It was 9 years ago we went public with what was then the biggest first day jump in stock price in IPO history....
If you didnt know broadcast.com, or dont remember it, we were serving audio and video live and on demand to more than 1mm unique users per day in 1999. I dont even remember how many audio and video files we served per day, without 100mb or 10min limits, encoded up to 700k.
We had full length audio books, full length CDs, full length movies, TV shows. You name it. And unlike today, we actually got licenses for them before they were on our site.
We had preroll commercials. We had inserted commercials. We even inserted video commercials into audio files and streams.
And user generated content ? Yep. Mostly corporate, since back then thats who could afford the tools to edit video. Companies or individuals could upload full videos with synchronized slideshows and we even allows hot spots in the videos. And of course we gave you realitime statistics of how many people were watching your video, and if you required registration, which we offered, you knew exactly who was watching. We had companies that had ongoing "shows", like Breakfast with Dell and we have individuals who did their own thing and we hosted it.
Just think if we had put up a discussion forum and called ourself a Social Network. Its deja vu all over again.
If you want to take a trip down memory lane, here is our video , courtesy of bandwidth subsidy from Google Video (which i have no problem doing given how often our content is pirated on their websites and how much money we have to spend to policing their sites and sending and processsing the legal back and forth of takedown notices)
UPDATE: I decided to go back and dig up our PPT from our IPO roadshow. This was what we presented to potential investors. It is from July of 1998 and gives some more details of who Broadcast.com was and how we saw our business and opportunity. Enjoy !
Remembering Broadcast.com
Recent Posts
Reader Comments
(Page 2)22. broadcast.com was an amazing idea, I remember the first time I leanred about streaming, the concept of playing an audio track bit by instead of waiting for it to download blew me away.
to rob of post 21. It doesn't remind me of Enron because these guys had the ideas to back it up.
Posted at 12:11AM on Jul 17th 2007 by ben
24. Thanks for sharing/revisiting the history of broadcast.com. Talk about being WAY ahead of the curve...even today most of my friends are amazed that I have a webcam. Happy Anniversary!
Posted at 12:53PM on Jul 17th 2007 by Terry McCahill
25. That seemed like so long ago, yet somehow only yesterday. Wow things move fast. That was also back when I didn't really know how to make a Power Point presentation... but I didn't want to tell Mark that.
-DM
Posted at 1:27PM on Jul 17th 2007 by DM Burrows
26. mark, broadcast.com was way ahead of its time and would be one of the largest entertainment networks in the world today, a whole tv-like network worth tens of billions.
but you sold out to yahoo and yahoo destroyed broadcast.com into zero value
owning a bball team may be fun but anyone can own a team.
few can build a lasting company that changes the world
Posted at 7:51PM on Jul 17th 2007 by bcst ipo
27. LOL! Love it that even a smart businessman like you can miss the boat on something big. Sure you made more than a pocketful of change on the deal, but had the timing been different, and with a couple more components we all could be heading to broadcast.com not youtube!
I'm sure you are doing just fine anyways! I'm just glad that I'm not the only one that misses out on big time deals. For me it was when a friend told me about a chance to buy shares in a stupid board game. "Who the hell would want to play a game of trivia?" was my response. Yea, I think I own several editions of Trivial Pursuit! LOL!
http://IMHockeyNutz.blogspot.com
Posted at 10:34PM on Jul 17th 2007 by HockeyNutz
28. That's awesome Mark! Hope you get the Cubs.... "The Gravedigger" would be making a great call by selling to you.
Posted at 11:04PM on Jul 17th 2007 by Brad Newman
29. You had the right idea, albiet a few years too early. You cashed out in an extremely profitable way, and now you're in the sweet seat picking and choosing your next investments. All fantastic!
BUT -- when was the last time you sat down with someone who challenged you, and gave you the rush that you know means the "Next Big Thing??"
Mark, you sold to fools, but you are still investing in little things. When are you going to put your exceptional money next to your exceptional mouth???
-kevin
www.kevinglennon.com
Posted at 1:25AM on Jul 18th 2007 by Kevin Glennon
30. Didn't you host the 1999(?) Victoria Secret Fashion show too? I somehow remember it being hosted online (thought it was your website) and it got more hits in 1 hour than any other website...man!!!
Posted at 5:43PM on Jul 18th 2007 by Scott Burnell
31. I hope the sale of the Cubs goes well,just wondering when Pops is going to be the center the Mavs need? His athletic ability will reap big rewards down the road and hopefully bring the Championship home to Dallas!
Posted at 7:26AM on Jul 19th 2007 by Bryan Mathis
32. One lucky bastard...hahaha. smart + action + ("luck") = rich! No... there's no such thing as luck... it's all 'hardwork'. Cheers for the happy years from the MARKsman. U the Man Cuban! Go Mavs, I'm waiting championship baby!
Posted at 10:09AM on Jul 19th 2007 by MARKsmanship
33. Hey Mark,
The NBA is fixed and the feds have proof...when are we gunna hear you say "told you so"???
Posted at 12:13PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Matt
34. MARK, I am dying to hear your reaction on the recent FBI investigation on the NBA referee gambling on basketball games and possibly altering the outcomes. Sorry for not being relevant to this blog, Happy anniversary!!
Posted at 2:39PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Joel Guzman
35. You had some pretty rockin' hair there at the end, Mark.
Posted at 3:49PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Nick
36. Mark, any comment on the point-shaving news for the NBA today?
For a long time, you have been a lone voice among NFL owners justifiably criticizing NBA officiating. I think Commissioner Stern's policies of fining all complainers and stifling all dissent (rather than taking a good hard look at this issue) is what has brought us to this today.
Posted at 4:04PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Anthony Canale
37. YouTube must make you sick.
Turns out you were right about broadcast.com and right about refs fixing games.
Posted at 6:53PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Jeremy
38. Hey Mark...you STILL da man!
I know this is off topic...but they just found that there was a crooked ref in the NBA helping to fix games.
You don't suppose he helped officiate the Heat/Mav series do you??
I always thought that was the WORST officiating in the history of pro sports.
Posted at 9:17PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Glenn Condrey
39. I remember .... that you made a lot of people happy - with fatter wallets.
Posted at 9:37PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Kevin
40. This is about the news of the day, not BC.com, so I know I am off topic but....
Will this impact your decision to sell the Mavs? Your track record suggests that you usually sell near the top. See most recent post about bc.com. Is this too big to speak out about? I applaud you for taking on the fight against crap NBA refs, and I thought that the playoffs this year were a huge improvement over 2006. You do not need to say it, but the internet is being filled with posts as I type with people who know the 2006 playoffs were given to the Heat. Amazing how marginal Wade looked in the international tournament 1 month later. No NBA refs
Posted at 10:47PM on Jul 20th 2007 by Chris Price
21. Is anyone else reminded of Enron commercial videos, when watching this?
Posted at 8:19PM on Jul 16th 2007 by Rob Sandie