CNN Launches Premium Video On-Demand Service
News network CNN has become the latest broadcaster to launch a video on-demand service, offering broadband users access to an extensive catalogue of archived content and live video streams.
The new service, CNN Pipeline, charges users a small fee, building upon the news channel’s existing online operation, CNN.com, and its recently launched free video service, funded by commercial advertisements.
“With CNN Pipeline, CNN.com stakes out entirely new territory for online news, placing the broadband consumer in the ultimate driver’s seat,” explained Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services. “Today, the CNN.com user can not only read a story and view video on demand, but with CNN Pipeline, the user can also take control of daily news clips, several live streams of news and even video from CNN’s extensive archives.
“CNN Pipeline creates an added dimension to online news, offering an experience that is even more relevant, credible and catered specifically to the user’s needs.”
The video on-demand service is currently available in 25 countries, offering a host of features including an easy-to-use downloadable video player and access to video content from CNN’s wide ranging News Group.
David Payne, senior vice president of CNN News Services, explained the new service’s target audience, stating: “CNN Pipeline provides the ultimate news experience for all types of consumers, designed for people to ‘watch and work.’ CNN Pipeline gives consumers commercial-free choices and control. Pipeline is to online news what the iPod is to digital music.”
CNN is the latest media owner to provide on-demand content via the internet, following in the footsteps of BSkyB and the BBC, who earlier this year announced plans to provide video over high speed broadband connections.
The BBC’s offering aims to provide viewers with the complete output of its television channels on a ‘replay’ basis for seven days after broadcast (see BBC Enters Second Phase Of Web TV Trial), while BSkyB will offer premium sports and movie content via its own internet download system (see Sky To Provide Content Via Internet Downloads).
CNN: www.cnn.com