Owning a TV channel was out of reach for the vast majority of people, except for Silvio Berlusconi- likes. However, the internet today enables you to become a TV mogul easily and at no cost. Over the last two years, several online live broadcasting tools have appeared and have triggered the creation of thousands of channels by internet users.

Who’s who?

In the end, what it all boils down to is having a broadband connection, a web cam, a mic and some imagination to produce your own content. Having all of the above you can then broadcast from the operator’s website or export your video onto your blog, personal page, corporate website, etc.

Justin.tv, UStream.tv and Mogulus are three of the main actors in this industry, the first one having over a million members. Kyte and Qik differentiate themselves by offering the possibility to broadcast from your mobile phone, a functionality that greatly enhances the reactivity of this medium. There is plenty of room for growth especially since YouTube announced it will not move to live broadcasting. However, this sector is still in its infancy because all the protagonists are till looking for a valid and sustainable business model.

So what is the potential for marketing use?

Above all, it is important to keep in mind that it is a cheap and easy tool to use that can reach a massive online audience. Firstly, its nature makes a perfect fit into a viral marketing campaign because you can “spread the word”. Secondly, due to the community dimension of this tool, marketers can use it to detect new trends and behaviors, consequently adapting their marketing campaigns to customers. Thirdly, a brand could have its own TV channel or encourage its customers to develop a program regarding their products.

TV Channels biased?

A TV channel is a double edged sword that can either impact your sales or perhaps damage your image. But it is a tool that marketers can no longer ignore, in the end, marketing is all about controlled-risks, isn’t it?