live video is tough to nail (w/history)
Live video was the dominant theme in product announcements this week: Facebook, Musical.ly, YouTube, and Tumblr all are pushing hard to win live and the TV ad dollars that theoretically come with it. I wrote about how most of these companies are getting it wrong by focusing on content instead of product.
To accompany that, I want to experiment a bit in this newsletter.
This week, the links are almost all books, in a variety of genres related to the history and future of live video. I’ve personally learned a lot from reading each. Let me know what you think about including more of these books and long reads in the future.
Self-promotion
Live Video: It’s Not About The Content — Medium
My take on the current state of live video: Everyone’s doing live, few will succeed. Live products could learn a thing or two from network morning shows.
Scaling Empathy — My Talk at Webbdagarna Malmö
I’ve been doing a lot more speaking recently. Here’s one of my recent talks, on how most social media products really failed to bring more empathy into the world. The new wave of video products might stand a better chance if we build them right.
Books: TV, doing live for a century
Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV
Before I read Brian Stelter’s book, I had no idea what remarkable profit engines morning shows are, how complex and finely tuned their product is, and the endless high-stakes dramas that happen behind those cheery living room sets. This book gets into the business details without ever being pedantic (if anything, it can be a little too catty).
The Columbia History of American Television
A very detailed but still super readable history, with lots of great technical details: format wars, financial scandals, etc, etc. So many parallels to the current wave of consumer tech products.
I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution
MTV started as a joint venture between AmEx and Warner Bros, yet managed to become the definer of cool for almost two decades. Live, particularly the absurd fly-by-night operation that was the VMAs, was a huge part of this. (Half of the book rehashes Behind the Music drama you may already know as a 70’s or 80’s kid, but the business-centric chapters are revelatory.)
Long listen: startup story
How Justin.tv Became Twitch — Startup School Podcast
Justin Kan, founder of Justin/tv and thus eventually Twitch, describes the meandering path that led him from clunky head-mounted cameras to creating the only truly successful live video product (outside of TV) to date.
By Matt Hackett
I'm an entrepreneur and engineer, currently in exploration mode. Subscribe to follow along.
This newsletter is for people who, like me, believe making mass technology and serious critique are not mutually exclusive. Product design, philosophy, management, book and app recommends, queer art, etc.
If you don't want these updates anymore, please unsubscribe here.
If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe here.
Powered by Revue