Online video series need to find the living room

I was encouraged this week by Clearleap's addition of Revison3, Next New Networks and Blip.tv to its direct-to-cable box video offering. New collaborations among online video companies, MSOs, telcos and intermediaries like Clearleap are integral to the eventual success of online video revenue equations.

Even though all three companies are growing traffic and claim to command high CPMs, they need to continue to open their distribution models to reach larger audiences. The Clearleap deal, while it likely won't be a huge part of any of the companies' total revenues, stands as another path for original online video series to find audiences in the living room.

In my opinion one of the biggest factors inhibiting the growth of original online video programming is the lack of communal viewing opportunities. While watching shows online is convenient, and the user experience is constantly improving, you lose the ability to watch shows in a group or to comfortably show an episode to friends when the programming is confined to a computer screen.

I've never had people over and tried to get them to gather around the laptop to watch an episode of Diggnation, for instance. Have you? But put that same show on my television, whether it's through Boxee, Clearleap or another emerging OV-TV platform, and we can easily watch an episode together. This type of viewing leads to exponential gains in exposure, which in turn leads to higher traffic rates and more ad dollars.

I just don't believe that this sort of group viewing ever will be replicated online, though several social media platforms are attempting to do just that. As content starts to proliferate across mobile, computer and television platforms, distribution strategies get more and more interesting. Each platform has nuances that necessitate a dedicated delivery approach, but a holistic vision for interaction with fans and potential ones remains crucial. It's not a simple problem, and I don't think anyone has shown a clear-cut best practice for doing it effectively, though I've been impressed with the continued effort to develop one. As always, let me know what you think.

- Pete
@fierceonlinevid