From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ustream
Ustream
Ustream, Inc.
History
Co-founders John Ham and Brad Hunstable met while
attending the United States Military Academy at West
Point. Co-founder Dr. Gyula Feher later joined the team
as Chief Technologist.
Ham (born June 9, 1978 in Torrance, California) had
shown an early interest in being an entrepreneur, having
started trading equities and options at 16 years of age.
At West Point he interned with NASA and the New York
Stock Exchange. He graduated from West Point with a
B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, then was commissioned as
a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Hunstable (born on September 26, 1978 in Tarrant
County, Texas) had shown an interest in technology since
childhood, having started one of the largest Bulletin
Board Systems (BBS) named, "The Dark Realms", at the
URL ustream.tv
age of 11. He graduated from West Point with a B.S. in
Commercial? No Engineering Management, then was commissioned as a
Type of site Video streaming Captain in the U.S. Army. While in the Army, he gained a
MBA in Finance and Real Estate from Ohio State Univer-
Registration Optional sity Fisher College of Business.
language(s)
Available language(s) English, Japanese
Launched March 2007
Alexa rank 364 (June 2011)[1]
Ustream Watermark Logo
Current status Active
While serving in the military, Ham and Hunstable
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of di- teamed-up on a web-based digital photo enterprise de-
verse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and veloped and built by Dr. Gyula Feher, another Ustream
live video streaming of events online.[2] Established in founder. In 2003, the two were separated, forcing the
March 2007,[3] the site has over 2,000,000 registered users photo venture to cease operations. Ham was deployed to
who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content Korea and Hunstable was assigned to work directly for
per month with over ten million unique hits per the Department of Defense. After completing their tours
month.[3] It received $11.1 million in Series A funding of duty, Ham and Hunstable re-connected with Feher and
for new product development from DCM and investors began a new business venture: Ustream.[6]
Labrador Ventures and Band of Angels.[4]
During the 2008 United States presidential election, Birth of Ustream
the website was used by nearly all of the major candi-
Ustream was born when the founders (John Ham, Brad
dates to help their campaigns, by allowing a greater num-
Hunstable, and Dr. Gyula Feher) wanted a way for their
ber of voters to ask political questions.[3] Former Sena-
friends in the Army, who were deployed overseas in Iraq
tor and 2008 Presidential Candidate Mike Gravel became
during the war, to be able to communicate with their
the first candidate ever to stream an alternate debate
families. A product like Ustream would provide them
on Ustream that allowed Sen. Gravel to respond to all of
with a way to talk to all of their relatives at once when
the questions being asked, as well as comment on the re-
free time in the war zone was limited.
sponses from the other candidates throughout a nation-
Previously, these three had worked together on an in-
ally televised debate.[5]
ternet based event photo sharing website using technol-
ogy created by Dr. Feher. In 2003, both Ham and Hunsta-
ble were deployed to active duty, putting an end to this
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ustream
venture. After returning to civilian life, John and Brad chat, and so on. The iPhone and Android applications al-
discussed the idea of the general public using the Inter- lows users to watch and chat.
net to share live video. Seeing this as a viable product,
they contacted their former partner, Dr. Feher, in order
to develop the technology required. Ustream was found-
See also
ed in 2006, as experiments in broadcasting Brad’s broth- • Justin.tv
er’s (Nathan Hunstable) band (Venture) proved success- • Vokle
ful. Early testing involved Brad in the audience with a • Livestream
camera wired to a laptop (with a cellular card) in his • Lifecasting (video stream)
backpack, sending the stream back to their test server. • BlogTalkRadio
Launching their public beta in March 2007, Ustream
is one of a series of live video sites, including Justin.tv,
Livestream, and BlogStar (formerly Operator11.com).
References
The company has seen significant growth in the political, [1] "ustream.tv - Traffic Details from Alexa". Alexa
entertainment, and technology fields,[7] however, Internet, Inc. http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/
Ustream has grown much less quickly than its competi- ustream.tv. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
tors.[8] [2] Broida, Rick Ustream At A Glance" PC Magazine,
Ustream has witnessed many notable people stream- August 7, 2007
ing from politicians such as Hillary Clinton, Barack Oba- [3] ^ BusinessWire, "Ustream Continues Rapid Growth,
ma, John Edwards,[9] and Canadian sports show host Avry December 18, 2007
Lewis-McDougall, to artists like Tori Amos and the Plain [4] Cynopsis: Digital. April 14, 2008.
White T’s.[10] Notable lifecasters have made there mark [5] Mike Gravel, "Mike’s Alternative Debate, January
on Ustream as well such as Justine Ezarik, E-TARD The 31, 2008
24/7 LifeCaster[11] and Hey it’s Rachel.[12] The technol- [6] WebWare, Merry Christmas, Mom: Ustream links
ogy community has also adopted Ustream to include soldiers with home, December 14, 2007
Robert Scoble, Leo Laporte, Chris Pirillo and Klasic Kum- [7] "Ustream.TV Experiences Significant Business
puterz. Growth; Company Adds New CEO, Industry
Partners and Thousands of Users".
Recognition Businesswire.com. 2007-11-13.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/
In 2007 and 2008, Ustream won a CNET "Webware 100"
index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071113005734&new
Award.[13]
Retrieved 2010-08-23.
In 2008, Ustream won the SXSW People’s Choice
[8] "Justin.tv makes global video site top 5".
Award[14][15]
Readwriteweb.com. 2009-03-25.
In 2010, Ustream, Inc. was recognized as one of the
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/
"Hottest Silicon Valley Companies" by Lead411.[16]
justintv_makes_global_video_site_top_5.php.
Retrieved 2010-08-23.
Paid service [9] November 26, 2007 Mark ’Rizzn’ Hopkins View
While Ustream’s basic service is still free and supported Comments (2007-11-26). "YouTube and UStream Go
by advertising revenue, Ustream started to offer Water- Political". Mashable.com. http://mashable.com/
shed, a pay-as-you-go version of their service. Watershed 2007/11/26/youtube-and-ustream-go-political/.
customers pay per viewing hour, charging from $0.25 to Retrieved 2010-08-23.
$1 per viewer.[citation needed] Watershed users don’t have [10] Brad Hunstable, Founder November 16th, 2007
to display Ustream’s advertisements and logos and can (2007-11-16). "The Ustream.TV Blog » Blog
provide their own instead.[17] Archive » Plain White T’s Event Serves 130,000".
Ustream.tv. http://ustream.tv/blog/2007/11/16/
plain-white-ts-event-serves-130000/. Retrieved
Methods 2010-08-23.
Ustream allows users to broadcast from the Web site [11] E-TARD The LifeCaster
once logged in or from a mobile device using Ustream’s [12] Hey it’s Rachel
mobile broadcasting application. Users can watch [13] Needleman, Rafe (2008-04-21). "And the Webware
streams live on the Web site and on the Ustream iPhone, 100 winners are". News.cnet.com.
Android, and Windows Phone 7 applications. The Web http://news.cnet.com/
site allows users to interact, such as vote in polls, rate, 8301-17939_109-9921741-2.html. Retrieved
2010-08-23.
[14] SXSQ People’s Choice
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ustream
[15] Brad Hunstable, Founder February 13th, 2008 Archive » Today, Ustream launches Watershed".
(2008-02-13). "SXSW Finalist 2008". Ustream.tv. Ustream.tv. http://www.ustream.tv/blog/2009/
http://www.ustream.tv/blog/2008/02/13/ 02/17/today-ustream-launches-watershed/.
ustreamtv-sxsw-interactive-finalist-and- Retrieved 2010-06-02.
people%E2%80%99s-choice-awards/. Retrieved
2010-08-23.
[16] "Lead411 launches "Hottest Silicon Valley
External links
Companies" awards". Lead411.com. 2010-05-25. • Ustream official site
http://www.lead411.com/silicon-valley- • Ustream Co-Founders on This Week in Startups
companies.html. Retrieved 2010-08-23. (TWiST)
[17] John Ham, Founder February 17th, 2009 • Ustream streaming support & consulting service in
(2009-02-17). "The Ustream.TV Blog » Blog Asia.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ustream"
Categories: Internet television channels, Video hosting
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