Amazon Announces Six Pilots, Time Warner Invests Big in Maker Studios. Has Digital Content Finally Arrived?

In the entertainment trade websites today there were two big announcements that might indicate that we have finally reached the point where digital content is now a major player in the entertainment industry.  In today’s Variety it was reported that Time Warner has led an investment round of $36million for a 25% stake in Maker Studios.  Maker is one of the leading web based Entertainment outlets, and this investment round puts the valuation of the company at $144million.  That’s real money people!  It should be interesting to see what they do with this round of investment.

Another significant announcement today is that Amazon Studios has greenlit six comedy pilots for Amazon.com’s new programing initiative.  Amazon’s interest in breaking into the content world is not something new but it’s clear now that they are committed to being a player and all signs point to a larger investment in the coming years.

When you add this in with the efforts of Netflix, Machinema and You Tube, it’s clear that producing content for digital platforms is here to stay.  What does this mean for Oregon?  It means opportunity.  While everyone hopes for the big score of financing from a television network or a major film studio, there are other options now.  And those options might just be better fits for our expanding industry.  So in answering my own question – Has digital content finally arrived?  I say emphatically yes!  And it’s arrival is a great opportunity for Oregon if we act now on the opportunity.

-Vince Porter

 

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