Yahoo
will begin showing
homemade videos on its online photo-sharing site, Flickr,
in a long-anticipated move that may be too late to lure
most people away Google 's YouTube.
Unlike Internet search, online video hasn't blossomed into
a big moneymaker yet. But it's expected to turn into a
marketing magnet as advertisers shift more of their
spending from television in pursuit of consumers who are
watching more entertainment and news online.
Yahoo already operates one of the Web's largest video
platforms, but most of its content is provided by media
outlets and other outside professionals.
Flickr's new technology is aimed at amateurs and hobbyists
looking for a better way to share short video clips with
family and friends.
Only Flickr's "pro" members - those who pay for a $24.95
annual subscription - will be allowed to transfer video
clips of up to 90 seconds or 150MB to the site, but anyone
will be able to watch them.
Flickr members will be able to organize and share videos
just like they do photos; they can upload videos to their
photostream along with their photos, and set their privacy
settings for friends, family or the world to see. Videos
will be moderated through a combination of Flickr team
review, community review and automated abuse-spotting
mechanisms.
The video service will be offered in English and seven
other languages: French, German, Italian, Korean,
Portuguese, Spanish and traditional Chinese.
"Video on Flickr is an extension of what Flickr is already
doing with more than 2 billion photos worldwide - providing
a place where people capture and share life's daily
moments," said Kakul Srivastava, general manager of Flickr
at Yahoo!. "Digital media has led to a new behavior
emerging in the market and people are much more likely to
shoot short video clips, essentially "long photos," with
their digital still cameras and mobile phones. There is a
great resonance between this new category of content and
with the kind of authentic, personal moments already being
shared on Flickr."