TV Everywhere services that provide online video
content to pay-TV customers for no extra charge
don’t have a clear path to revenue today, said Dish
Network’s Bruce Eisen during a panel moderated by
B&C Business Editor Jon Lafayette.
“I’ve found most of the networks aren’t jumping into
this with two feet. For good reason—there’s no business
model,” Eisen said.
The No. 2 satellite TV operator
launched the DishOnline.
com Website last month with
150,000 videos, a mix of free
content plus TV episodes and
movies available only to paying
customers.
“It’s a value-add for our
customers,” Eisen explained.
“I always thought for a long
time the MVPDs [multichannel
video programming distributors]
can own this business—
it’s theirs to lose—and
I want to make sure Dish
doesn’t lose it.”
Starcom USA’s Director
of Video Innovation Chris
Allen said that no advertisers have approached his
agency to talk about placing ads on TV Everywherestyle
services. Still, he said, spending on online
video advertising overall is increasing as marketers
have started to add online video as part of their media-
buying plans.
“The majority of our customers want to be associated
with television content [online],” Allen said.
“But there hasn’t been a lot of cable content available
to sponsor. As that becomes available, we’ll chase
that down.”
