Streaming Media East Finds Video Industry on the Upswing
"For the first time in a couple years, I think it's really a sense of hope and optimism. I know the past couple years, not only at Streaming Media shows, but just in general with the economy and the way that business has been sliding, it's been a lot of folks hedging their bets and saying, 'We're not going to invest. We're going to kind of wait and see what happens,'" said StreamingMedia.com contributor Jose Castillo. Interviewed as this year's Streaming Media East conference was winding down, he explained how the show gave evidence of an industry on the upswing.
"It's interesting at this show, here in New York, to see some money start to flow a little bit," Castillo added.
Evidence that the streaming industry was climbing away from a few bad years was everywhere, from major deals (such as Google acquiring Next New Networks) to personnel changes.
This year's show included a broadband device pavilion, where attendees could go hands-on with over 20 set-top boxes, consoles, and other connected devices. Castillo liked having the products of so many people's hard work on display.
HTML5 video was one of the major themes of the show, and while Castillo saw much interest in it, he noted that many were taking a cautious approach.
"I think some people have really embraced it and are trying to move it ahead, and I think other folks are still playing the wait-and-see game or being forced to use it in various segments," Castillo noted.
Scroll down to see the entire red carpet interview with Jose Castillo.
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