For proof that the viewer wants to be in charge, look no further than the Summer Olympics. Not only did the opening ceremony in Beijing have a gigantic DVR audience of 3.25 million viewers, but NBC said 40% of its online viewers used the Web to view events they had first seen on TV.

With only a week left in the 2008 election season, we can begin to take a look at the role online marketing played in the candidates' overall strategies. While the total amount spent online will likely disappoint those in the industry who thought this would be an absolute breakout year from a spending allocation perspective, on balance both candidates have taken advantage of the latest online has to offer. But, this being the Video Insider, we have to review the candidates' utilization of our favorite medium: online video. Aside from creating good YouTube channels, there hasn't been much done outside …

With Election Day less than two weeks away, there still remains a large contingency of undecided voters. Traditionally, television gets most of the budget during the entire election cycle. No doubt, TV is a powerful medium because of its reach and its ability to engage at an emotional level with pictures and sound. But are political media buyers missing a big opportunity by not utilizing the full resources of online video advertising? I think that presidential, gubernatorial, and ballot initiative campaigns can reach and engage swing voters in these final days at an even greater level via online video advertising …

Back in 2000, as CEO of the then-fledgling Klipmart, I was banging my head against the walls of several agencies trying to explain how video could be placed in banner ads to create a richer ad experience that cut through the clutter. At the time, the idea sounded alien. I would launch into a presentation about how video, the most engaging and emotive tool one can use, could be placed within an ad, and auto-streamed to targeted users, only to be greeted by tilted heads and blank stares. At the time there were maybe two companies in the space. Then, …

For more than 30 years, traditional television has provided one of the best ways for brands to reach audiences, as millions of people tuned in at a predetermined time to watch their favorite shows. Television started with comedies, added dramas and mini-series -- and eventually, with cable, cinematic movies. Today, total television ad sales are close to $80 billion a year.

Online video can open new streams of revenue or new ways of connecting with customers and other constituents. But delivering multimedia online represents an investment that goes beyond initial production costs. It's not enough to make a video -- you need to be sure that the content you created is the content your visitors actually see, without delays or disruptions that disappoint viewers, and undermine the value of your investment.

Wow, that was quick! Having been an outspoken proponent of the invincibility of online advertising, I didn't expect to see the credit crisis affecting the industry any time soon. However, the impact is already becoming clear -- and it is happening in a non-intuitive way. Essentially, online ad dollars are not being reduced, they are simply being reallocated. Three factors seem to be at the root of this phenomenon.

In filmmaking -- regardless of whether the content is short- or long-form documentary or short- or long-form feature for theatrical distribution -- all forms of digital technology are converging to further the art and craft of making and delivering motion pictures.

You heard it here first: the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup will be the most watched sporting event in history. OK, maybe not, but there could very well be a resurgence in viewership this year because of the Web. Last week, NHL.com announced that with a $169 subscription to Gamecenter Live, consumers will be able to watch every game live, enabling them to simultaneously watch four games and get access to stats and fantasy hockey results. Though the price may seem a bit steep, every hockey fan I know is a bit crazy to start with anyway.