Reading my copy of Fast Company on the way into work this morning (geeky I know, but bettering that, our lovely department assistant Brieanna, is taking Time magazine on holiday with her this week. Not just a pretty face), I came across some interesting chat in an article on the renaissance of Al Gore.
When sidelined from politics, he took up an adviser-ship at Google and then a place on the board at Apple. And is now ploughing the vast amounts of money that he’s making on the speaking circuit into various new technology ventures.
One of them is a company called Current TV. Set up two years ago, today 30% of the aired content is viewer generated (VC2 apparently). Amateur filmmakers, some in their teens, upload three- to eight-minute documentary-style film segments, called "pods”, to the Current website. Online modules help aspiring filmmakers navigate everything from framing a shot to negotiating music rights. The online community comments on the videos and votes to "green-light" pods that they want to see on air. Makers of aired pods get $500. Current gets a library of content to use for free and forever.
I haven’t had the pleasure of watching the channel yet as it’s only available to view in the US. But according to Fast Company, it’s “surprisingly engaging and unlike anything else on TV”, covering cutting-edge bands and dogsled races, African villagers struggling with HIV/AIDs and dispatches from soldiers serving in Iraq.
They’ve also done a lot of work with advertisers to create viewer-generated commercials. T-Mobile have been using it as a "groundbreaking way to reach customers, and to encourage them to engage with our brand." (Well, according to the director of media marketing for T-Mobile at any rate…)
We’ll be getting it at some point this year apparently via Sky and Virgin Media. One to look out for, I think.