MSN Mulls Rewarding Video Site Users

News/Social Networks/MSN/Video/Brian Morrissey
Found: adweek.com



NEW YORK Microsoft is considering offering users of its new video-sharing service incentives. The service, Soapbox on MSN Video, launches early next year and represents Microsoft's attempt to compete in the user-created content sphere dominated by rivals like YouTube.

MSN has plans to compensate popular video creators, according to Rob Bennett, general manager of entertainment and video services at the company. It will also offer inducements to others who share, label videos and other activities that help the community grow and thrive, he added.

"We're looking at ways to provide incentives to all aspects of the community process," he said.

Microsoft could tap into its existing rewards system, Microsoft Points, which it uses with xBox, Bennett said. Another option would be to provide active users songs via its upcoming Zune digital music service.