Rightster Studios launched to develop/finance original online TV

Cloud-based video distribution and monetization specialist Righter has launched a new service, Rightster Studios, to finance "original programming, TV shows and channels online" and enable "producers of all sizes--from independent viral video producers to traditional production houses to large news organizations--to create the next generation of engaging and successful online video programming," the company said in a news release.

Simply put, Rightster Studios wants to be the money guys who help those needing dough to start baking original programming.

Rightster Studios, the news release said, will work with the program makers to devise ways to distribute, market and monetize content and will leverage Rightster's relationships with producers, advertisers and media agencies, including Rightster partner YouTube. The service is set to launch with facilities in London followed in order by New York, Singapore and Los Angeles.

Rightster's Founder-CEO Charlie Muirhead said the time is right for what Rightster Studios is offering because there's a lot of good content that just needs the right financial nudge.

"There has been a huge surge in the growth of original programming online, but traditional financing of new shows has been done by linear channels such as TV or radio networks that have loyal audiences (and the ability) to accurately forecast future revenues," he said in a news release. "These linear channels don't exist online, meaning it can be very hard to forecast the interest, audience and therefore the revenues for a new show."

All told, he said, this creates a "bottleneck" that stymies new talent and original programming.

"With Rightster Studios we want to bring together our expertise in a new way to simplify this process for online video producers, providing the finances to underwrite the production costs, shouldering the risk for companies and ultimately unlocking the untapped revenue potential of original programming," he said.

The concept received support from those who will take advantage, such as Damian Collier, founder-CEO of Viral Spiral Group who said in the news release that his company already works with producers of made-for-Web content like "Charlie Bit Me" and "Fenton" and that it would now be working as well with Rightster Studios "to enable our clients to extend their viral video brands with original programs."

Mark Browning, managing director of ITN Productions agreed, noting his company is "already in discussions with Rightster Studios about delivering compelling and popular shows to online audiences."

For more:
 - see the release

Related articles:
Online video recommendation expertise worth $10 million to Taboola
Parks: Netflix could cannibalize pay-TV viewing