Comments on: Microsoft Launches Online TV Service | MSN Video Player To Rival BBC iPlayer & Hulu

By: Elizabeth Harris

Elizabeth Harris — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:32:20 +0000

So this is something to look forward too. My question is, is the use of BBC iplayer and the rest are limited to selection regions only?

By: Dave Parrack

Dave Parrack — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:51:18 +0000

UK Media Watcher, I take the point that this doesn’t compare to either the iPlayer or Hulu U.S. in terms of the nature of the content on offer. However, Microsoft has still entered the fray, and if this six month trial with older content is successful then who knows what content partners they could attract.

The point I made in the article was that competition is hotting up in the British online video sector. Sure, both MSN and Hulu are going to have to thrash out deals to even come close to the iPlayer, and so is Arqiva with the Kangaroo tech, but they’re still all vying for a piece of the action.

By: UK Media Watcher

UK Media Watcher — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:29:26 +0000

This is uninformed. The MSN player is not a rival to the iPlayer – or any other broadcaster sites in the UK – because it does not offer 7 day catchup content, which is the holy grail of content. As yet, not one broadcaster in the UK has anounced a deal to share their 7 day catch-up content with anyone else – nt Hulu, not Youtube, no-one.

All MSN has done here is BUY openly-availabl;e archive content to stream online, the costs of which they hope to recoup from advertising revenue. Nothing new here in terms of content whatsoever.

When a UK broadcaster announces a 7-day catchup deal with someone else in the UK (like Hulu carries in the US) – now that will be news. But I doubt very much whether the first partner of anyone will be Microsoft.

Hulu in the UK is still stalled as they cannot come to agreements over ad sales – that was the case two months ago, and it remains the case now.