TiVo announced the launch of TiVoCast, a new service which will
deliver broadband video directly to the television sets of TiVo subscribers. The
TiVoCast service turns Web video into television by bringing top broadband
content now only available on the PC to the TV set.
As part of the launch, TiVo announced that it has reached new agreements with
leading video content providers including the National Basketball Association
(NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), The New York Times,
Heavy, iVillage and CNET among others. The broadband video content will
include:
* NBA and WNBA -- As the first professional sports leagues to team up with
TiVo, fans will have access to NBA and WNBA video showcases during the season
that will be available to all TiVo subscribers. During The Finals, which tip
off on Thursday, June 8 on ABC, a special "Finals Showcase" video package
highlighting the greatest Finals moments in NBA History will be available for
fans to view on TiVo.
* The New York Times -- The New York Times will
offer a selection of original video segments on a variety of topics including
A.O. Scott's signature Movie Minute film reviews, news analysis from the
Times' Washington DC bureau, David Pogue's technology product reviews and many
more.
* Heavy.com -- Heavy.com is the Number 1 digital entertainment
brand for 18 - 34 year old guys with more than 12 million unique viewers
monthly (Nielsen) and a viral reach of 65 million taste-challenged pop culture
junkies. Its programming staples include "Behind the Music that Sucks,"
"American Suck Countdown" and "The Massive Mating Game."
* iVillage --
Featuring original video clips from one of the strongest and most widely
recognized brands on the Internet for women. Informative and entertaining
segments will include real stories and how-to advice covering beauty,
parenting, fashion, home & food and relationships, among other topics.
* CNET -- (www.cnet.com), the place
consumers go to understand and compare consumer electronics, computers, and
software to find the right choice and a property of CNET Networks, Inc., will
provide viewers buying advice and how-to segments that help them get the most
out of their technology products. Content will include video from CNET TV's
popular franchises such as Insider Secrets, Weekend Project, and First Look
from the Labs, and feature popular CNET editorial personalities Brian Cooley,
Molly Wood, and Tom Merritt.
* Danger Rangers -- These animated
characters will deliver exciting, action-adventure series that empowers
children to make smart safety decisions. Content will be premium, quality
entertainment to improve children's safety awareness, making them less likely
to be injured, disabled or even killed in a preventable accident.
*
H2O: HipHop on Demand -- Provided content will focus on delivering viewers'
world and television premieres of HipHop/Urban themed programming targeting
the large and growing multiracial Urban TV consumer market.
* Union on
Demand -- USA's first on demand action sports film network will provide
premium Surf, Snow, Skate, BMX and Motocross content to the consumers and
enthusiasts. * Rocketboom -- Currently one of the most popular videoblogs on the
Internet. As early pioneers of online video, Rocketboom brings creative
news and political commentary in 3 to 4 minute bites of internet culture,
daily.
* Here!: Offers a wide variety of original movies and series
appealing to the broad based and diverse gay and lesbian audience. Just as
television content is easy to find and navigate through the TiVo interface, the
TiVoCast service makes it easy to enjoy Web-based video content. TiVo
subscribers will be able to easily find this content through the Showcases area
on TiVo Central, the main menu of the TiVo service. The content will be offered
free of charge to subscribers. TiVo and its partners will have the ability to
integrate advertising within the content. All of this content will be available
to any TiVo(R) Series2(TM) DVR connected via broadband.
For TiVo's broadband video content partners, the agreement delivers access to
more than 400,000 TiVo subscribers and enables consumers to easily access the
content directly from their television sets in their homes. TiVo will give these
outlets a platform to reach their consumers and enthusiasts in a direct and
effective way, providing them a vital opportunity to be profitable through
distribution, introduction of advertising, subscription plans, or pay-
per-view.
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo pioneered a brand new category of
products with the development of the first commercially available digital video
recorder (DVR). The company is based in Alviso, Calif.
|