The portal site will use the PermissionTV platform to deliver DVD quality video content to its visitors over broadband connections.
Lycos plans to jump into the online video fray with the help of PermissionTV, an online TV distribution and marketing platform.
At the start of the World Cup, Lycos quietly debuted the full screen capabilities of PermissionTV. The “Soccer From The Fringe” feature on the Lycos main page launches the PermissionTV player when clicked.
Lycos said it plans to acquire a variety of video content, from episodic television to longer films, for the on-demand viewing of its visitors. The potential for offering some content at a premium exists, as episodes of their World Cup coverage has been listed as “free.”
Content providers will be able to provide their programming as an on-demand, subscription, or advertising-supported model. Lycos touted the ability to target web advertising with the platform, which could help the brand building of its advertisers.
In the coming weeks, Lycos should supplement its online video with more mainstream oriented content. Branded TV and movie-related programming has been announced, though no details of that programming have been made available yet.
PermissionTV received a high profile boost among the heavily tech-oriented audience that visited the E3 Insider conference page for this year’s version of the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. A free download of the PermissionTV player provided access to the press conferences held by the three major game console makers: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, along with other content.
The move by Lycos brings it into a market crowded with YouTube, Google Video, AOL, and other companies all looking for ways to attract a streaming video audience. Growing broadband adoption in the US has fueled the demand for richer media content.
Now those providers, like Lycos, have to convince brand marketers that the video efforts of online portals merit the investment of advertising dollars. More importantly, the providers have to deliver a quality viewing experience to their users, and that’s what Lycos and PermissionTV will try to accomplish with their partnership.
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David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
