What is User-Generated Content?
As far as is known user-generated content refers to diverse kinds of media (audio, video) content that are prodiced by web users in contrast to traditional media producers.
At the same time engineered content is created by experts and content owners who are part of an official intranet team. It means that just only qualitative, selected content can be posted and streamed.
Who is worried about user-generated video content? Why do companies or corporations are afraid of that phenomenon? According to data collected for Accenture’s “Global Content Survey 2007? annual survey of senior media executives, user-generated content may become a real threat in the next few years for traditional media, and a real windfall for web consumers.
User-Generated Content Hopes and Fears
User-generated content itself is unpredictable, can be both copyrighted and illegal (including offensive content);
Traditonal media have no chances to survive, because it can’t succeed in this environment over its inability to innovate and anticipate the needs of consumers;
Free media content (video clips, music, TV shows, etc.) is available on the web;
User-generated content together with video sharing sites can split revenue, i.e. various ways of making money via video content.
The Pros and Cons of User-Generated Content
Pros:
it less restrictive in some way;
lots of areas of knowledge can be covered;
users can become famous;
users can create, share, upload, download, search and edit more types of video content;
free (mostly);
easy of access.
Cons:
copyrighted content can be duplicated;
video sharing sites can run into trouble;
video communities make more money;
video content may be illegal;
too commercial;
too difficult to find what you are looking for.
Another important consideration is that user-generated online video content, reports Screen Digest (“User-Generated Online Video: Competitive Review and Market Outlook”), will make up 55 % in 2010, up from 47% in 2006.
Conclusion
We already took notice of traditional media. Some of the biggest names in the market understand that technology is hurling us quickly into an on-demand world, however, taking into account that the big media content creators can play a relevant role.
Leslie Moonves, head of CBS, stood up for his company’s content, saying, “Current technologically driven distribution channels will expand and new ones will open. But without compelling content, every new platform is an empty shell. Companies that can combine world-class content with powerful national and local distribution will have the competitive advantage.”
Mobile TV phones
