Broadband Video

Internet TV "eroding" traditional viewing

getvisible — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 12:18:00 +0000

A recent poll by BBC and ICM show that sites such as YouTube are bringing people online to watch tv and away from their television sets.

The pool suggests that 43% of Britons watch tv on the internet or a mobile device at east once a week and watched less traditional TV.

The impact of this has been that 3/4 of users are watching more media, but only 9% are doing so regularly.

However, 2/3 of people said they do not watch tv online and do not expect to do so in the next 12 months.

UK online tv demand sets to grow as the main broadcasting companies intend to offer more of their productions online.

* ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,008 adults aged 18+ recruited from the ICM online panel between 17-19 November. They also interviewed a random sample of 1,062 people aged 16+ by telephone.

*Panellists were recruited from across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

News Corp To Offer Broadband Video

getvisible — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:41:00 +0000

Fox Entertainment Group is apparently planning to distribute movies and TV shows online from some of its internet properties such as Myspace.com, so says ZDNet.

In the US you'll be able to buy films for $20 and episodes of famous TV shows for just $2.

You're probably wondering how they'll get round piracy... Well they'll let you transfer the downloads to two Windows PC's and a mobile device. But they haven't mentioned if you'll be allowed to copy to DVD.

Time Out Launches Broadband Video Channel

getvisible — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:57:00 +0000

Time Out New York has launched a broadband video channel, Timeoutnewyork.tv, that serves as a Web counterpart to the magazine's branded video on demand channel, launched in New York on Time Warner Cable back in November of last year.

Read more

Servecast launch new Broadband Video Service for Man Utd

getvisible — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:56:00 +0000

Manchester, UK and Dublin, Ireland (July 18, 2006) - Servecast, the leading provider of advanced streaming media solutions to the sports industry, today announced the re-launch of Manchester United’s broadband video service, MUTV online, using its Media Studio platform.

The broadband service is being re-launched in advance of the beginning of the 2006/2007 season to take advantage of the high level of interest following Manchester United’s success last season, International interest following the World Cup and pre-season friendly matches.

Powered by Servecast’s Media Studio platform, Manchester United will offer a premium subscription broadband service with an impressive array of live and archive video as well as exclusive online content. To commence the new service, MUTV online will show live coverage of the pre-season friendly against Preston North End taking place on July 29th. MUTV online will also offer subscribers coverage of the South Africa tour as well as live coverage of the opening friendly match against the current holders of the UEFA Cup Sevilla on August 12th to celebrate the extended and newly refurbished Old Trafford stadium. MUTV online will also offer additional and exclusive behind the scenes coverage, player interviews, press conferences, reserve and academy matches and kit reveal footage.

With the newly re-launched premium subscription broadband service, MUTV online seeks to reach a global fan-base and offer the fans all over the world a sophisticated and high value online video service with live and archive content, much of which is exclusive to the service. The service is to provide a complementary offering to traditional broadcasting and the club’s own TV channel (MUTV). Moreover, content that has limited rights value through traditional television broadcasting can be presented creatively and streamed through MUTV online thereby enhancing the revenue potential from its media assets.

Speaking today, Mark Hargreaves, General Manager of Manchester United Interactive stated “The trend to access multi-media sports content via broadband is growing at pace and provides a great chance for our young fans around the world to see the team play. Broadband offerings have become increasingly significant as an effective medium for promoting the club and extending brand-awareness while building a direct and intimate relationship with Man Utd fans. Ultimately MUTV online will become a service that will make fans as far apart as America and Singapore, feel part of a global Man Utd online community. Servecast has enabled us to build a highly sophisticated and intuitive broadband subscription service so we can grow subscribers and revenues by providing a high quality service for our fans.”

Also speaking today, Darach Deehan, CEO of Servecast said “Servecast has un-paralleled experience supporting the growth of the most successful premium subscription services for UK sport. Servecast has developed a total solution and service capability for the provision of a premium service that reflects the high demands of functionality, scalability and customer service that will ensure commercial success for MUTV online. Furthermore Servecast has pro-actively developed the marketing capability to reach fans of Manchester United football worldwide which will help to grow subscribers to the service and associated revenues.”

As par t of the service, Servecast has designed, built and setup the complete subscription and delivery platform for MUTV online. Servecast also created a branded viewing console consistent with the new Manchester United website. The payment interface and security/protection systems are implemented by Servecast and the club is provided with geo-targeting to control delivery of content to different locations around the world. Manchester United will also be provided with Servecast’s Media Studio CMS, a sophisticated content management tool to provide complete control over the addition and editing of content to MUTV online. Media Studio CRM will provide access to online statistics to analyse subscriber behaviour and devise future promotional campaigns based on this information.

About Servecast
Servecast is the leading specialist supplier of new media sportscasting delivering advanced streaming media solutions for the sports industry. Servecast’s Media Studio Platform enables sporting organisations and rights holders to exploit their media assets to new broadband and mobile connected audiences. Through the delivery of high quality audio visual sports content over broadband and mobile applications, Servecast’s Media Studio platform greatly enhances the global fan sporting experience and enables the delivery of significant new revenue streams to the rights holder. Servecast is the partner of choice of sports broadcasters such as BSkyB, At The Races, NASN, RTE and Setanta Sports and facilitates the most commercially successful sports webcasting services in Europe. Servecast customers include Sky Sports, Liverpool FC, Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Rangers FC, the Rugby Superleague, the Ice Hockey League and the GAA. Servecast is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with offices in London and Paris.

SERVECAST
Editorial Contact:
Kathrina Gallogly
+353 1 4748002

No Future in Broadband Video - Opinion

getvisible — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:35:00 +0000

Broadband video may be all the rage in today's telecommunications arena, but Mark Cuban thinks the Internet is shooting airballs with regard to producing quality original programming.

The outspoken founder of 24-hour HD network HDNet and owner of the Dallas Mavericks National Basketball Association team said television will remain the dominant platform for the distribution of popular content, especially as technology such as HD becomes more prevalent in consumer homes. And that's despite the recent flood of cable and broadcast networks launching video-rich Web channels.

Speaking with reporters after HDNet's Television Critics Association presentation here Tuesday announcing the network's signing of former CBS News anchor Dan Rather to host a weekly news series, Cuban said that with thousands of Web sites competing for eyeballs, no content provider is going to spend the necessary dollars to create quality broadband-exclusive programming that has little chance of generating a significant financial return via advertising or sponsorships.

Broadband Video Waiting for a Breakout Hit

getvisible — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:38:00 +0000

From Media Week

As of yet, there is no such thing as Must See BB. Despite the rash of high-profile broadband video launches over the past year or so, online video has yet to yield its first I Love Lucy, or even its first Knight Rider-sized hit.

It’s not that Web executives aren’t trying. On July 11, MSN will launch Fan Club, a show from the makers of Project Greenlight that lets viewers watch and influence the daily doings of a minor league baseball team. And this fall, in conjunction with CBS, AOL will launch Mark Burnett’s Gold Rush, which promises to send Americans on a nationwide scavenger hunt.But for now, determining broadband winners and losers is difficult, partially since no one is clear on what constitutes an online hit. The biggest traffic in online video tends to flow to aggregators like MSN Video or user-generated outlets like YouTube—rather than individual platforms or shows.
Among the many cable-generated broadband channels, MTV Overdrive (3.5 million uniques in May, according to comScore Media Metrix) and Nickelodeon’s TurboNick (1.6 million uniques) appear to be resonating, while E!’s The Vine claimed less than 200,000.

Meanwhile, Comedy Central’s Motherload didn’t even register with comScore – though officials say the platforms reached 800,000 in May based on internal numbers (many in the industry complain that metrics for online video leave a lot to be desired.)

Even the most high-profile broadcast shows to play on the Web—ABC’s streaming of Lost and Desperate Housewives—in May drew fewer than 1 million fans, comScore reports.
Among Web-only players, AOL’s classic TV destination In2TV exceeded expectations with 1.8 million uniques in May, said Kevin Conroy, executive vp, AOL Media Networks. “My response going in was, ‘A million uniques on a monthly basis, that would make me happy,’” he said. “In2TV is doing very solid numbers, considering that we built that base with content that is a couple of decades old. Out of the gate it’s doing really well compared to some of the other sites with brand new content.”

Of course, In2TV – which features full-length episodes of old shows like Alice and Falcon Crest - is a different animal than a made-for-the-Web series like Yahoo’s Hook Me Up, which since its May launch has yet to show up on comScore’s radar, though according to officials is tracking better than previous originals. “We’ve been very pleased with the results we’re seeing,” said Scott Moore, vp, content operations, Yahoo Media Group.

Despite an uncertain market, executives are optimistic about the potential for Gold Rush and Fan Club, though rivals warn they are “throwing a lot of money down a rathole.”

“Fan Club is very unique,” replied Rob Bennett, general manager of MSN’s Entertainment and Video Services. “Never before has a sports team opened itself up in this way. It should appeal to a range of age groups, from baseball fans to reality TV fans.”

Conroy is equally bullish on Gold Rush, particularly given In2TV’s early numbers. “It’s a great idea, and we are leaning into a growing market.”

But some media buyers doubt any “must-buys” will soon emerge. David Cohen, executive vp, U.S. director of digital communications, Universal McCann, called Gold Rush “very, very interesting,” but cautioned, “If you are looking for the Internet’s version of American Idol or the Super Bowl, that’s still the home pages of Yahoo and MSN.”

Some buyers even complained that big events like Gold Rush have been hard to buy into, since AOL focused on mega corporate deals. Regardless, Kari Hooper, associate media director for Starcom USA, said that the online video landscape offered more than enough quality options. “There is no one particular program that we are so excited about that I need to be in. There are a lot of choices in the marketplace right now.”

Such choice limits the potential of any one show, say some. “The Internet just isn’t that way,” said Yahoo’s Moore. “TV distribution is radically different than distribution on the Internet. That works against the notion of creating a big monster hit.”

Todd Chanko, Jupiter analyst, tended to agree, urging online buyers to take a wait and see approach. “To the extent that anything becomes a hit in the next six months, I’d be a bit cautious if I was a media buyer. We don’t even know what a hit is.”

Servecast Launches Broadband Video Services for Flextech Television

getvisible — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:36:00 +0000

London and Dublin (July 12, 2006) - Servecast has been chosen by Flextech Television to build and manage a broadband video on demand delivery platform for its multiple TV channels. Flextech chose Servecast due to its unrivalled experience as Europe’s premier online media and streaming solutions provider with a very strong pedigree in the sports and media sectors. Flextech is the leading supplier of entertainment, information and interactive content and services to the UK multi-channel television and online markets. It consists of ten wholly owned TV channels including LIVINGtv, Bravo and FTn and is a 50% partner in UKTV which broadcasts all of the UK TV channels including UK Gold, UK Drama and UK Style.

Using Servecast’s Media Studio platform, Flextech will offer downloads of its programmes such as ‘Most Haunted’ over broadband for consumers to purchase on a Pay Per View basis. Servecast will deliver all downloadable content via its Media Delivery Network which is directly connected to all of the largest global telecommunications networks, thereby ensuring that all broadband users will receive a high quality content connection, regardless of their location. The service went live at the end of June.

As part of the deal Servecast hosts and manages the front-end video consoles branded for each programme and provide Flextech with a comprehensive Content Management System that enables full control of the viewing media consoles. Servecast also provides sophisticated Digital Rights Management (DRM) and geo-targeting solutions, customer care and support as well as a billing engine and full reporting of service usage.

With Media Studio, Flextech can produce programme specific branding for different viewing consoles and it has complete control over when and how consumers purchase, download and view media content. Flextech’s editorial staff will not only be able to upload video content but will also be able to make amends to the console in terms of visual and textual updates to ensure the content is constantly updated and promoting the available programming.

Creation of promotional packages for the programmes is also controlled and managed through Media Studio. This enables Flextech to change pricing and programme packages, incentives and special offers in response to market demand and subscriber feedback.

Edward Humphrey, Head of Interactive for Flextech Television said “The Servecast platform enables us to securely offer compelling online programming to our viewers as a valuable extension of our traditional TV channels. The flexibility and great control afforded to us by Media Studio means we can create and adapt promotional packages to meet the growing demand for broadband video. We are committed to delivering the best online media for our viewers and Servecast enables us to meet this objective.”

Also speaking today, Darach Deehan, CEO of Servecast said “We are delighted to power Flextech’s broadband video service. As online continues to rival TV as the most-used medium, it is very important to implement a new media strategy. Delivering their programming over broadband provides Flextech with new opportunities for audience acquisition, retention, sales and advertising revenues.”

To ensure only legitimate consumers can access the online content, Servecast will provide the necessary tools to provide security for all online video content including digital rights management, geographic controls, prevention of password trading and support of multiple business models. Content owners can apply a wide range of business rules to their content, such as limiting the number of times the content can be viewed, restricting the duration for which the content is available and a host of others. It will also prevent purchasers of the content from distributing and burning onto CD or DVD.

Flextech will also have the benefit of in-depth business intelligence on subscribers to its broadband service through Media studio’s advanced reporting capabilities. This information can be used to foster subscriber loyalty through individualised correspondence and tailored benefits and offers.

SERVECASTEditorial Contact:Kathrina Gallogly+353 1 4748002kathrina.gallogly@servecast.com

39 of 40 Top U.S. Newspaper Sites Using Broadband Video

getvisible — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:34:00 +0000

A new report by market intelligence firm Broadband Directions LLC has found that the Web sites of 39 of the top 40 newspapers in the United States now have integrated broadband video. The report notes that some of these papers are still in early stages of development as regards video content, but that signifigant investment of time and money are being made by these newspapers on their video capabilities.

TV Land Adds New Broadband Video Player

getvisible — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:32:00 +0000

TV Land will launch a new broadband video player on its website late this summer which will allow fans to stream full-length episodes of both classic shows from the network's library along with TV Land originals.

Each month, full episodes of a single classic series will be featured, starting with the 1960s western Daniel Boone in September, followed by Star Trek and That Girl later in the year. In addition, in September, select clips and outtakes from the misunderstanding-filled Three's Company will be highlighted in the new channel.

Video on Demand

getvisible — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 20:39:00 +0000

ABC in Australia offer Broadband Video.

Broadband video service to come to UK with new Freeserve deal ...

Like Television also offers content to download