Web-based video series faces many challenges

Online video ventures haven’t fared particularly well in recent years. Eager to replicate the success of “Saturday Night Live’s” digital shorts or YouTube’s quirky user-generated fair, a number of businesses — including NBC’s DotComedy, Turner’s SuperDeluxe and ABC-Disney Television’s Stage 9 Digital — have gone under due to a lack of advertising dollars.

There are still some survivors, like MTV Networks’ Atom.com, which hosts inexpensive comedy videos that are user-generated or acquired in licensing deals, and Funny or Die, the comedy website run by Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow and writer Chris Henchy that features skits from celebrities who participate at no charge.