Television is Dying - Make Way for Internet Video Clips

The recent acquisition of YouTube by Google has caused a commotion. In the past Google has acquired other companies with a million here and a million there. So the price tag for YouTube really stands out at a whopping 1.6 billion dollars. It is so uncharacteristic for Google to spend so much on an acquisition. What does Google buying YouTube tell us about the future of free video clips?

In many cases certain clips have had ten times the audience online then on television. Shows like the Daily Show is a perfect example of this. YouTube has recently removed all of their video clips but the momentum is still there.

Internet video clips are killing off traditional media quickly. Even though the quality is worse and the picture very small. People would rather watch the best part of television shows on a 2" screen, hunched in front of their computer, rather then watch whatever the major networks feed them on a 52" plasma screen. Internet video clips have that kind of influence over people.

Here’s why video clips online have so much pull. First, they are free. Anytime something is valuable and free it’s going to get a lot of attention. Second, it is completely on-demand. Want to watch funny videos at two in the morning--you got it. Third, it’s sharable. When you see something unbelievable you can share that with all your friends instantly via email. Fourth, there’s no interruptive advertising. No more watching hours of advertising to get your entertainment fix. Fifth, clips can be watched over and over again. It is like having Tivo without having to spend the money or time setting it up. Sixth, there are no teasers to have you keep you watching the ads. No more waiting till the 9:00 o’clock news hour to know what happened in the news.

As major networks and others find the power of video clips large amounts of money will follow. Billions and billions of dollars will be paid out in advertising over the next year. A lot of that money will be going towards websites who pull a large crowd of dedicated followers.

Internet video clips are the equivalent of having an I.V. pumping entertainment into your veins. Why would you want it any other way?