Besides Internet advertising, an industry that should only grow in the next few years, the greatest potential for monetization on the Internet will likely come from having (or having the rights to) original or unique content. In 1990, Sony Entertainment purchased M-G-M Grand Studio, home of Columbia/TriStar Pictures. Not only did the company acquire the rights to some of the greatest classic movies ever made, including the “James Bond” series and “Rocky,” but they have also gone on to release blockbusters like “Spiderman” and “Jumanji.”Â? Sony’s collection of colour movies is considered to be the greatest in the world, and Sony’s greatest asset.

Although controlling content is important, all that really provides is potential revenue. With declining revenues from movie theatres and movie rentals, and as the consumer shifts towards online access to media, entertainment companies will have to find ways to capitalize on that potential. ABC has started streaming some of their most popular shows the day after they air - with a catch. The shows are free, and the user can skip through chapters in the episode, but the showÂ? willÂ? have streaming commercials that can’t be skipped. Again, this is definitely an important step in capitlizing on content, but it still requires users.

When News Inc. purchased MySpace, they purchased a userbase of over 70 million that could be used to capitlize on. Currently, the site seems to be focussing on online ads, however, expanding on their revenue model has to be a priority - a $580 million priority. AOL/Time Warner is rumoured to be expanding on their AIM service with their own social networking platform, currently dubbed “AIMSpace.” These companies control an amazing amount of original content that provides huge potential - and they both have the online userbases to capitalize.

When AIMSpace was first announced, we thought it was interesting the way those at AOL seemed to be downplaying the importance of the product, and more importantly, the implications of AIMSpace being a “MySpace Killer.” It wasÂ? a fair comment made by Ted LeonsisÂ? that the AIMSpace shouldn’t be thought of “as a killer of anything, let along MySpace,” but we have to wonder, is this product being developed without any concern or interest of competing with MySpace?

AIM has it’s own set of dedicated users, and really, there is no need to try and convert MySpace users to AIMSpace users - not only will there be a significant number of overlap in the users, if AIMSpace is developed properly, it will just be a natural move for AIM users to slowly move away from using MySpace. But consider for a moment that AOL doesn’t care about that at all. AIMSpace, or any analogous website for that matter,Â? Â? is possibly the most effective way to capitalize on the potential of Time Warner’s content. Direct access to individuals that not only are viewers, but through their interactions on AIM and everywhere else on the net, can become the most powerful network of marketers, either through links or recommendations.

It’s been stated repeatedly that feeding the MySpace beast is almost aÂ? sure-fire wayÂ? for a start-up to be successful. What if a company like AOL/Time Warner was clever enough to capitlize on one of their main competitor’s websites while promoting and monetizing their own digital content. It would be absolutely brilliant.Â?

WillÂ? News Inc.Â? have toÂ? consider taming, or at least controlling,Â? their beast?

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