Scott Jensen is absolutely right though. While using a service like Kickstarter to pull together funding through donations may have been necessary to pull together the budget, and may even be necessary for the full first season, what content creators need to be thinking of is a sustainable business model. Advertisers have often been the backbone of many business models, and that may turn out to be plausible in this case as well. I can tell you that if I were a company with a service or product to sell that would appeal to me as I am right now, I would be all over finding out how I could get my brand associated with Pioneer One.

Even aside from the awesome quality of the show itself, to be attached to the potential beginning of a shift in how P2P is viewed, the kind of brand loyalty that a company could earn through advertising here… It would be a great opportunity, I think.

At the same time, I would caution that content creators need to keep from thinking too plain on how to solve the business model problem. Simple “let us feed this to you” advertising will likely never be the whole solution. P2P is very much a part of the internet, and the internet is all about sharing and generating conversation. I feel that this needs to be an integral part of whatever business model is ultimately used.

If they can find some way to make money with this somehow, I think this could be a very successful post network media model.

The key to success isn’t donation drives or even p2p networks sponsorships, but advertisers. Getting advertisers to pay for ad spots, sponsorships, and product placements. This means developing relationships with them. Finding out what they are willing to support and giving it to them. Networking to other advertisers through them. Building on those relationships so more drama series, reality shows, news programs, sports events, etc. can be produced at a profit and freely distributed over p2p networks. No charity. No profit-eating support from p2p networks. Just giving advertisers great bang for their ad dollars.

Or, to put it another way, developing a business model that can turn a profit for all involved. If the producers of the show want to read of one such model, click on my name for a 2003 white paper I did.

I hope the producers of this show will use their show as a prop at sales pitches to major advertisers and ad agencies. This is what we can do. Here are the number of downloads. Here’s the demographics of our downloaders. Demographics that you want to reach. Demographics that we can deliver. Here’s what we think would be an even better show for your advertising goals.

In other words, I really hope they have a talented marketer in their ranks. They will need it to take this to the next step. I wish them good luck.