Microsoft launches UK online TV player
Broadband users in UK will be able to watch shows including Peep Show, Shameless and The Young Ones on MSN Video Player
Microsoft has moved swiftly to launch an online TV player for UK broadband users offering shows including Peep Show, Shameless and The Young Ones, with the aim of filling the void left by the defunct Project Kangaroo and stealing a march on rivals Hulu and Arqiva.
The US software giant intends to launch its UK online TV player next week and has struck programming deals with the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, and All3Media, the producer of How to Look Good Naked, Peep Show and Midsomer Murders.
Called the MSN Video Player, it will be ad-funded and will launch with 300 hours of content from BBC shows including Hustle, The League of Gentlemen, Hotel Babylon, Dead Ringers, That Mitchell and Webb Look and Jack Dee Live at the Apollo.
Programmes will not appear on the MSN service until the expiry of the online catch-up TV window on broadcasters' own websites. For the BBC iPlayer the catchup window extends seven days after transmission; for Channel 4's 4oD service, it is 30 days. BBC Worldwide content will not appear until after 180 days.
For MSN Video Player's six-month pilot phase, the ad space around its programming has been bought by three media agencies: MediaCom, which bought out all the advertising on Channel Five's Demand Five when it relaunched, MindShare and MEC Interaction.
Microsoft UK's managing director of consumer and online, Ashley Highfield, said the company had burnt the midnight oil on the project over the past four months, since Project Kangaroo, the ITV, BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 joint venture, was blocked by regulators.
"The hole left by Kangaroo was something that provided a catalyst," said Highfield, the former BBC director of future media and technology who was briefly Project Kangaroo chief executive before moving to Microsoft late last year. "To some degree there is a void left by Kangaroo, there is a gap for an aggregator."
Microsoft is keen to get the six-month MSN Video Player pilot up and running to prove the value of its product before Arqiva and Hulu launch rival broadband TV aggregation services in the UK.
Arqiva last week acquired the assets of Project Kangaroo and plans its own TV aggregator service, and Hulu, the US online TV service backed by NBC Universal, News Corporation and Disney, is also planning a UK launch.
"We have to ascertain if the audience demand is there," said Highfield. "We believe there is demand in the maket for long form video."
Highfield added that the service was "absolutely in the friend camp" with broadcasters' own online TV services.
He said that there were a number of reasons why he believes that Microsoft has a "fair crack of the whip" at making its service a success.
Microsoft will be able to leverage its mass online audience - across web, Hotmail and instant messenger - which Highfield said is about 27 million UK users. He is also looking to launch the service on other digital outlets such as the Xbox and mobile devices.
Mark Sweney
Thursday 30 July 2009 07.39 BST
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009
Broadband users in UK will be able to watch shows including Peep Show, Shameless and The Young Ones on MSN Video Player
Microsoft has moved swiftly to launch an online TV player for UK broadband users offering shows including Peep Show, Shameless and The Young Ones, with the aim of filling the void left by the defunct Project Kangaroo and stealing a march on rivals Hulu and Arqiva.
The US software giant intends to launch its UK online TV player next week and has struck programming deals with the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, and All3Media, the producer of How to Look Good Naked, Peep Show and Midsomer Murders.
Called the MSN Video Player, it will be ad-funded and will launch with 300 hours of content from BBC shows including Hustle, The League of Gentlemen, Hotel Babylon, Dead Ringers, That Mitchell and Webb Look and Jack Dee Live at the Apollo.
Programmes will not appear on the MSN service until the expiry of the online catch-up TV window on broadcasters' own websites. For the BBC iPlayer the catchup window extends seven days after transmission; for Channel 4's 4oD service, it is 30 days. BBC Worldwide content will not appear until after 180 days.
For MSN Video Player's six-month pilot phase, the ad space around its programming has been bought by three media agencies: MediaCom, which bought out all the advertising on Channel Five's Demand Five when it relaunched, MindShare and MEC Interaction.
Microsoft UK's managing director of consumer and online, Ashley Highfield, said the company had burnt the midnight oil on the project over the past four months, since Project Kangaroo, the ITV, BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 joint venture, was blocked by regulators.
"The hole left by Kangaroo was something that provided a catalyst," said Highfield, the former BBC director of future media and technology who was briefly Project Kangaroo chief executive before moving to Microsoft late last year. "To some degree there is a void left by Kangaroo, there is a gap for an aggregator."
Microsoft is keen to get the six-month MSN Video Player pilot up and running to prove the value of its product before Arqiva and Hulu launch rival broadband TV aggregation services in the UK.
Arqiva last week acquired the assets of Project Kangaroo and plans its own TV aggregator service, and Hulu, the US online TV service backed by NBC Universal, News Corporation and Disney, is also planning a UK launch.
"We have to ascertain if the audience demand is there," said Highfield. "We believe there is demand in the maket for long form video."
Highfield added that the service was "absolutely in the friend camp" with broadcasters' own online TV services.
He said that there were a number of reasons why he believes that Microsoft has a "fair crack of the whip" at making its service a success.
Microsoft will be able to leverage its mass online audience - across web, Hotmail and instant messenger - which Highfield said is about 27 million UK users. He is also looking to launch the service on other digital outlets such as the Xbox and mobile devices.
Mark Sweney
Thursday 30 July 2009 07.39 BST
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009
