pulvermedia: conferences, alliances, petitions oh my!

Jeff Pulver and his pulvermedia inc. are all over the wild west of online media. Self-billed as:

the leading integrated media company that specializes in building communities and providing marketplace access through its unparalleled blend of trade shows, publications, web channels, and progressive cutting-edge media,

pulvermedia is now in San Jose hosting the Video on the Net Conference. In addition to some usual speakers and panels (Niklas Zennstrom from Joost, Jeremy Allaire from Brightcove, iconic Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla), pulvermedia and VON have launched an aggressive industry initiative, the Video on the Net Alliance. The Alliance is

a global consortium of Internet-based video content and application providers, vendors and enablers, and other affiliated entities and individuals helping to drive innovation and deployment of Internet-based video. The Video on the Net Alliance is committed to fulfilling the promise of Internet-based video by promoting a pragmatic and light-handed regulatory approach and public policy environment based on self-governance and public-private partnerships to address social issues in the use of Internet-based video.

In parallel, Jeff Pulver's Network2 - an attempt to provide law & order, or at least accessibility, to the plethora of online video offerings - filed a petition with the FCC this morning saying in part:

Network2 respectfully petitions the Commission to declare that Internet Video, including in particular the service provided by Network2, is not subject to regulation under Titles III or VI of the Communications Act as broadcasting or cable services, and that the Commission does not intend to impose new regulations on Internet Video.

THR recommends hopping on pulvermedia train by reading Jeff's blog, or signing up for a newsletter. Alongside Mark Cuban, we can't think of a more active voice in the online media industry today. Jeff is certainly out to make a buck, but his various endeavors are also attempting to impact policy of the 21st Century's entertainment and information delivery medium - the internet.