Los Angeles
– Ustream, a provider of live video webcasting services, has introduced a new
pay-per-view offering that will allow its stable of webcasters to charge for
access to live streaming events, NewTeeVee reported. The first such webcast
will be offered by comedian Dane Cook, who will charge $5 for access to a live
stream of the final show from his "Isolated Incident" stand-up tour
in Miami on
Saturday, Feb. 6. The fee includes the show in addition to a pre-show chat with
Cook and behind-the-scenes footage.
Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u5wja
(NewTeeVee)
Clearly, Dane Cook and uStream wrote the book on this subject. Here’s my personal experience with paying for, and then trying to watch the Dane Cook Isolated Incidents Miami show (broadcast live on Sat., Feb 6th) on a delayed or archived basis:
The first promo inviting viewers to purchase access to the Dane Cook Feb. 6th
live show stream stated that archived viewings buy preshow paid viewers would be allowed on uStream until midnight on Monday, Feb. 8th. When I logged onto the Dane Cook uStream URL briefly yesterday (Sunday, Feb 7th) there was a statement in big type stating that viewers who had purchased access could view the
archived show ANYTIME!! I am now (Mon., Feb. 8th at 3 PM PT) attempting to view the show and the uStream – Dane Cook page says that the show is “Off Air” and I am not able to access it. Do I need to point out that this is extremely unprofessional handling of this livestream offering? Obviously purchasers should have been notified via
email of the determination to discontinue archived broadcasts and what the viewing access deadline would be. This gesture would have been appropriate in light of the SERIOUSLY conflicting info that was posted in the pre and post-show phases. Dane and uStream have provided a textbook example of “How Not To” manage paid live internet streams. There is no logic to stopping a paid customer from viewing the archived show. With internet content producers/providers bemoaning their inability to monetize offerings, behavior such as uStream’s in this case merely alienates future participation by the PAYING customers who have been mistreated and yet the industry says they so badly want to cultivate!