---
title: 'SplashCast: I’m not dead yet! I’m getting better (focused)!'
date: '2009-06-04T15:27:59-07:00'
type: post
word_count: 507
char_count: 3535
tokens: 660
categories:
  - Coverage
  - Funding
  - Investment
  - Oregon
  - Oregonian
  - Portland
  - SplashCast
  - TechCrunch
tags:
  - 'mike berkely'
  - 'mike rogoway'
  - 'monty python'
  - Oregonian
  - SplashCast
  - TechCrunch
  - 'tom turnbull'
  - UGC
  - 'user generated content'
---

# SplashCast: I’m not dead yet! I’m getting better (focused)!

We knew full well that Portland-based [SplashCast](http://splashcastmedia.com "SplashCast") was [shuttering their user generated content (UGC) features](http://siliconflorist.com/2009/01/29/splashcast-pulls-plug-on-free-user-generated-channels/). That’s been coming for months.

When initial word of the change in direction reached the SplashCast user base, there was an [expected outcry of dismay](http://blog.splashcastmedia.com/2009/01/28/notice-to-splashcast-customers-free-product-discontinuation/ "Notice to SplashCast Customers - Free Product Discontinuation"). But when it finally came down to it, [keeping the UGC stuff going simply didn’t pencil out](http://blog.splashcastmedia.com/2009/05/16/notice-to-splashcast-ugc-publishers/ "Notice to SplashCast UGC Publishers"). As such, SplashCast decided to continue [focusing on its Social TV efforts](http://siliconflorist.com/2009/04/29/like-talking-incessantly-during-your-favorite-show-splashcast-social-tv-is-your-holy-grail/) where it was gaining traction. And the June 1 shut down of the UGC features came and went without much notice.

Until today.

Today, [TechCrunch](http://www.techcrunch.com/ "TechCrunch") picked up on the change in focus with an unfortunate headline that began “[SplashCast throws in the towel…](http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/04/splashcast-throws-in-the-towel-on-user-generated-content-looking-for-a-buyer/ "SplashCast Throws In The Towel On User-Generated Content; Looking For A Buyer")”

> And after failing to raise a B round of funding, (CEO Michael Berkley) is now trying to sell the company. Instead of trying to make money off of user-generated broadcast channels, he is focusing on his newer Social TV product, which adds social features such as chat, commenting, and polling to professionally-produced videos.

[Mike Rogoway](http://twitter.com/rogoway "Mike Rogoway") at *The Oregonian* [picked up the SplashCast story](http://blog.oregonlive.com/siliconforest/2009/06/another_startup_setback_splash.html "Another startup setback: SplashCast for sale") and got some additional feedback from SplashCast CEO [Mike Berkley](http://twitter.com/mikeberkley "Mike Berkely").

> Michael Berkley writes: “I would just want to make it clear that we are still alive and focused on our social TV product that has great traction and our partnership with Hulu. Meanwhile, we are evaluating various M&A opportunities.”

I pinged Berkley and [Tom Turnbull](http://twitter.com/tomturnbull "Tom Turnbull"), SplashCast’s VP of Business Development, to get some additional information.

Berkley echoed his comments to Rogoway, adding, “As you know, we switched focus from UGC to premium video over a year ago. It’s official now.”

Tom provided some additional details.

“We were not successful in raising a Series B,” said Tom. “No excuses. We just weren’t able to make it happen. Given limited resources, we need to sell the company. ”

And despite all that has happened, both Berkley and Tom remain “BIG, BIG, BIG fans of Portland.”

To paraphrase *[Monty Python and the Holy Grail](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grail "Monty Python and the Holy Grail")*, SplashCast isn’t dead yet. They’re getting better—at least in terms of focus.

To summarize: **SplashCast is still in business, but they are for sale.**

Which leads me to ask, “Really? Who isn’t?”

Here’s hoping they can turn this sow’s ear of coverage into a silk purse of a successful exit.

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