Broadband Content Bits: AOL's New Show; NBA's Stream; WhereverTV; Timberland's Vlog; Air Force/Xbox
This story was written by Tameka Kee.
AOL's "Morning Rush" : AOL (NYSE: TWX) is slated to launch a new five-minute video show called "Morning Rush," which pulls highlights from five TV morning shows (including "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show"), Mediapost reports. "Morning Rush" will appear on AOL Living, where users will be able to vote on their favorite clip of the day. P&G has signed on as the show's first sponsor.
NBA rolls out standalone broadband channel : The NBA has revamped its NBA League Pass Broadband service, giving basketball fans online access to up to 40 out of market games weekly, without making them subscribe to its TV-service first. The relaunch also includes a new player that lets subscribers watch multiple games at the same time and view games on demand up to 48 hours after they've aired. Separating the TV and online components of League Pass may end up being a very smart move, as the new broadband-only service costs $169roughly the same amount it costs for the original TV/broadband bundlebut will likely woo fans that were reluctant to add extra charges to their cable or satellite bill. Release.
WhereverTV's set-top box adds 800 international channels to your roster : WhereverTV has rolled out a $199 set-top box that pipes in content from its collection of foreign TV channelskind of like a SlingBox with an international bent, per NewTeeVee. Connect the Pittsburgh, Penn.-based startup's receiver to the Web and then to your TV, and you can access about 800 channels of international content. Users in the U.S. previously could only access WhereverTV's content online.
Founded in 2006, WhereverTV has received funding from both Idea Foundry and Innovation Works. And while its set-top box isn't yet going head-to-head with AppleTV, SlingBox, or consoles like Xbox 360 that are increasingly offering entertainment content, its launch does raise the question of how many extra devices users will actually want taking up space in their living room.(Maybe it's time for one box to be able to provide access to TV, movies and games from the U.S. and abroad?)
Timberland sponsors MySpace vlog : Timberland is making its first foray into video blogging, Adweek says. The outdoor apparel and footwear company is sponsoring sports rapper Chris Brogan's MySpace TV Channel with product placements and five-second pre-rolls. IPG's Mediahub brokered the deal, which also includes banner ads. John Moore, Mediahub's director of ideas and innovation said that the agency chose MySpace over YouTube and even rival Facebook because it offered more than the "standard fare" of advertising options. "I like YouTube as a vehicle, but I didn't want to do a YouTube user-generated contest because I find that a big yawn now ... All of the press and energy is around Facebook, and the reality is, in terms of advertising opportunity and scale, I'm as bullish on MySpace. I don't think they are getting the credit they deserve," Moore said.
Air Force sponsors Xbox LIVE series : The U.S. Air Force hs signed on as the exclusive sponsor of "Horror Meets Comedy," an original series set to premiere via Xbox LIVE when Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) unveils its New Xbox Experience on November 19. The show will run through the holiday season, with a new episode each week. GSD&M Idea City was behind the ad deal, which includes intro billboards for each episode, as well as interactive units throughout the Xbox LIVE network and on Xbox.com. Gamers can download Air Force videos, and Air Force-branded Xbox 360 theme packages if they click on the ads. Release.
By Tameka Kee