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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• ManiaTV shuts (inquisitr.com)

Ripe Content Coming

The Hollywood Reporter, in a downright flood of net-related news today, reports that Ripe Digital has signed a deal to distribute a bunch of original series.  (too bad they have allowed there to be an auto-play when you hit the link…bad form THR)

“The first series will be “Model Dating: Hawaii,” with comedian Jamie Kennedy on board as host. Debuting today, the ad-supported series will feature models dating viewers who write in to the show. Aaron and Peters also are in development on two other series for Ripe: “Are You In?” an “all-viewer-controlled online reality game show,” and “The One,” an interactive competition that looks for the next “it girl.”

I’m afraid there is a big trend out there with content providers who think the net is going to be the place to put all their second-tier (or worse) programming with the idea that, hey, it’s short so nobody really cares.  This might work for a moment but it will never build any kind of valuable properties for anyone.  It might make the site itself popular for a second or two, but that only lasts as long it takes to click away.