YouTube, which allows users to easily “click-to-buy” products — like songs and movies — related to the content they’re watching on the site. The past few months have demonstrated that great content on YouTube leads to increased sales. For example, when Monty Python launched their channel in November, not only did their YouTube videos shoot to the top of the most viewed lists, but their DVDs also quickly climbed to No. 2 on Amazon’s Movies & TV bestsellers list, with increased sales of 23,000 percent.
Nice sales increase.
Having clips up on video-sharing sites is good for business. Relentlessly pursuing “takedown” requests, one might argue, is counter-productive. I know I’ve had such requests in the past on clips I got from NASA, which is in the public domain. They’re still up, but the takedown requests can be a nuisance.
If people are profiting from pirated content, well that’s clearly a crime…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L57-vQvo34E]
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Should Internet access be an entitlemet? I think it should be and some day, it will. The President’s plan to make it available everywhere may be challenged by preferences expressed by those who are supposed to benefit. Maybe they don’t get it — or just don’t care.
Today’s Washington Post has a piece on a report issued by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Broadband costs more, and that’s holding people back:
According to the survey, 13 percent of non-users said they don’t use the Internet or e-mail because they can’t access broadband. Nine percent of those surveyed said they find e-mail and the Internet too difficult to use, 7 percent said they are too busy or don’t have time, and 4 percent said they don’t have access to a computer.
For those with dial-up Internet access, 35 percent said prices for broadband — which average $34.50 a month — would have to go down for them to upgrade to high-speed cable, fiber-optic, or DSL Internet service, according to the survey.
“The problem with price has to do with competition,” said Andrew Schwartzman, president of public access group Media Access Project. Schwartzman said that users are typically forced to choose between two to three options for high-speed Internet service.
The nonprofit group One Economy has urged lawmakers to include provisions in a stimulus plan that would renovate public housing so that all units in a building would have access to a shared data network, thereby reducing monthly costs per home by several dollars a month.
What if the FCC frees up so-called “white spaces” of radio spectrum and use it for free Internet access? Great idea. Finally, a modern version of the Minitel — only wireless.
Interesting results:
What is the MAIN reason you don’t use the internet or email?
(asked of non-users) Non-internet users = 25% of all adults
% of non-users % of all adults
Not interested in getting online 33% 8.3%
Can’t get access 13% 3.3%
Difficult 9% 2.3%
Other reason 9% 2.3%
Too expensive 7% 1.8%
Too busy/no time 7% 1.8%
Waste of time 7% 1.8%
Don’t have computer 4% 1.0%
Too old to learn 3% 0.8%
Physically unable 3% 0.8%
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