Wednesday will mark a milestone in broadcast journalism and in video on the Web as msnbc.com will offer clips from NBC Nightly News and other NBC news programs as sharable embed codes, Beet.TV has learned.
Taking a cue from YouTube, which pioneered sharable codes and built massive traffic, NBC News segments will be free to post on Web sites and blogs through a simple share embed button on the new video player which was launched in Beta on December 14.
While some big newspapers including the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post provide embed codes of their videos, as does the fledgling Fox Business News and most recently Reuters news videos, this is the first time a major network news operation has offered embed codes.
CNN, ABC News, CBS News and Fox News only provide sharing via e-mail or as a distinct URL.
The embedded video files will not include advertising, at least initially, an msnbc.com spokesperson told Beet.TV
To mark the importance of this development for msnbc.com, a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal, The Nightly News with Brian Williams will broadcast live from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Joining Williams will be top brass from NBC News and msnbc.com
The activation of embed codes on the new msnbc.com player is part of Wednesday’s news, the other will be news of an expanded online version of the Nightly News. In a statement to Beet.TV, Catherine Captain, VP of Marketing at msnbc.com said:
"The new ‘Nightly News’ offers so much more than what you see in 30 minutes on
TV. This website allows
consumers to get the news of the day along with extended interviews, additional
story angles and ‘Nightly News’ web exclusives – new stories they can only find
online."
Beyond the implications for journalism, this is big news for digital media: It is full circle from the "wall garden" of destination portals. It is a new syndication model where professionally produced content can grow virally.
— Andy Plesser
