Last January, I praised Google for a small, but important move: streaming their quarterly earnings webcasts via YouTube. For those of us that cover these calls, it’s at least a thousand times better than the alternatives that everyone else uses — namely Windows Media Player or RealPlayer streaming (both of which, quite frankly, suck). Over the past year, Google’s earnings have been comparatively a joy to cover thanks to this move. Not anymore.
Today, for no apparent reason, Google has gone back to relying on arch-nemesis Microsoft to provide the technology to stream their calls. I’ve emailed Google on the matter, but they’ll probably ignore it. They’re likely more concerned about their stock tanking right now due to mixed earnings results.
But this move is odd since Google has been gearing up to use YouTube more for live events — not just earnings calls, which should be relatively easy to stream, but massive concerts and individual’s shows as well. It’s also odd since they more or less hate Microsoft and want to remove them from the face of the Earth. But here they are propping them up and making life miserable for us in the media once again.
The best part of the switch back to Windows Media Player for streaming: it’s not working at all in Google Chrome (at least on the Mac).
We have to go back, Google. We have to go back!!!
Google provides search and advertising services, which together aim to organize and monetize the world’s information. In addition to its dominant search engine, it offers a plethora of online tools and platforms including: Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and Google+, the company’s extension into the social space. Most of its Web-based products are free, funded by Google’s highly integrated online advertising platforms AdWords and AdSense. Google promotes the idea that advertising should be highly targeted and relevant to users thus providing...
YouTube provides a platform for you to create, connect and discover the world’s videos. The company recently redesigned the site around its hundreds of millions of channels. Partners from major movie studios, record labels, web original creators, viral stars, and millions more all have channels on YouTube. YouTube is predominantly an ad-supported platform, but also offers rental options for a growing number of movie titles. YouTube was founded in 2005 by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim, who...
Austin, TX
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
