Week 4-Video: "Gil and Frank Discuss Business Models" .

This video gives an overview of 4 business models currently being leveraged on the internet:
1. Subscription (i.e. WSJ.com)
2. Micropayments (i.e. iTunes)
3. Advertising (i.e. YouTube)
4. Revenue Sharing (i.e. MySpace Music Sells)

The overview was good, but I am concerned that most internet companies heavily rely on advertising and that only a few are highly profitable from this business model. I think most internet based companies are going to have to better leverage the other models described in the video, or are going to have to better master the Advertising business model. Simply showing relevant ads on a site is not going to be a long lasting business model. I think instead companies need to consider hybrid approaches, that involve different elements of the business models mentioned about. For example, a newspaper website could have completely free articles, but others that you need to pay for. It could also have ads were useful and appropriate. It could even have revenue sharing, where it allows viewers to see sample video clips, articles, or books from other sites and companies that encourage the user to purchase the complete version from the other site. This type of advance, hybrid model might have a better chance of surviving into the future, in my opinion.