ChasNote

From TechCrunch, which takes a look at Nielsen NetRatings numbers over the past few months. Andreessen was right, the strike is launching digital video into the mainstream. Add that to the cancellation of the Golden Globe Awards (the Oscars might be next) and NBC giving money back to advertisers, the Writers’ strike will go down as the turning point for video online.

Josh Quittner’s latest Techland column at Fortune picks up on Marc Andreessen’s theory that the writers’ strike “is killing an entire season of TV shows. And quite possibly the next season as well. Which will drive even more people to the net, especially kids” to get their video entertainment.

I agree (and Josh quotes me in the piece, too):

Edwards says that, while the near-term effect of the writers’ strike is hard to parse, he believes that in the coming months and years, Net TV will pay off — mainly because advertising dollars will increasingly flow there. “Premium online video has always sold well,” he says. “Big brand advertisers for years haven’t been able to find enough video inventory that they consider ‘quality.’ I do think stumbling TV ratings (both from the Tivo effect and from the writers’ strike) will drive more video ad dollars online — it literally has to. Ratings that drop fast mean networks are giving advertisers part of their money back, and digital will benefit.”

At the time of the interview, I thought that last line was a tad hyperbolic. Usually under-performing networks “make good” to advertisers with a bunch of free spots, rather than actually giving money back. And then I saw this, NBC plans to give money back. Tough times in TV.