Most of the evolution of online video viewing is based on trends developing since 2009, which has increased by 33%. The majority of viewing has been in what is called the "short clip" category.  But, we have seen dramatic movement toward full-length TV & movie views in the past year due to the proliferation of sites like Netflicks & Hulu. The demographics of online video viewing is also moving up due to better access speeds and video capable portable devices. However, sharing of video is declining. I believe what we are starting to see is the perception of online video now being accepted as a reliable media source.

 Older demographics are less likely to "share" video and are also far less receptive to ads associated with online video content. They are driving instead to more professionally produced video and also more likely to accept brand recall and relevance associated with the content they are watching. So, if what they've seen on TV now appears online associated with something they're viewing, it becomes far more relevant in terms of brand recall.

Marketers would also do well to head toward information & education bucket in 2012. Online is truly a multimedia experience, and with older demographics now moving toward acceptance of online media, now is the time to do more than just sell your product. In a recent survey conducted by Yahoo!, they discovered that 57% of online viewers preferred to watch video that enhances or explains a concept or product. And if the video is professionally produced, it enhances brand awareness.

That's all I'm going to say. Watch and be amazed.

If you have $10 to $20 thousand dollars available in your budget, then your solution is easy.  Buy a Digital Rapids or Kulabyte encoder and your job is done. The truth is there are plenty of high-end encoders out there that are reliable and give you plenty of options for variables that come into play for most broadcast location challenges. Unfortunately most budgets don't allow for encoders in this price range, so your alternatives are still wide and plentiful but also limiting. It's the software tied to these lower priced encoders that is the key to success. You'll also want to see technical support to assist you when you need it, along with a company that is always working to improve their encoders through firmware and software updates. Always do your research on any brand that you are considering for a encoder purchase. See if they have a forum available on their website for advice and challenges from a neighborhood of users. If they do, it's probably a good bet in terms of access and technical support.

Whatever encoder you decide to go with, make sure it gives you basic control options:

• Bit Rate
• Output Resolution
• Frame Rate
• Input Supported Resolution
• Latency Adjustment

These are key factors that can make or break the success of a live video stream. Obviously there are also more advanced options that many encoders include and can fine tune the look and feel of live stream.

It was the MAC that dragged me into the digital world. My entire career has been in media. Most of it spent in radio. I remember the day that Scott Chapin (primo producer) and I talked our chief engineer at WGTR (Miami) into installing a MAC Plus into the air studio so that we could record and edit phone calls from listeners quickly and efficiently. We used a program called Session. It replaced two giant reel-to-reel machines, and also replaced the need to buy large quantities of quarter inch tape, razor blades and grease pencils. The engineers called it a toy. We took a lot of shit for having that MAC in our studio. I believe we were the first in the country to do it too. But it was that little MAC plus that became responsible for the format and sound of the morning radio show (Herman & McBean - WGTR) we put on the air five days a week.

Here we are years later, and it's Apple that still leads the way for creativity in media. Steve Job's vision to design and build computers that allow humans to be creative and even reinvent themselves is a gift. I know this because it is Apple that has delivered that gift for me. I am grateful for that, and forever in debt to Steve Jobs and the remarkable tools he and Apple have given us. If you are a Apple user and opening up a session (video or audio) today, please, just look at the screen for a moment and take in the wonderfulness that is there in front of you. It truly is extraordinary.

Don't be fond of rules - Have zero respect for the status quo - Change things

There is a cadre of hosting providers available on the net. Some are free - others charge for the service. Search "web streaming providers" and you'll see how many service providers there are.  Sorting out priorities and variables before jumping in is a necessity. Keep in mind that most free hosting providers are only "free" because advertising will appear before (and sometime during - static) your live event. Here are considerations you will need to keep in mind:

• Who will be watching and where (dynamic player)
• How many viewers do you think you might have (bandwidth requirements)
• Does social networking play a part in your web cast (embedded player for social networking sites)
• what level of quality to you want to achieve (player for large format devices)
• Do you want your webcast password protected, or open to the public (security)
• Do you have a budget in place (provider charges)

Web streaming has come a long in the past year. If you are up for it, and budget isn't limiting your choices, you can align yourself with a provider that can give you a web stream capable of appearing on a large screen TV in all its glory. Keep in mind that some people may want to watch your web cast on a smart phone - don't ignore the portable device crowd, they are growing and demanding to see whatever they can via that little computer in their pocket. A "dynamic player" (being able to play the stream on multiple devices) is almost a no-brainer in terms of requirements for steaming providers these days.

Bottom line is this, when it comes to deciding upon a video host/provider, almost all allow you to embed live video streams on multiple web sites. Some allow you to embed on social networks. Keep in mind the old rule, "you get what you pay for," meaning you might not get support when you need it in a free provider, or people who want to see your live stream may not be able to because of bandwidth issues (to many people viewing at the same time). However it goes, the web cast will reflect back on you, or your organization. Always shoot a bit higher than what you think you'll need. It will make a difference, and make your life simpler.

Obviously the challenge that must be tackled first and foremost is connectivity. If you don't an an adequate pipe leaving the location of the shoot - you won't have a web broadcast. The minimum requirement I have found to be acceptable for upload speeds is in the neighborhood of 750-800 kbps. That will give you a YouTube quality feed that probably is a comfortable look for most clients. This level of upload speed can be commonly found with most providers of high-speed internet. But, please note - what the providers says the speed is, and what the real average upload speed is are two different numbers. Most providers commonly push the envelope to speed spikes - a common practice in the industry. Bottom line is this, test your upload speed before committing to a live web feed. Upload speed is really the only serious hurdle you must get over before seeing the playing field flatten out. Once your over that hump, the rest gets a lot easier.

You do have some options to play if your current web connection isn't fast enough for a live video stream.

Take a honest look at how many users are on it at one time. The more users - the more it's going to slow down. If you can manage and limit the use during your planned video stream, it may be just enough to get the job done. I don't recommend this approach because it is hard to control and manage, but if your control points are adequate it may work for you.

Shop your local providers and see if they can drop a dedicated line just for your planned live video stream. It will probably run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 with installation. This is a common practice, but does call from some advance planning. Usually the wait time for installation is a minimum of two weeks.

4G wireless technology is making some inroads in major markets. Some cities are wired for 4G - most are just getting started with spotty service at best. There have literally been hundreds of live video streams achieved over 4G. So it remains a pretty solid alternative in cities that are wired. One word of caution - don't believe the advertising you are seeing touting 4G everywhere.  Many times it's still 3G, and not adequate for a live video stream. Again, test tests test. If your are considering this route, borrow a 4G modem from someone you know and test it for upload speed.  If you are seeing upload speeds in the area of 320 kbps, you are on 3G.

Satellite uploads are also a possibility. There are services and providers in the leased sat. business that can honestly still make your live video stream affordable. Some of them are in the "audio only" satellite realm, but don't let that stop you. Most have an upload speed that can still get the job done. You may want to consider limiting your broadcast to somewhere in the hour or two neighborhood.

I've been reading Twittervile. A book written by Shel Israel. It's NOT one of those books that teaches you how to use Twitter. Twitterville is more about the "experiement" of twitter and how some companies realized they could use it in the context of corporate America. I bought it for $3.50 at the Borders Going-Out-Of-Business sale. If you have any DNA left that says "start a business," the book is worth the read. Especially in this ecomomy.

Chapter 7; Global Companies, Local Touch hits on the culture inside of Zappos. They live online, and never interact face-to-face with customers. Yet those very customers gush about close personal service. They urge their friends to try Zappos. It's like their customers have become their one and only advertising and promotion arm. You can't pay for that kind of hype. Here is the part of chapter 7 that caught my attention....

"So what is this company's secret? Why do Zappos's customers serve as its volunteer corps of company champions instead of just buying shoes and sunglasses?

According to Tony Hsieh (@zappos), the CEO and driving force behind the company's unique corporate culture, Zappos is "a service company that just happens to sell shoes." It's an interesting statement, and as you drill into it, you find every aspect of the company is focused on providing superior services to customers despite facelessness on both sides.

Hsieh told me he never set out to build an e-tail monolith. Instead he built a culture.

"We hire people who are passionate about customer support," he said. "I don't much care how they feel about shoes. We believe that if we get the culture right, then most of the other stuff-like great customer service and building a great brand-will happen naturally.

Hsieh is tightfisted in spending promotional dollars. He and Zappos team members attend a few industry events, but the company has consistently maintained a near-zero PR budget. "I prefer investiny money in improving customer experience to marketing," he said.

When recruits start employee training, they receive a company "culture book" rather than an employee handbook. Training lasts four weeks; half of it is spent talking with customers, under supervision, in the call center. This includes new senior executives.

Hsieh then tries to get everyone who successfully completes the course to immediately quit. He offers each a $2000 cash incentive to just go away and never come back.

"I want people who feel like they belong here. Who want to be a part of this culture," Hsieh explains. Some people take him up on the deal. Over 90 percent stay.

There are plenty of relevant newspapers that have already dug-in to the online video business.  The New York Times comes to mind with the most popular newspaper website in the US, and with ipads & tablets being the next big mode of delivery to readers (now viewers), video is an obvious part of the experience. What bothers me about NAAs report is their suggested work-flow for newspapers that are exploring (or expanding) online video efforts. They are suggesting that locally focused video content be shot and edited by print journalists already on staff. NAA also has guidelines for newspapers wanting to consider video content as part of their online effort. Part of the guidelines suggest building a newsroom set. What!?

The last thing I would consider is to take the traditional "news room" route for online video. This is a golden opportunity for newspapers to reinvent themselves and take advantage of the gritty side of online viewing. Polished and slick is not the way to go with internet video efforts. Keep in mind that when you go "online" you are not broadcasting to a mass audience with a one way medium like TV. Online efforts are a much more personal experience that with TV.  You don't move an entire room of furniture around to face the computer screen like you would with a big screen TV. Online is a one-on-one medium. It's a chance for newspapers to get personal with readers. Hopefully that personal experience will then be shared by viewers and readers.  That's the interactive part of going online for newspapers.

Secondly I hope that newspapers respect what videographers do. Video efforts should not be taken lightly, and just tacked-on to reporters current job descriptions. They've already blown the social networking side of things by either outsourcing it, or thinking that social networking was "broadcasting." Companies that have won on the social networking front (Southwest Airlines, Zappos, Dell, Apple) took it seriously, and found people that are passionate about it and understand that social networking is a two-way conversation. The same holds for video. Technology has already done everyone a favor and made video affordable, but it's not free. Invest in it - it will be worth it.

Broken screen, dead battery and no wifi. Yes it was an experiment, but what did I have to loose? I purchased the thing for pennies on the dollar, and if I was successful repairing it - well, it was nothing but blue sky. No two year commitment to the evil cell phone provider... Winning.

I "researched" on the web.  Checked out blogs and YouTube and discovered that I could buy the parts to repair the phone on-line for a total of $12.00 (not including shipping). The most challenging part of the repair was how to fix the wifi. It wasn't a parts issue because the wifi is a part of the mother board in the iphone.  But, I did find video that talked about "reflowing" the mother board by baking it in a 385 degree oven for seven minutes. I followed the instructions to the letter. Replaced the battery and the broken screen and reassembled the phone.  It has been working perfectly ever since. Yes it sounds crazy, but don't doubt this tactic - it really works.

Looks like all my iphone shopping will now be on Ebay and Craigslist. That feels pretty damn good.

The two web sites I maintain are this one, and Music Fog. Let's face it, this site is a sales tool-a calling card. The other website (Music Fog), is a passion. A passion that takes a team of five to serve the everyday need for content and social networking.  No, I'm NOT doing that one on my own. The entire team on the Music Fog staff are passionate about the music and the artists featured on its pages. I'd like to think they are all pretty damn caring about each other too. We've been at it together for almost three years now, and we are finally starting to see results. Believe me, it isn't easy building a solid tribe.

Music Fog was built without investor capitol. We've grown it organically because we had to do it that way. We purchased all of the equipment through friends, and searching on line. And we took advantage of all the free services (facebook, Twitter, YouTube...ect) available to us to get the word out. Crazy us for thinking we could even dream of starting such a venture in today's economic climate-I blame Seth Godin for the inspiration.

The model is simple, put one artist/performance video up per day and keep the tribe coming back for more. Most of the artists you see on Music Fog do not have record deals. Most of them are also tied to the net for fans and download sales. They are all very much a part of this brave new digital world that is in the process of reinventing how we find and listen to music.

The video featured here is Bob Schneider. We recorded him just before he went on stage at The Cherokee Music Festival in Cherokee, TX.  It was shot with 3 Panasonic DVX100B cameras at 24 frames. One on a jib, one hand held and one locked off on a tripod. We lit the room with 3 Lowel Omni lites and 2 Bitek soft boxes. The sound is handled by using two mics (Neumann 103 & AKG c300b) and a direct box. We mix it on the fly, then go back and master the audio prior to embedding it with the video. Hey, it's music! It's got to sound right.

Hope you enjoy the better-than-front-row look of this video.  It's the loose style that is truly Music Fog.