Jimmy Hutcheson: Future of Online Entertainment
Jimmy Hutcheson is the Founder and President of EgoTVonline.com, an online entertainment network that creates original shows focusing on celebrities, pop-culture, business, sports and music. It's "CNBC for an MTV generation". Jimmy talks about creating content for this new medium and the struggles of building a business from scratch. A new industry of web broadcast entertainment has sprouted out of the success of youtube and a host of other second and third movers into the online video space. Though it is yet unclear how large this industry will become, we're certain that viewers are spending a lot less time in front of the television and a lot more time online.
A Virtual Studio The challenge for Hutcheson and others is how to capitalize on this trend and capture some of the value it has created. Unlike YouTube, EgoTVonline is largely propped up by original content that it produces inhouse. It's technically considered a studio and its own network. The site is largely built off of original content from individuals such as celebrities, trainers, models ,TV personalities and the like. For example, I paroused the site recently and came upon a "Dr. 90210-style" docu-series called "Dr. Botox", a show that bluntly conveys the drama in the life of Dr. Kenny Siporin. This particular episode talked about his recent relationship with a 19 year girl whom he once had as a patient. Talk about mixing work and play!! The show is a take-off on the ever intriguing notion that Hollywood plastic surgeons have somehow become celebrities in their own right and have been just as able to dip their feet into the life of excess, starlets, sex, and partying that other real celebrities have been known to get involved with.
Some other note worthy shows I came across on EgoTV were "So Fresh and So Cheap" a style guide reality series that attempts to make fashionistas out of your every day person with a little help from the best thrift stores in America. "Dream Jobs", a show hosted by comedian Tom Arnold. Rather than showcasing traditional corporate jobs "Dream Jobs" looks at unconventional careers such as belly dancing, in a tongue and cheek, yet still respectable manner. And lastly "EgoScoop" hosted by Jason 'Gummi Bear' Davis, is a edgier version of E! News that gives a behind the scenes look into the life and times of Hollywood.
EgotTVonline has enough going for it to feed the ferocious appetites of even the biggest celebritaniac. We just hope that it is able to continue monetizing and figuring out a way to offer compensation for top talent. Because as we all know, in the world of entertainment nothing comes cheap. For Hutcheson, the magic formula has been to balance growth with low cost production and advertising.