Break's Richman on the Importance of Distribution

In the must read department, Break.com CEO Keith Richman points out in an Ad Age article that even in today’s long tail, hyper-syndicated media environment distribution and marketing are still critical:

At the very least, I think it is fair to say that even if content is king online, then distribution and marketing are the “crown princes.” Good content or not, understanding and embracing digital distribution and marketing will prove critical to everyone in the entertainment industry.

We’ve harped for a long time on the importance of marketing and the difficulties independent producers have in reaching their audience. Richman clearly gets it. Break.com is currently the 441st most visited site on the internet according to Alexa and, reports the LA Times, has moved beyond its user-generated roots into producing original content. The company has “more than 15 series and single-episode videos in the works” and “built up a network of seven editorial sites.”

In a competitive industry they’ve found a model that works. The Times reports that Break, which counts studio Lions Gate as a minority investor, has been in the black for two years. Maybe there is money in this online video thing after all.