SAI: How much time do you think you have to sign deals, get customers and build scale?
Ferber: The next six months are important for us. If we get another slug of money and more content, then we’re a player. This is what we’ve done with limited assets. We’ve been open for six weeks and we just started marketing. We are getting thousands of new users a month with no advertising.

Newsflash: $15M is limited assets these days.

One thing Scott is right on:

“deal-making is only getting tougher — he says content owners want guaranteed money with their customary ad splits.”

Yep, you better believe that… and not many content owners will have enough leverage to command guarantees.  I’ve outlined the different models of revenue for online video, and I’ve explained why there is such a thing as diminishing returns with incremental distribution.

As a content producer, I love seeing more distributors getting into the space, especially when they’re launched by accomplished media and advertising guys like Ferber, but you know the saying: previous performance does not guarantee future success…

More:

- Advertising vs. Licensing Revenue Models for Video Content Owners
- Successful Revenue Models for Video Content Libraries
- Does the Law of Diminishing Return Apply to The Theory of Content is King?

Disclosure: WatchMojo.com provides content to Joost, Hulu et al.