zoome

zoome was a Japanese video-hosting service launched by ACCA Networks on January 30, 2007. Its name combined “zoom” and “me” and was associated with the idea of a personal broadcasting station and community. The service was positioned as a community-generated-media, or CGM, platform and was commonly described as a third major force in Japan’s online-video market alongside YouTube and Nico Nico Douga. The platform competed through a combination of video quality, creator tools, social features, and free access. It supported H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video and HE-AAC audio, technologies that were promoted as providing particularly high-quality playback for a Japanese video-hosting service at the time. Users could create public pages, upload videos, publish diaries, save favorite videos through My Clip, form interest-based Circles, and browse rankings. A Telop Command feature provided an on-screen commenting function associated with Circles, while zoome mobile offered access designed for mobile-phone users. zoome initially struggled to attract attention because it launched around the same period as Nico Nico Douga, which quickly became the dominant Japanese user-generated-video community. Its position improved in late 2007 through its connection with the Vocaloid and Hatsune Miku communities. ACCA had created TDKI, a Vocaloid-oriented video circle, and the initiative received recognition from Crypton Future Media, the developer associated with Hatsune Miku. A dispute involving Nico Nico Douga’s operator and the registration of a Hatsune Miku song with JASRAC without the author’s permission generated dissatisfaction among some Vocaloid users, helping direct attention and users toward zoome. Hatsune Miku-related videos subsequently became one of the service’s notable content categories. The platform also benefited from changes elsewhere in Japan’s online-video ecosystem. After Stage6 closed in 2008, many Japanese users of that service moved to zoome. Later that year, an announcement by Nico Nico Douga concerning the removal of anime-derived MAD movies encouraged some creators of that material to seek alternative distribution channels, including zoome. These developments helped the service become a significant competitor, although its prominence remained tied to a rapidly changing and highly competitive market. On June 2, 2008, zoome was separated from ACCA Networks and operated through zoome Co., Ltd., an ACCA subsidiary. The service ultimately did not continue as a long-term platform. On July 21, 2011, zoome announced that all services would end on August 31, 2011. The brand is therefore associated with the early Japanese social-video era and is now defunct.

zoome emerged during the formative period of Japan’s user-generated online-video industry. ACCA Networks launched the service on January 30, 2007, at a time when YouTube was internationally prominent and Nico Nico Douga was rapidly establishing a distinctive Japanese community around video, comments, and remix culture. zoome adopted a community-generated-media model and sought to differentiate itself through free access, creator-oriented functions, and high-quality encoding. The service supported H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video and HE-AAC audio. Its public-facing feature set included user pages, video diaries, favorite-video lists, interest-based Circles, rankings, and a mobile-phone service. Telop Command supplied an overlay-commenting feature within the Circle environment. Together, these tools made zoome more than a simple file-hosting site: it attempted to combine video distribution with social networking and specialized communities. During its initial months, zoome was overshadowed by Nico Nico Douga. Its fortunes changed near the end of 2007 through its relationship with the Vocaloid scene. ACCA had established TDKI, a circle for Vocaloid video creators and viewers. The circle was recognized by Crypton Future Media, the company associated with Hatsune Miku, giving zoome a credible connection to one of Japan’s most influential online music and character franchises. At approximately the same time, a controversy involving Nico Nico Douga’s operator and the registration of a Hatsune Miku song with JASRAC under the operator’s name, reportedly without the author’s authorization, angered some Vocaloid fans. Some users moved toward zoome, and Hatsune Miku material became an important part of its content base. Further market changes helped the platform in 2008. The closure of Stage6 prompted many Japanese Stage6 users to migrate to zoome. In addition, an announcement that Nico Nico Douga would remove anime-derived MAD movies caused some creators to look for alternative hosting and community venues. zoome benefited from these shifts and was described as a serious competitor in Japan’s video-hosting sector, although its growth depended heavily on creator communities and events affecting rival platforms. On June 2, 2008, the service was separated from ACCA Networks and operated through zoome Co., Ltd., which remained an ACCA subsidiary. This corporate reorganization gave the service a dedicated operating entity, but the platform continued to face the structural difficulties of online video: intense competition, changing copyright expectations, infrastructure demands, and the rapid evolution of dominant communities. On July 21, 2011, zoome announced the end of all services, with shutdown scheduled for August 31 of that year. The service is consequently defunct. Its historical importance lies in its role as an early Japanese social-video platform, its support for advanced video formats for the period, and its temporary importance to Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, Stage6, and anime-remix communities.

• 2011

  Service discontinued

  [1]Zoomeen.wikipedia.org

  zoome announced that its services would close on August 31, 2011.

• 2008

  Corporate separation from ACCA Networks

  [1]Zoomeen.wikipedia.org

  zoome became operated through zoome Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of ACCA Networks.

• 2008

  User migration from Stage6

  [1]Zoomeen.wikipedia.org

  The closure of Stage6 brought many Japanese users to zoome.

• 2007

  zoome launches

  [1]Zoomeen.wikipedia.org

  ACCA Networks launched zoome in Japan as a free video-hosting and user-generated-content service.

• 2007

  TDKI supports Vocaloid communities

  [1]Zoomeen.wikipedia.org

  The Vocaloid-oriented TDKI circle helped attract attention from Hatsune Miku and Vocaloid creators and viewers.

A Japanese CGM video platform emphasizing high-quality playback, free creator tools, and interest-based communities. zoome presented itself as an alternative to both YouTube and Nico Nico Douga, with particular visibility among Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, and other enthusiast communities.

• Online video platform · 2007

  zoome video hosting

  The core service allowed registered users to upload and publicly share videos. It supported H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video and HE-AAC audio and was marketed around high-quality playback and free access. The service hosted general user-generated material as well as substantial activity related to Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, anime-derived videos, and other enthusiast communities.

• Social profile and publishing tool · 2007

  My Page

  My Page provided each registered user with a public-facing personal area. Users could host videos and publish diary-style entries, combining the platform’s video functions with lightweight social-network features.

• Video bookmarking · 2007

  My Clip

  My Clip allowed users to collect and display videos they considered favorites. The feature supported discovery and personal curation within zoome’s community environment.

• Interest-based online community · 2007

  Circle

  Circles were user-created or user-joined communities organized around shared interests. They gave zoome a group-based structure and helped concentrate activity around themes such as Vocaloid and other creator communities.

• Mobile video service · 2007

  zoome mobile

  zoome mobile provided access intended for users of Japanese mobile phones, extending the service beyond desktop web browsing during the feature-phone era.

• 2007TDKI

  Japan

  TDKI, described as a video-posting improvement committee, was a Vocaloid-focused circle created by ACCA on zoome. Its recognition by Crypton Future Media helped establish a connection between zoome and the Hatsune Miku creator community.

  Outcome. Vocaloid and Hatsune Miku content became an important source of activity and visibility for zoome.

  Source

• 2011

  Shut down all zoome servicesOther

  Background

  zoome operated in a highly competitive Japanese video-hosting market dominated by larger or more established platforms.

  Action taken

  On July 21, 2011, zoome announced that all services would end on August 31, 2011.

  Aftermath

  The zoome platform became defunct after the announced shutdown.

  Source

• 2008

  Separate zoome into a dedicated subsidiaryStrategy

  Background

  After its launch as an ACCA Networks service, zoome was reorganized as a separately operated company during a period of rising competition in Japanese online video.

  Action taken

  On June 2, 2008, the service was separated from ACCA Networks and placed under zoome Co., Ltd., an ACCA subsidiary.

  Aftermath

  The dedicated entity continued operating the platform until the service was discontinued in 2011.

  Source

1. 1Zoomeen.wikipedia.org