First Internet TV Channel Planned

The first television Internet channel is to launch in Britain this October. It will be primarily based on customised and enhanced material taken from the existing web sites of Conde Nast magazines. Titles tipped to be providing most of the articles include GQ, Tatler, Vogue and World Of Interiors. Net Channel will be available to people who pay £299 for a special device which allows the Internet to appear on a normal television set.

The channel is to be aimed not at ‘techies’, but those whose television experience is limited to using a remote control to search teletext. A mouse and a keyboard can be plugged into the box if required.

The planned set up seems to suggest that Net Channel will act as a link in a chain, simply ‘hosting’ the material, with rights to the articles still remaining firmly with the publisher. No money will change hands between Conde Nast and Net Channel. J Rohan, content and acquisitions manager, commented on how the channel will act as an improvement on viewing current web sites: “It is a totally different experience than looking at a PC – PCs don’t look as good or navigate as well. This totally enhances the viewer experience”.