Livestation, yet another P2P online TV platform, is launching its public beta version at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, claiming participants in a recent closed trial used the service for four hours per month. The outfit also added Setanta Sports News – the ITN-produced Setanta/Virgin news channel – to its roster in both the UK and US.
Livestation is premised on a Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) P2P algorithm which the software giant’s Cambridge R&D lab handed over in return for a 10 percent stake in parent Skinkers last year. With a lineup of BBC News 24, EuroNews, France 24, Sky News, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera and Canal+, CEO Matteo Berlucchi told me in February the service is aimed squarely at “live news junkies” who would keep the app open whilst working. He was reticent to make bold predictions about its likely success.
In Las Vegas, however, he is demo’ing a prototype Mac version and showing stats supporting the rolling news pitch. But is four hours a month really impressive for an app designed to be left running in the background? A full public launch is due in the second half of ’08.