Sony is set to announce a re-launch of video entertainment network site Crackle today, with a roll-out of a number of new web shows including sketches by L.A. comedy troupe “The Groundlings”, a video game show called “The Jace Hall Show” and a five-minute talk show dubbed “Anytime with Bob Kushell” hosted by a Hollywood writer.
Sony’s media business, Sony Pictures Entertainment, will be using the types of production techniques that it puts into movies and TV to resemble other online programming by staying short, often no more than five minutes long, reports Reuters. Crackle’s season begins December 1.
Last August, Sony Pictures partnered up with Rocketboom, acquiring the worldwide distribution rights to Rocketboom.com in all media, putting the daily show on Crackle.com, presenting the show with a Crackle player on the Rocketboom.com website and distributing it over its syndication network. See RocketBoom founder Andrew Baron’s take on the upcoming announcement here.
Crackle used to be Grouper, before Sony bought the startup for a reported $65 million in the Summer of 2006. The Reuters report cites 2.4 million visitors in October, according to research firm The Nielsen Online Co., while Compete shows higher number and a nice growth pattern.
Checked it out….crackle…. seems like a lot of effort from sony to move out of its CD/DVD business into the internet realm. That’s nice… youtube has certainly pushed the digital media industry overboard… how r they gonna monetize it?
I think I read a FastCompany article saying that video sites (e.g., Crackle, CollegeHumor, FunnyorDie, etc) can’t compare to Youtube in site traffic. This relaunch sounds like a combination of Revision3 shows and Youtube.
do you see what you’ve done robin? you’ve confused young jp here. just because they issued a press release doesn’t mean that they are doing anything new. Second and third tier youtube competitors are constantly re-inventing, re-launching, premiering, what-have you in an attempt to attract some eyeballs from the big boy.
It is going to be interesting to watch all these online broadcasting networks fight it out in the future. It is good for advertisers because this war will be much tougher than the ones raging in the ‘real-world’.
There will be blood!
not really
Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show is also a Crackle distribution.
Its all bout my schlong a ding dong and rollin it up in yo stuff yo. No other way I roll than with a pack of syrup and a jar o jelly so you can get down and toss my salad yo. Its all bout me and how I own at Halo 3 and Gow. I can take a 5-0 win while you toss my salad followed by a deuce dropped on yo chest Frizizzles! Eat that!
Uh. Hmmm… Well, said….’cept no one plays Halo 3 anymore.
Yea media is going to be mostly internet based within the next few years for sure. Crackle doesn’t have anything on youtube tho imo.
sony is like a drunk father, you love it to death, know it will never change and yet still come back for a regular beating.
Weird but somewhat true analogy there.
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Crackle is doing a few things right:
1 – regular schedule of release for new episodes
2 – easy to navigate guide of web series
3 – avoiding UGC and sticking with a decently high bar of quality (could be higher, but getting better)
This is a great move and sony is taking web videos to the next level.
I love videos.
http://tvradionet.com