YouTube Losing The Money

A recent Credit Suisse report projected that YouTube would generate $240 million in revenue this year, but those revenues would be overshadowed by an expected $711 million in expenses. Screen Digest predicted YouTube would only take in $120 million in revenue this year.

Analysis: The Value of Copying DVDs

• While DVD purchasing may be down, DVD rentals are holding their own. 19% of respondents said they are renting more DVDs today than a year ago, compared to only 9% who said they are buying more, and 8% show said they are going out to the movies more. Only 34% said they are renting less, compared to 55% and 50%, respectively, who said they buying less and going out less.

• A surprising 18% said they own a Blu-ray Disc player, yet only 16% reported regularly using it. That could mean , a) there aren't nearly enough Blu-ray titles available for people to watch, or b) most of those Blu-ray players are really PlayStation 3 consoles, which only some people in the household use at all.

• More than three-in-10 (31%) regularly use an in-car DVD player, which would suggest a high demand for portable content, were the studios ever able to deliver it.

• DVDs that come with pre-ripped "Digital Copies" for transferring to a hard drive or portable are seen as a half-measure. More than half of respondents (51%) said they are "bothered" that they can't save their DVDs to a hard drive without cracking the encryption or buying an "expanded version" with Digital Copy.

NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN?

Note the time: On Wednesday morning, in a one-hour meeting in Washington D.C., for the the federal government started work on a national broadband plan first time ever.

The FCC now has a year to survey the nation's internet pipes and recommend a plan of action or inaction to Congress, and it is starting by asking for comments from citizens, telecoms, and public interest groups.