FAQ

 

Q&A with NATHAN SASSOVER
Founder / CEO
WorldNetCast.com

1) What is the aim and target audience of WorldNetCast.com?

We view ourselves as a media catalyst in redefining the dynamics of the TV network affiliate system originating in the 1950's --a hub and spoke architecture of network content being distributed to local affiliates who then develop their own local content resources. Our approach unifies the branding of local TV channels by eschewing the 'alphabet soup' of local station call letters in favor of actual proper names of locales. This is combined with hyper-local video content and highly targetable advertising via location-based channel groups conjoined with demographically targeted vertical channels. Within each metro channel a local search brand, YellowPagesTV, www.YellowPagesTV.com - in Beta, provides local TV advertising within Yellow Pages directory search in all territories worldwide.

2) What is your programming like?

All of our location-based channels worldwide are developed with community editorial and marketing partners and we look to essentially 'broadcast enable' the community which is comprised of residents, local government, economic development, tourism groups, arts and culture constituents all of whom contribute to the content flow of programming. WorldNetCast will also provide live 'on the scene' coverage in each geo-specific region which develops locally relevant programming as we establish content partners who maintain relevance with topical news coverage on all levels, very much like a daily newspaper, weekly or monthly magazine but with the power of Internet TV to drive viewership.

3) How did it come about, why, when, how?

WorldNetCast has evolved over time very much at the pace of broadband availability globally, and now our affiliate channels are being launched in phases to empower the local / regional communities with an Internet TV venue and content platform plus world class technology, infrastructure, distribution and marketing so that the most relevant and timely programming and issues of importance are broadcast on these TV channels with the sense of local/regional community identity we believe they empower. With a dedicated TV channel built by the community we see our location-based channels becoming a vital communications system, the nucleus of interactive dialogue for the benefit of local residents as well as those visiting or considering the lifestyle advantages, commercial and cultural opportunities of the region.

Our network is comprised of macro and micro-channel groups from continent based, www.LatinAmericaTV.com, www.CentralAmericaTV.com to major metros, www.NewYorkCityTV.com, www.LALocalTV.com. www.SFLocalTV.com to state channels, www.NevadaTV.com, www.OregonTV.com to overseas regional channels, www.BeneluxTV.com, www.FarEastTV.com, www.BeijingTV.com.cn, www.OceaniaTV.com to zip code clustered affluent communities, www.HollywoodHillsTV.com, www.BelAirTV.com, www.PalmSpringsTV.com etc.

4) How long has it been in operation and what is the subscriber base? How do you make money?

We've been placing channels online in groups over the past two years. Because of the use of the actual proper names of locales for our channels, the channels are more intuitively recalled, and so we get incoming links from all types of tourism promotion, economic development entities and of course direct traffic from those typing the names of our channels by location. It really is natural language structure based on geography. The main network, www.WorldNetCast.com drives traffic as well, based on our global map structure which eases the navigation process. All of this we feel will engage search engine presence over time. As an example, a Google search for WorldNetCast will yield over 17,500 entries which is comprised of our affiliate channel listings, effectively a Google-based TV Guide for the network.

WorldNetCast is advertising based and has reached profitability, which is unusual for an Internet video venture. We have been fortunate in communicating our advantages as a real Internet television network with relevant viewers who have real 'geographic equity' in their community as opposed to massive video browsing channels with transitory audiences that are usually not really connected as members of a specific local/regional area, and in truth, use social video sites like a cocktail bar.

We work with ad agencies like Advertising.com (division of AOL) Instream, Digitas and other media and communications groups who have integrated WorldNetCast channels into their marketing and branding initiatives.

Video advertisers include global brands and national advertisers such as: American Express, Ford Motor Co., ABC Television Network, Geico Insurance, Procter & Gamble (multiple brands), GlaxoSmithKline, Cingular, LG Electronics, Southwest Airlines, US Postal Service, Netflix, Disney, Sotheby's Intl Realty, ReMax Realty, Holiday Inn, Starwood /SheratonHotels, Embassy Suites, the Food Network cable channel, and an array of financial / medical / healthcare groups.

5) How do you see the business developing - will there be documentaries, TV presenters, a 24-hour service, news etc?

WorldNetCast, as the network hub linked to hundreds of location-specific channels, will benefit from a flow of bi-directional programming, some originating at the network level and some relevant to a broader audience, although originating at the local/regional level through our affiliate channels. A good example is our WorldNetCast news portal, www.USNewsTV.com which provides a TV venue with continuously updated video-based news from WorldNetCast content partners including Reuters, CBS, The Wall Street Journal, and other editorial affiliates along with text-based news from all major national / regional network, cable TV, online news sources, from all newspapers and news agencies worldwide.

We have direct links now which also provide programming diversity driven by a flow of RSS feeds as well as video blogs. WorldNetCast's near term objectives also includes broadcast of the entire group of over 700 channels to all mobile platforms via our affiliate, www.NetMobileTV.com, the mobile television network. Our social media channel, www.BloggerTV.com is in Beta and we feel is an important part of our long term programming equation.

6) Do you/will you produce your own content?

We have content partnerships which provide video content across all of our channels and much of it is original and unique to WorldNetCast.

The mix of programming, as with our other location-based channels, will be comprised of both local resident user-generated content and of course, professionally produced programming from a diverse group of content providers within the region like economic development groups, tourism agencies, and local corporate / leisure / hospitality groups and the arts community all of whom should have an editorial identity within the respective channels of their community. These are the real catalysts of the network...they know their local community far better than we ever will so we encourage them to proactively give the channel relevance because it's there for them to build with our assistance since all of these groups have genuine, deep ongoing links to the region.

7) Do you see any tie-ups with production houses or other programming brands - e.g., the National Geographic Channel, discovery, History Channel etc?

There are so many other ways to get that programming, and we're taking a less traditional approach in saying that broadcast/cable/satellite TV provides an environment which is more suitable for these conventionally distributed TV brands which now come re-packaged for online viewing from numerous sources. It's not part of our strategy.

8) Do you see yourselves in competition - now or in the future - with existing TV networks in North America or overseas on any level? operators - for example Comcast, Time Warner, BBC?

No, as I indicated, these TV venues have established their franchises with a different approach which we believe will continue to guide their future strategies. Like all terrestrial / cable or direct satellite broadcasters, they are still wedded to their original premise, which is program viewing 'by appointment. ' If you're not in front of your TV at the specified time, you wait for it to come around again. It's really quaint when you think about it but not the future of TV, as is being shown by the attrition rate of conventional TV viewing worldwide - all Internet attributable. Currently, major TV network efforts are still in limbo between iTunes downloads and their own sites which offer segments or time delayed episodes of their network episodic series as well as alliances with new services which act as re-broadcasters within their own brand identity. This mainstream content will be accessible via a multiplicity of video sites.

The most tangible and significant difference I would say is that WorldNetCast and all of our affiliate channels, are far more transparent... there's the ever present interactive aspect and immediacy of connectivity with other members of the community, ranging from citizen video journalists, community leaders addressing the economic, political and cultural identity issues, the arts community... these are just a few examples which provide a greater sense of 'you are there' - a geographic location, a locale... more presence and deeper richer more timely involvement with the local region and its population.