In somewhat of a primetime content-based coup, independent video media site Veoh.com has managed to secure online access to a host of leading television shows from heavyweight American network ABC.
Veoh.com secures primetime TV content from ABC. Image: Veoh.
The partnership between ABC (which is owned by the Walt Disney Company) and Veoh will see the Internet service screening full episodes of high-profile television shows such as “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Ugly Betty,” as well as game highlights and related clips from prominent sports network ESPN.
The delivery of ABC television content will arrive as a significant step forward for the Veoh service, which, prior to this deal, has only offered TV shows such as World’s Scariest Videos and Haunted America along with rather obscure clips from the likes of Ford Models Media, Ask A Ninja, and EgoTV.
Outside of providing access to television material, Los Angeles-based Veoh is also much like YouTube in that offers a platform for the posting of user-created videos and clips.
ABC’s decision to widen the online scope of its television content through Veoh, which is notably backed by former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner, comes after it struck a similar TV content deal with Internet provider AOL in the closing months of 2007.Both outside platforms stream ABC’s content for free, while picking up revenue through online advertising.
While financial details relating to the latest deal have not been disclosed, ABC has indicated that it will pay Veoh for driving its own Web traffic to ABC’s programs and commercials.
“You are practically seeing a mad rush of networks clearing rights and digitizing their shows and getting partners to showcase their shows,” commented Veoh founder Dmitry Shapiro in a New York Times report. “They now realize that most of their viewership happens outside their own sites.”
Compounding that notion, it would appear that ABC isn’t looking to limit the spread of its content to just Veoh and AOL, with the network indicating that it is also in the process of mulling over distribution deals with online media platforms including Google-owned YouTube and Hulu -- the latter of which already hosts and syndicates content from FOX and NBC through its own service and via other sites such as MySpace and Yahoo.
View blog reactions
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)
Advertising
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)