Looks like YouTube has finally met its match with the entry of french-based video production hub DailyMotion in the internet video scene. DailyMotion, a french-based internet video sharing site has signed a licensed programming deal with RDF USA, one of the world’s largest and fastest growing production company. RDF USA produces shows such as ABC’s Shaq’s Big Challenge, The Two Correys, Don’t Forge the Lyrics to name a few.
The deal would add to the already successful traffic that DailyMotion has been getting since it was launched. The site, boosting of 37.5 million unique users worldwide, 3.2 million in the U.S. in May. It even beat YouTube in France in terms of usage. RDF USA’s head of digital division, Max Benator was excited about the deal saying:
It’s really exciting because they have amazing traffic. It’s been untapped by the entertainment community, so we see this as a great opportunity to be one of the first producers to get access to those eyeballs.
Initially, RDF USA will be delivering eight program concepts for shortform videoprogramming to DailyMotion for one year.
Sounds impressive eh? Just by looking at the numbers of DailyMotion, seems like the video sharing portal is something for YouTube to reckon with. That is if YouTube would actually mind DailyMotion ‘s existence after all. But then, looking deeper into the scenario, professionally produced, canned videos is not really the meat of YouTube’s video database. Its more of the user-generated, spontaneous type of videos which make it click to its userbase.
DailyMotion, on the other hand although it also relies on user-generated and uploaded videos, the mere look of its portal denotes professionalism-hollywood type of videos. And this might actually turn off potential US based users. YouTube’s free-for-all kind of video sharing policy is the key to its success and it would take a lot of effort from other video sharing site to replicate this feat. DailyMotion should have encouraged more user-generated raw and yet creatively produced videos rather than contracting a professional video production companies to populate its site. That’s not what internet video is all about, but more of internet TV.
But as DailyMotion’s GM for operation, Joy Marcus said:
Our goal is to take this big bucket of user-generated content and make it a meaningful entertainment experience for the watcher.
And that’s why they need RDF USA’s production expertise.
