Here’s how they view it: ah online, infinite channels, let’s start a bunch of our own. After all, we did in the linear TV. Yep, and we’ll need millions to make a big go at it. So that’s what you get: Herb Scannell, former vice chairman of MTV Networks and president of Nickelodeon has formed a new online video startup called Nextnew Networks, along with other TV vets, and has received a big $8 million in a first round of funding from Spark Capital. The NYC-based company doesn’t have any concrete topics boiled down yet, but wants to launch a bunch of niche video sites, all ad-supported. Here’s how they describe it on their site: “You contribute your own videos, your comments and ideas, and we pull it together with original content to deliver a regular and dependable experience for you and the people that share your interests.” Where have I heard that one before? Wait, every damn video site being started these days…
Anyway, the cast is stellar, so there is still hope: Fred Seibert, original creative director of MTV and former president of Hanna Barbara; Emil Rensing, original member of the AOL Greenhouse; Jed Simmons, former COO of the Sundance Group and senior executive at Excite and Turner Broadcasting; Tim Shey, co-founder of Proteus.