User generated media sounds sexy and all that, but people forget that groups of users are more interesting than individuals –hence aggreggators, and social networks. So UGM is definitely going to have to contend with business generated media (for want of a better term) where groups of people may pool content. 

This Forbes story about Michael Eisner’s ‘peer-casting network,’ Veoh, suggests that it is trying not to be another YouTube, but a mix of content from individuals and businesses. If more businesses get it and get in, then we would probably see a Starbucks channel, or an Aveda channel with a twist –some of the content will be produced by  customers themselves. Don’t believe me? They do exist already in parody form. Check these Starbucks parodies on Grouper, a video blogging site.

If we are to be optimistic as this USA Today piece is, that marketers are beginning to understand the value of streaming video, the old TV networks may have to morph into broadband companies that just happen to have TV networks. What will the TV networks do? Partnering with marketers would be a start.