e-Media Interactive launches the First Caribbean IPTV Network - IPTV Venture Capitalism in the Year of the Dragon

eMedia Interactive, an offshoot of founder and CEO Tyrone Wilson of eZines Limited fame, has made history not only in Jamaica but the Caribbean by launching the first Regional IPTV Streaming Platform aptly titled  iVu Online Television Network as announced boldly in the article “First online TV network to hit the region”, Published Sunday January 15, 2012, The Jamaica Gleaner.

The Jamaica Observer seem a bit more enthused about the concept, making much of the significance of the 25 year old Tyrone Wilson, CEO of eMedia Interactive latest venture by actually doing a two (2) article spread as shown below:

• “eMedia launches online TV in Jamaica Part I”, published Friday, January 13, 2012, BY AL EDWARDS, The Jamaica Observer
• “eMedia Interactive launches online TV in Jamaica — Part II”, published Friday, February 03, 2012, The Jamaica Observer

Guess 2012AD is truly the Chinese Year of the Dragon as his US$350,000 start-up financing was secured sans collateral from Pan Caribbean Financial Services. Yep, no collateral at all, a head turner and a VERY BIG DEAL here in Jamaica not used to Venture capital start-ups that appear to mimic Facebook’s meteoric rise on the backs of another venture capital funded 25 year old, Mark Zuckerberg in the US of A.

Tyrone Wilson, CEO of eMedia Interactive’s bold vision for what is effectively an IPTV Streaming company can be felt emanating from his words captured so well in the Jamaica gleaner, quote: “With a single click, anyone, anywhere in the world, will have instant access to world-class content from the region. eMedia Interactive is very excited about this new initiative because we’re bringing to the Caribbean what Hulu has done for content providers around the world, but with an exclusive focus on regional content”.

This is the latest poke at Television Jamaica and CVM TV slowness to adopt to the rapidly changing media landscape, who if they are not careful may end up being caught in the crossfire or worse being food for bigger Media fishes as stated in my blog article entitled “LIME parent CWC partners with Avail-TVN to provide IPTV Streaming Service - War of The Worlds against Netflix ”with their only venture thus far being their respective launch of their Web Streaming portals.

Though apparently unconnected, when news broke of the departure of one of Television Jamaica brightest young female hosts Pepita Little of Intense of Television Jamaica as noted in the article “PEPITA NO LONGER ON INTENSE”, published Tuesday December 20 2011 by SHELDON WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Star, I made the connection immediately to Telecom Provider LIME which at the time had just announced the coming intended launch of their IPTV Streaming Platform powered by Juniper Networks with content provided by Avail-TVN.

The circumstances surrounding the reason for her departure (fight with a Manager over a common male interest, perhaps?) was most likely a smokescreen for a better salary and her own show on Telecom Provider LIME’s soon-to-be-launched IPTV Streaming Platform as surmised in my blog article entitled “LIME chooses Juniper Networks to rebroadcast Avail-TVN's Content - Pepita Little's Ghostbusters to capture Media Personalities”.

IPTV Streaming would be a better future for Entertainment Media in a World slowly Catching Fire (2013AD) Suzanne Collins with the concept of “TV Anywhere” and wanting to catch the exclusive news and Entertainment events as it happens.

Her singular departure is an event that may signal the coming mass-migration of Media Personalities from traditional Free-to-Air Media to subscription based start-up such as iVu Online Television Network set up under the newly minted IPTV Streaming License from the Broadcasting Commission, also attracted by the prospect of higher salaries.

Probably explained why Tyrone Wilson later said, quote: “There is no shortage of talented content providers, but currently they do not have the funding to take their projects to the next level for the enjoyment of viewers here and abroad, who can enjoy greater choice and better quality content. Our iVu online TV network is the best way to ensure that their content moves from the Caribbean to the world.”

Since then the following revelations have come to light that Television Jamaica’s Manager Kay Osbourne has resigned effective February 29^th 2012AD, a decision she had made since December 2011AD as suggested in the article “TVJ general manager resigns”, published Wednesday, February 01, 2012, The Jamaica Observer and the article “Kay Osbourne resigns”, published Feb. 1, 2012 - 6:59 pm, RJR News Online.

Possibly a first casualty of the coming IPTV Streaming Competition or merely an indication of her failing to secure the exclusive broadcast rights for London Olympics 2012AD as well as FIFA World Cup 2014AD. Two (2) very large losses for free-to-air Broadcaster Television Jamaica in terms of exclusive content rebroadcast and advertising revenue, exclusive rights that are Television Jamaica loss but a coupe for eight year old CVM TV, a subsidiary of Sauce communications, whose parent happens to be Triple Play Provider FLOW.

Meanwhile Triple Play Provider FLOW, already feeling the heat, has redoubled it efforts with a whopping US$30 billion investment over the next five (5) years in Jamaica as mentioned in the article “Flow to invest another J$30b in five years”, published Friday February 3, 2012 by Steven Jackson, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This is to finance the roll-out of their faster 300MBps Cable Broadband Internet as well as their 3D HDTV Channel Service as deduced in my blog article entitled “FLOW goes 3D HDTV as Netflix cometh - XFinity follow-on indicates Streaming's Deep Impact” and the Geezam Blog article entitled “FLOW goes 3D HDTV et al – Netflix to make FLOW Extinct”.

With iVu Online Television Network Premium and Free Channels available worldwide via a partnership with IPTV Streaming Set Top box maker Roku and Cloud-Platform Provider Brightcove, iVu Online Television Network is poised for greater things as 4G Internet expands both locally and in the Caribbean and aims for a worldwide audience as noted in my Geezam Blog article entitled “LIME, Digicel and FLOW – Leading the Global 4G Adoption Curve”

The last time I had done an article featuring CEO Tyrone Wilson, it was in relation to another venture of his in SMS (Short Messaging Service) Advertising and Marketing company named CoreTalk Caribbean Limited in the article entitled “Telecom Providers and SMS - CoreTalk, Raiders of the Lost Ark”.

That business CoreTalk Caribbean Limited was based on US$49.99 per month contract Subscription model based on information gleaned from an interview on Smile Jamaica with Carlette Deleon aka “Dilly” aka the Pet Tales Chick which was aired Thursday June 24, 2010 on Television Jamaica.

Ironic, as little did Television Jamaica know that they would be interviewing their potential competition and herald of the Death based on this swipe by CEO Tyrone Wilson, quote:  “Content is king and we need content in order to create traction. The iVu is a legitimate and transparent source for content producers to earn more for their efforts. The opportunities locally, lets face it are limited. Apart from TVJ and CVM there [are] very few places to go. iVu will allow content providers to reach a global market. I have found that around the world there is a strong demand for Jamaican content”

In fact, a quick check on the link above reveals that he had actually read and appeared interested in the article’s breakdown of his then fledgling company CoreTalk Caribbean Limited business model to the point of even commented on it, as I had suspected CoreTalk Caribbean Limited was a Twitter Clone.

Alas, little has since been heard of CoreTalk Caribbean Limited, possibly because Texting is as annoying as online banner ads and Pop-ups and are thus largely ignored by young people when they land on your phones, making them a poor choice for advertising.

Fast forward to 2012AD on the eve of the coming eleven (11) year cycles of Solar Flares on the sun as stated in my blog article entitled ‘Alternative Energy and the Coming Solar Maximum - The Lightning Thief” folks!

CEO Tyrone Wilson is still involved in his three (3) year old venture capital funded start-up, eZines Limited, which is a digitally published magazine based on a Subscription model which is delivered to customers via email, websites, blog as well as Blackberry and smartphone apps with the following youth oriented slant and titles:

• Your Money,
• Your Style
• Teen Spirit

Not sure if young people actually read, but it looks like the fame earned from his initial ventures an associated speaking engagements has secure him more venture capital support.

This evidenced from the composition of the Executive Board of this his latest (ad?)venture which consists of the following heavy hitters, one of whom, Richard Byles is also Chairman of Red Stripe Jamaica Limited and possibly the Influencer and Mentor who convinced Pan Caribbean Financial Services to cough up US$350,000 start-up financing secured sans collateral:

• Donovan Perkins, President and CEO of Pan Caribbean Financial Services
• Ross Sheil, Vice President eMedia Interactive (content)
• Richard Byles, Chairman of eMedia Interactive and CEO – Sagicor Jamaica
• Tyrone Wilson, Founder/CEO eMedia Interactive
• Sandra Glasgow, PSOJ CEO
• Tanya Miller, Sagicor Group VP for Marketing
• Sheree Martin, NCB General Manager for Marketing
• Karen Vaz, Sagicor Group VP for Information Technology

Guess this explains how he got the US$350,000 without collateral; in exchange for the cash, advertising deals and Executive Board positions in what is effectively Private Sector Companies “ganging up” on local free-to-air Broadcast options, which would explain in part Television Jamaica General Manager Kay Osbourne’s departure.

This action via these Corporate heavy-hitters joining the Executive Board of eMedia Interactive and its 25 year old CEO Tyrone Wilson was effectively an external vote from potential Corporate Clients of no-confidence in her leadership at Television Jamaica.

Curiously too, the details based on the Traditional Media about eMedia Interactive seem to suggest the following:

• Subscription of US$7.99 (approximately JA$780), matching Netflix as stated in my blog article entitled “Netflix coming to Latin America - Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer”
• US$59.00 Roku Set top Box, which iVu Online Television Network appears to be licensed to distribute in Jamaica and the Caribbean
• The Cloud-Platform Provider is Brightcove (where is Digicel Cloud Storage in this mix??)
• Content and advertising provided by partnerships with Corporate bigwigs and heavy-hitters in Media and Entertainment tired of free-to-air Broadcasting options
• Access to content from Netflix and Hulu (you mean the US feed? Cool!!!)
• Web Streaming Sites to go live in the first week of February 2012AD (suddenly I can  Television Jamaica and CVM TV simmering in the frying pan!)
• Smartphone apps later on, possibly by the Third Quarter of 2012Ad, possibly made on contract by Panmedia Jamaica Limited
• Premium content subscription i.e. 3D, 1080p HDTV exclusive content in 2013AD, possibly awaiting Telecoms Provider LIME and Digicel build-out of their HSDPA+ and eventually 4G Networks as stated in my blog article entitled “LIME's US$80 million Caribbean HSDPA+ Release 7 Upgrade - Sonic the Hedgehog” and  “Digicel's US$85 million HSDPA+ and WiMax 4G Upgrade - Wizards of Waverly Place Fast Five Showdown”
• Content and lucrative advertising partnerships with Private Sector companies apparently fed up with expensive advertising rates from the limited free-to-air Broadcasters Television Jamaica and CVM TV in exchange for more venture capital funding appears to be in the works

Parting shots, anyone?

Take this quote from Tyrone Wilson in The Jamaica Observer on for size, quote “We not only offer content providers a chance to earn from their content online; protection and enforcement of their intellectual property rights online; but also a chance to reach a global market – why should a Cabbie Chronicles or a Contender not also be watched or syndicated in other markets such as the United States and or South Africa? iVu gives them that opportunity”.

iVu Online Television Network will be a success as it piggy-backs its expansion plan on the coming expansion of the Telecoms Providers HSDPA+ (High Speed Downlink Packet Access Plus) Wireless Broadband Networks and eventual ramp up to LTE (Long Term Evolution). Television Jamaica and CVM TV are to be the first casualties slain by this youngest and first of a coming wave of IPTV Streaming content Providers by the end of 2012AD, the Year of the Dragon.