Abstract
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This chapter explores web series as a maturing form of the online video
phenomenon. It will look at web series networks as emerging markets with new
cross-platform distribution, new marketing models, and emerging business
models within a new industry. Although web series can hardly be regarded as a
“new” phenomenon — the first original online video series came out in the mid-
90s — it remains an emerging market in 2012. The community has not managed
to find a sustainable business model to capitalise on the potential and promise of
cheaper production tools, rapidly increasing bandwidth, and the vastly expanding
global online video audience. Nevertheless, there is reason for optimism from
mainstream media, perhaps as reactions to growing success of the independent
and entrepreneurial efforts in the web series community.
This chapter looks at the potential benefits that online TV networks and dedicated
web series networks offer for emerging content makers. It will show how they
provide alternative and additional platforms to video aggregator sites like YouTube and, in turn, how these networks, and independent series and their
creators are pushing the boundaries of emerging genres for mainstream media,
on new and existing platforms. This chapter does not speculate too far into the
future, but rather explores current and ongoing debates and developments, with a
look at the historical progress of web series.