Joost, best known for its unique online video service strategy, may be getting into an entirely new game. According to the company, Joost is getting ready to enter the live TV world by 2008. Upon doing so, the peer-to-peer service would gain much needed leverage over its competitors and help people enjoy shows over the Internet while performing other tasks on their computers.
Joost's content strategy and acquisition executive vice president Yvette Alberdingkthijm announced the news today and indicated that the company would begin testing the service during the first quarter of next year. Unfortunately, she wouldn't identify which content providers have signed on, but she did say that some are ready to have their live broadcasts streamed over the Joost service.
European users will be included
Luckily for European users, they won't be left out in the cold. According to Aberdingkthijm, the company may sign European sports broadcasters to deals similar to the contract signed with Major League Baseball in the US last month. "There's some stuff up our sleeve actually," she told PaidContent UK. "Obviously we're talking to everybody who has sports rights."
Historically speaking, Joost has come under attack for its poor selection of programming and while it works for shows like sitcoms or dramas, the service was lacking the programming it needed to take it to the next level. According to Joost, it feels the next level includes sports and other live broadcasts that usually bring the most condensed viewership. Even better, the company believes live programming could significantly increase advertising revenue - the main source of its income.
Beyond increasing advertising revenue - likely the goal of this move - Live Joost TV could also steer viewers away from traditional televisions and onto their computers where they typically spend quite a bit of time.
There is no word on when the service will officially go live, but if everything goes well next year, we may be seeing live Joost TV sooner than once thought.
