Microsoft is going to launch a program to bring consumer generated content to the MSN site. As far as we can find, not much has been said about the program, code named Warhol, and the company is revealing very little.
We met Todd Herman, director of Advertising and Business Strategy at MSN, at the Manhattan offices of Microsoft, where MSN had hosted a conference organized by Third Way Brand Trainers and Business Development Institute on the topic of web video. Todd declined to tell much about Warhol, but he did share a fascinating look at this pivotal time for online video.
Todd addressed the success of YouTube, and stated that Microsoft will match their uploads of consumer generated video before too long.
He also told us that with consumer in control, video demand clips of the NBC News broadcasts were rocketing — in their way of thinking they are "out Tivoing Tivo."
Here’s a transcript of some of Todd’s comments to Beet.TV:
"YouTube got to the party early with user generated video there’s no doubt, but given the four hundred million uniques, the reach that we have, we don’t think we’ll have a problem finding the one percent of the people who are willing to upload."
— Andy Plesser
Other relevant news of interest to The Beet’s readers:
>> Scott Kirshner looks at sites that are offering simple tools to create and edit your video clips in today’s New York Times.
>> More on the ways that online video is creeping into the political spectrum from the New York Time’s Adam Cohen
Microsoft, Warhol, YouTube, Todd Herman, New York Times MSN, TiVo
