Michael Arrington of Techcrunch investigates Web 2.0 for it´s bubble characteristics, interviewing startup CEOs and executives.
Participants are Aaron Cohen (Bolt),
Scott Milener and Steven Lurie (Browster),
Keith Teare (edgeio),
Steven Marder (Eurekster),
Joe Kraus (JotSpot),
Jeremy Verba (Piczo),
Auren Hoffman (Rapleaf),
Chris Alden (Rojo),
Gautam Godhwani (Simply Hired),
Jonathan Abrams (Socializr),
David Sifry (Technorati),
Matt Sanchez (Video Egg)
and Michael Tanne (Wink).

Here´s the piece (perfect chance to give a try to Brightcove)

New entry on regular blog reading list is Personalize Media by Gary Hayes, Director of the Laboratory for Advanced Media Production. He answers the question of the actual change of corporate media´s mindset in a post today rather by the evolutionary modell than by the revolutionary one. Surely the right take on whats happening these days. As I wrote i my latest Paper to Disney´s evolutionary move in Spring this year

Just as this paper is being written Disney announced another major step towards the demise of the windowing system. From May 2006, Disney’s ABC network will make top TV programmes available free on the internet in a two-month trial offer on a revamped website. Available for download over a broadband internet connection following their network premieres, this is a serious offence against network affiliates and subscription services, which traditionally share the same revenue source of advertising. [...]
Overall one can say that there are right now dozens of formattings being tested and thought of. Digital Platforms give programmers all features at hand, one can imagine. What will stay after this first innovation period will be determined by the viewers will.

So further indications of that will are now given. As the Reuters report Gary is pointing to says

That compares with typical ad recall of about 40 percent for commercials viewed on television, industry sources said.
Disney said a survey showed that more than 50 percent gave positive ratings to the advertising experience, which required them to click through interactive ads to watch the shows.
The average age of the online audience for the ABC shows was 29, almost evenly split between men and women and more than half were college educated, the survey showed.
Most Web viewers tuned in from home and watched episodes on their desktop computers within 24 hours after they aired on television. The top reason given for viewing online was because users had missed the episode on TV, Disney said.

Those are the silent news that accompany any evolution.

I’ve just arrived back from London, where I attended the first User Generated Content Summit. Mintdigital was inviting to the cheery location of the Visionarium just next to Regent Street on what seemed to be the hottest day ever in London. Panel was interesting, with short presentations from Telewest and their troublehomegrown platform, MTV and Mints own Bloombox project. With no doubt, one highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Bloombox, a box where thousands of ideas have a place to flourish. If you’d like to take a peek, simply go to www.bloombox.tv and find out yourself.
Most important to me was seeing how the UK folks approach the user generated topic in comparison to what current TV does for example (which I have met during my stay in NYC in April this year). Apart from having gripping discussions with people from production companies, agencies and finance, I furthermore learned key things as how London people walk their dog or what a washing machine sounds like from inside;).
From user cash over the grainy appearance of user generated video to broadcasters strategic issue of positioning themselves in this hype – we’ve been talking about all that stuff. I tell you, London is brewing and they know what the whole thing is about!

Due to the success of the event, mint has already announced plans for a second, more specific event this fall. I’m curious on what we may have achieved in that area by then!