A few new deals see would-be VOD aggregators march forward at a similar pace…
Sony (NYSE: SNE) is adding VOD from seven TV channels to the TV section of its PlayStation 3 console…
— ITV (LSE: ITV) Player (UK)
— TV3 (Spain)
— Yahoo!7s PLUS7 (Australia)
— Animax (Germany)
— YLE (Finland)
— NOS (Holland)
Many of these services are already available through the PS3’s web browser. The significant part is that Sony will be adding a direct link to the websites from the TV section of its XrossMediaBar, just as BBC iPlayer has now….
iPlayer got four percent of its requests (five million) from PS3 in June, so the console is likely to contribute significant views to broadcasters’ programming and pre-roll ads. But some tweaks are needed – right now, ITV content doesn’t play on my PS3 “due to rights issues”.
In the U.S., PS3’s TV section is adding the Hulu Plus premium service.
Meanwhile, SeeSaw, the UK’s aborted Project Kangaroo that was bought up by broadcast infrastructure provider Arqiva, says it’s struck a multi-year deal to get NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) shows, including the entire repertoire of House and Heroes, plus Battelstar Galactica, 30 Rock and The Office, available for consumers to rent.
So far, SeeSaw had only shows from Channel 4, Five, Disney (NYSE: DIS), MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA), old content from BBC Worldwide and some direct from independent producers. The NBCU deal is one of its best to date as it’s getting VOD rights to top-tier shows already carried by other TV networks like Sky, the BBC and Five.