To understand the future, you must understand the present. That’s why the Ask a Ninja ninja tells us the present of online video. He makes $100,000 a month off it, so he knows of what he speaks.
The only thing he got wrong was the total YouTube partner revenue so far. It’s a million dollars, not $12.13.

Want to know how much it costs to advertise inside online video? Daisy Whitney posts a survey of ad rates from various video sites.
Blip.tv: CPM $10-$30, sponsorships $30-$100.
Goodnight Burbank: product placements $3,000-$8,000.
Abigail’s X-Rated Teen Diary: product placements $1,000-$5,000.
Revision3: CPM $60-$80.
For Your Imagination: CPM $20-$60.
ManiaTV: CPM $10-$30.
TV Guide: CPM $25-$30.
CNN: CPM $25.
We already know Ask a Ninja charges $100,000 monthly. Kevin Nalts charges $3,000-$10,000 per product placement.
Notice that niche video sites can command ad rates higher than those of a mainstream video site like CNN or TV Guide. That’s the value of a focused audience.