If There Were a Google/BrightCove Deal
As now updated in Silicon Valley Insider, Google is not or has not, or will not purchase BrightCove, this according to Dan Rayburn.
A BrightCove client gave me an ear full several months back about their view of the platform
"I know I alluded to the new API being completely for programmers only. Brightcove will call it "sophistication", but synonymous with that word is another one: snobbery (in our case, tech snobbery). The thing I appreciate about it is at least they're transparent about their elitism. Look at it like this: in an era where it's becoming more about simple-yet-effective apps, Brightcove's taken their platform in an entirely opposite direction. The unfortunate thing is, as a result, if you REALLY want to get your money's worth, you can't just hire for the creative -- you've got to hire a programmer who knows their way around the API".
Whatever your position about BrightCove they would certainly realize a net gain from being brought in under the large Google umbrella, the more interesting question is what would be in it for Google say beyond the BrightCove customer base?
Much has been written about Google's burn rate with respect to YouTube, What BrightCove wanted to be when they first launched. Will Youtube have to start charging for content if they are going to trim their 50Million plus dollar per year streaming costs? Perhaps this will take the form of a tiered system where there are always cats falling out of trees just in SD and for just a minute or two...but with HD content and longer form fare becoming their paid model, perhaps it will be something that competes with Netflix though they currently do not have a hardware solution so I am not sure of the value proposition for watching movies on my large home set is?
