Radio / Television News

TiVo’s capabilities grow with Internet TV, ad search



ALVISO, Calif. – PVR creator and manufacturer TiVo expanded its boxes’ capabilities this week with the addition of an ad search service and the ability to bring downloaded web video to the TV set.

‘TiVo Product Watch’ offers advertisers a new way to reach TiVo subscribers (PVR/DVR users are notorious linear TV ad-skippers but are also voracious searchers) who are actively looking for products with advertising content and information. At launch, TiVo Product Watch will deliver targeted, relevant advertising content, from more than 70 advertisers and 100 leading brands, from up to five different product categories including Automotive, Entertainment, Financial, Lifestyles, and Travel and Leisure.

TiVo subscribers (there’s over 4.4 million of them now) will be able to create searches and select advertising content, ranging from one minute to 60 minutes, from any of the five different product categories of interest and have it delivered directly to their TiVo. TiVo Product Watch will also offer subscribers the ability to create a search based on their favorite brands. TiVo viewers will be able to subscribe to a brand and opt-in to receive video content directly from that company on an ongoing basis.

At launch, General Motors, Sony Pictures, Lending Tree and Kraft Foods will be included as the premium advertisers for their respective advertising categories. The content that will be made available to TiVo subscribers will be informative and entertaining, leveraging the advertising industry’s new approach to content. Examples of content range from cooking demonstrations from Kraft Foods, to understanding the impact of different types of mortgages from Lending Tree, to behind the scenes movie trailers from Sony Pictures and new automotive features and aesthetic options from General Motors.

The DVR company’s other announcement this week will see it partner with Internet TV company Brightcove to enable broadband video published through Brightcove to be distributed directly to TiVo subscriber set top boxes.

Brightcove is an open Internet TV service that lets video producers and programmers to build broadband businesses while giving viewers more choices and control over their use of video and television. Brightcove is a private company led by a management team that includes senior executives from Macromedia, ATG, Comcast, Lycos, News Corp., MediaVest, and Discovery Networks.

"TiVo has revolutionized television viewing and Brightcove is bringing about major changes in consumer viewing of broadband-delivered video," said Tom Rogers, president and CEO of TiVo. "Through this new partnership the process of delivering Internet based video to TiVo users will be significantly facilitated."

Under terms of the agreement, Brightcove and TiVo will phase in a number of content partners and new downloading capabilities for a number of possible content partners of TiVo’s going forward. The partnership will provide a method for almost any publisher of broadband video using Brightcove’s Internet TV services to distribute content to TiVo subscribers. It also opens the possibility of monetizing the distribution through advertising, subscription plans, or pay-per-view. Initially, all content will be offered for free to TiVo subscribers and may carry advertising within the content

"TiVo has been a powerful factor increasing consumer choice and control over television viewing experiences. The Brightcove partnership will further empower consumers by allowing TiVo subscribers to find broadband video content via their TiVo or PC and send that content directly to their TiVo box where they can view it whenever they choose," said Jeremy Allaire, founder and CEO of Brightcove. "TiVo subscribers will gain access to the largest, most powerful content platform ever offered – the Internet. If it’s on Brightcove, you’ll be able to watch it on your TV using your TiVo box."

As part of this agreement, TiVo and Brightcove will work together over the coming months to add additional partners for the distribution of their broadband video content to TiVo subscribers.

www.brightcove.com
www.tivo.com