When "Lonelygirl15" burst on to the scene in summer of 2006, it seemed to mark a new era in video entertainment. No Hollywood studio, no broadcast network, no big-time producer. Just a group of guys with an idea, some credit cards and a DIY spirit. Despite having achieved a level of fame on the web that arguably no one since has been able to repeat, EQAL, the creator of "Lonelygirl," is getting out of the original episodic content game to focus on creating digital extensions of existing traditional media properties. And it's not alone. ABC shuttered Stage9, its web studio, and last fall swore off original productions in favor of web shows such as "Mode After Dark" that support ABC TV programming. If successful players like these don't see a future in creating original episodic web content, who does? What's the role of original intellectual property if everyone is looking for the quick hit? […]
