Ripe Digital’s Downfall Had Obvious Cause

I was just reading about Ripe Digital, one of a slew of original digital content creators founded in recent years, filing for bankruptcy.  They follow in the footsteps of 60Frames and ManiaTV.

While I am sure their founders are blaming the economy I think the answer is far less obtuse.  According to NewTeeVee, Ripe Digital raised over $45 million in financing.

Ripe Digital was focused on creating entertainment for dudes with the online networks RipeTV, OctaneTV and FlowTV, featuring such shows as Sexy Road Test, Funk Flex TV and Pauly Shore’s America.  LINK

And there it is – one cannot hope to recoup $45 million on a slate where the biggest draw is Paul Shore.  It’s not that there isn’t money to be made in this space, it’s just that it is wildly unrealistic to think in terms of tens of millions of dollars.  Those who succeed in original online video will do so by radically reducing overhead, staffing and all the other acoutremonts of the old media world.

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