Google is Charging for Downloads
Google is brilliant at finding ways to monetize the distribution of digital content. Today they are allowing "partners" on YouTube to charge for downloads. They are not yet getting a cut from the fees as it is an experiment. Watch and learn from Google. There are many parallels to what is happening with the distribution of AEC content and the distribution of music and video content.
Almost as interesting as the announcement is the flurry of comments posted -- most of which we in the industry would expect as the first wave but sprinkled in between are some like:
JoshL - February 12th, 2009 at 3:44 pm PST
Yeah! Totally lame that content providers might want to make money off their content!
Do you whine about iTunes charging for downloads? Same thing, different application.
We just need to clone more Joshes . . . This is REALLY going to be interesting to follow.
Posted by: Cathleen Duff | February 16, 2009 at 03:56 PM