The Internet is now becoming a place where images and video are as important as text content. So IMDb’s attempt to go Web 2.0 is much overdue but exciting nonetheless.
In a move that should really have been made a long time ago, long-time Internet must-bookmark website IMDb (Internet Movie Database) is now offering video to its legions of users.
IMDb – Now In Web 2.0
IMDb has been in existence since 1990, before most of us were even using the Web, but while traffic has been great, the site has been stuck in some kind of Web 1.0 world of static graphics and text-only pages.
But no longer. The site, which offers information on every film ever made, and every actor who has ever been in a film, now offers full television episodes, full movies, and film trailers… all for free.
Free Content
Instead of asking users to pay for the privilege, which they probably wouldn’t do so anyway, IMDb is using an advertising revenue based model which sees all content being free thanks to commercial breaks and banner ads being ever present.
There will also be links to buy or rent the content via the Amazon On Demand service, as well as links to purchase the DVD through the Amazon online retail store.
Amazon Influence
Amazon purchased IMDb last year and has been working towards this goal ever since. The content will be provided by CBS, Hulu, Sony Pictures, and over 500 independent film-makers.
This means that new shows such as Knight Rider, Chuck, and 30 Rock will be available on the site, as well as big hits such as 24, Heroes, and The Office. Movies initially available range from relatively recent releases such as Fever Pitch and Master and Commander, to classics such as Fiddler On The Roof and Some Like It Hot.
Ultimate Goal
IMDb isn’t stopping there however, with Col Needham, founder and directing manager of the site openly stating:
“Our goal is to show our users every movie and TV show on the Internet for Free on IMDB.com.”
If that dream does indeed become reality then IMDb could soon become even more of a necessity than it already is. With several content partners in place and the promise of more to follow, IMDb could outdo Hulu and the others at their own game.
Conclusions
As usual, the content is limited to US viewers only due to the archaic licensing system in place. So all of us who live outside of the States will be seeing “this video is not available in your country” on the site a lot from now on.
This seems to be a dream coupling – a heavy trafficked website established on the Web, with video partners providing advertising-supported content for free. Should Google and YouTube be worried?
[Blorge]
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