Content Syndication - Distribute your content & make money

Continuing on the topic of revenue generation for online video, let's spend some time on content syndication. This is perhaps a great way of generating revenue for content providers both for established and new entrants. But first, for some definitions.

• What is content syndication? The ability for content owners to distribute their content on various channels and in the process make revenue off it. Comic strips are great examples, writers pen the strips and then they are distributed on various newspapers.

So, how is content syndication of help to content owners. Till date, the best way to distribute high quality video content is via TV (4 broadcast channels and around 100 odd cable), Cinema theaters, DVD. But with the advent of the web, the number of distribution channels are literally limitless. All we need is a way to bundle the content (e.g. video) in a form that is consumable on the web site. Examples-

1. You could do this via "ad units" on a web site - Google has started an initiative adsense for videos (apparently on sites such as AdVersus.com according to NY Times article).
2. Or the web site could "embed" the video and pay royalty fee to the owner. E.g. a local newspaper could "syndicate" national feed from CNN or NY Times for certain articles.

The content can be distributed via a video ad network which is responsilble for providing

1. Marketplace functionality
2. Ad placement in the video
3. Sharing of ad revenue with the content owner.

Companies such as Brightcove, Roo networks, and Maven networks are playing in this field.