Five announces its role in Project Canvas
Broadcaster Five has appointed digital product development company Capablue to work with them on Project Canvas, the much-anticipated new online video platform for UK broadcasters. Set to launch ‘mid 2010’, Project Canvas will enable viewers to watch programmes and listen to digital radio channels through their TV via a special set top box connected to an existing broadband internet connection. The partnership between the BBC, Five, ITV, Channel... [Read More...]
Google buys online video firm On2
Google has completed its $125 million acquisition of video compression specialist On2, as the internet giant looks to expand further into the growing online video market. The deal closed after gaining approval from On2 shareholders and was valued at $124.6m. The figure was about $18 million more than the value stated when the acquisition was first announced last year. On2 provides video compression technologies for mobile video, embedded devices,... [Read More...]
Adconion boosts UK team
Online ad network Adconion has expanded its UK business, making five new hires as part of plans to boost its global headcount by 50 per cent this year. The network, which last year acquired online video service Joost, has appointed Walker Media’s Esther Tobie as billing specialist. It has also hired three delivery executives: Helen Quaid, who was a campaign manager at TMP Worldwide; Louise Edrupt, previously in the business data analysis department... [Read More...]
YouTube launches channel for citizen journalists
YouTube has launched a new channel that gives online news editors video access to footage posted by citizen journalists and even request such video be shot by amateurs seeking attention. ‘YouTube Direct’ works on a purely voluntary basis, with no commission paid to users whose videos are used, but they will receive credit. Steve Grove, head of news and politics at YouTube, said: “It’s an incentive to upload great video, because of... [Read More...]
Virgin launches special effects on YouTube channel for Powerful Stuff campaign
Virgin Media is the first brand to use YouTube to let people tailor their own video content to add special effects. Virgin Media is today launching the YouTube application within Virgin Media’s ‘Powerful Stuff’ Youtube channel, which supports the Powerful Stuff above-the-line campaign. The YouTube application gives users the ability to make their everyday videos ‘more powerful’, by adding special effects and sound to their movie.... [Read More...]
Arqiva appoints former UKTV chief as platform controller
Media technology company Arqiva has appointed former UKTV COO John Keeling as platform controller of its new video-on-demand (VOD) service. Keeling will be responsible for appointing key programming and marketing staff ahead of the launch. Before UKTV he worked at MTV, launching MTV Europe in 1987, and Sky. Arqiva announced plans to move into online video after it acquired the assets of Project Kangaroo in July. The software and platform assets from... [Read More...]