Metacafe

Metacafe Inc. was founded in July 2003[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3337353,00.html Metacafe to be sold for USD 200 million] Ynetnews. Retrieved January 9, 2012. in Tel Aviv by Israeli entrepreneurs Eyal Hertzog (Chief Technical Officer) and Arik Czerniak (CEO) and raised $3 million from Benchmark Capital. In June 2006, the company closed a Series B financing round of $12 million. Investors included Accel Partners and Benchmark Capital. That September, the company moved its headquarters to Palo Alto, California and in October, Metacafe was ranked the third largest video site in the world according to comScore.We Try Harder, article from [http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com/news/2006/11/29/234159.htm?p=video IPcommunications.tmcnet.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203204424/http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com/news/2006/11/29/234159.htm?p=video |date=February 3, 2007 }} It used to attract more than 13 million unique monthly U.S. viewers and streamed more than 53 million videos in the U.S. each month, according to comScore Video Metrix (March 2011). The site's global audience was more than 40 million unique monthly viewers.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

In its early years, Metacafe was similar to other video viewing websites such as YouTube or Dailymotion, but later turned into a short-form video entertainment. The company's partners had included marquee content providers such as major movie studios, video game publishers, broadcast and cable TV networks, music labels and sports leagues.

The site was supported through ads, and worked closely with brands in the entertainment, consumer electronics, telecommunications, consumer packaged goods, food & beverage, and automotive sectors.

In 2007, Erick Hachenburg, previously an executive with Electronic Arts, took over as CEO of the company.{{cite web|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/viral-videos-still-rule-at-metacafe/|title=Viral Videos Still Rule at Metacafe|last=Saul Hansell|date=10 October 2007|work=Bits|access-date=16 June 2012}}

In June 2012 it was reported that Metacafe had been acquired by digital talent agency The Collective. Headquarters were moved to San Francisco, California, with another office in Los Angeles.{{Cite web|last=Atkinson|first=Chris|date=2012-06-17|title=Pioneer Video Sharing Site Metacafe Acquired by YouTube Talent Agency, The Collective|url=https://tubularinsights.com/collective-metacafe/|access-date=2020-06-17|website=Tubular Insights|language=en-US}}

In October 2006, Metacafe announced its Producer Rewards{{Cite web |url=http://www.metacafe.com/producer_rewards/ |title=Metacafe – Producer Rewards |access-date=2006-12-10 |archive-date=2006-10-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005035620/http://www.metacafe.com/producer_rewards/ |url-status=dead }} program in which video producers were paid for their original content. Through this program, any video that was viewed a minimum of 20,000 times, achieved a VideoRank rating of 3.00 or higher, and did not violate any copyrights or other Metacafe community standards was awarded $5 for every 1,000 U.S. views.

The program had several success stories, some of which have been featured on national TV, such as The Can Tossing Video,[http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1402448/can_toss/ Metacafe.com] the Beer Launching Fridge on David Letterman, and the Ron Paul Girl series[http://www.livfilms.com/?cat=6 Livfilms.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317112718/http://www.livfilms.com/?cat=6|date=2008-03-17}} by Liv Films,[http://www.metacafe.com/channels/Liv+Films Liv Films' Channel] as featured on Fox News and CNN.[http://www.livfilms.com/ Livfilms.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620070822/http://www.livfilms.com/|date=2010-06-20}}

On 28 August 2021, with neither warning announcement, Metacafe's website became inactive.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} Until October 2022 the URL redirected to VideosHub.

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• Comparison of video hosting services
• Veoh

{{reflist}}

• Bogatin, Donna. Interview with Metacafe CEO Arik Czerniak on [https://web.archive.org/web/20061207013605/http://blogs.zdnet.com/micro-markets/index.php?p=624 ZDnet Blogs]
• Gerson, Jen. Off the wall flips. From the [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929120422/http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar%2FLayout%2FArticle_Type1&c=Article&cid=1162206129593&call_pageid=968332188492 Toronto Star]. An article about a producer who has earned over $23,000 in Producer Rewards.
• Holahan, Catherine. Don't I know you from the Internet? From [https://web.archive.org/web/20070107183005/http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2006/tc20061029_067558.htm Business Week]
• Marshall, Matt. Metacafe unveils producer awards, to underscore advantage over YouTube from [https://venturebeat.com/2006/10/29/metacafe-unveils-producer-awards-to-underscore-advantage-over-youtube/ Venture Beat]
• Richmond, Will. "Metacafe Drives Community-Based Programming Model." [https://web.archive.org/web/20090630075929/http://www.videonuze.com/blogs/details.php?id=289 videonuze.com], Commentary from online video news blog VideoNuze published on December 6, 2007.

• [http://www.metacafe.com/ Metacafe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207072327/http://www.metacafe.com/ |date=2006-12-07 }} Official website

{{Video digital distribution platforms}}

Category:American entertainment websites

Category:Software companies of Israel

Category:Former video hosting services

Category:Private equity portfolio companies

Category:2003 establishments in Israel

Category:Internet properties established in 2003

Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2021

Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions