Bebo Launches New Free Video Service

LONDON/NEW YORK, November
13: The youth social-networking site Bebo has launched its video service Open
Video, which will allow companies such as the BBC in the U.K. and CBS in the
U.S. to distribute free video content to the site’s 40 million users via their
own customized channels.

Companies providing
content to users on Open Video will receive 100 percent of the revenues from
in-video advertising, according to MediaGuardian. Participating companies include the BBC, ITN, Channel 4, BSkyB and Endemol in the U.K., and
CBS, Turner Broadcasting, MTV Networks and ESPN in the U.S. Companies
can also embed their own media player on their Bebo channel, including their
own advertising, and customize the page for their brand. Programs on the new service will include Robin Hood and The Mighty Boosh.

ITN was also named as
Bebo’s worldwide news launch partner for Open Video. ITN is launching its own
player on the service with showbiz, sports and quirky content. The service will
be funded by short pre-roll advertisements around the content, provided by
ad.com. ITN also plans to introduce video content and blogs specific to Bebo,
to further engage and interact with the Bebo community.

The ITN service will be
broken down into four strands. The first is Planet Goss, which will feature all the latest showbiz news, a
mix of new content, including outtakes and dares for the stars. Bebo
subscribers will be encouraged to upload their photos and videos of stars and
submit questions for upcoming interviews. ITN will also offer a Bollywood
strand featuring the weekly show Bollywood Insider and a daily blog from presenter Suzi Mann. The
third strand is Sports Fix,
which will feature ITN’s Sports Fix and English Premier League bulletins, and
will also launch new short-form programs like amateur football features,
manager mishaps, recreated goals of the week and Wag watch.

Finally, ITN will
introduce a Crazy Wild Cool
strand that will feature content from ITN’s archive, including cute animal
content, funny moments and bloopers. Bebo users can also upload their own
videos and pictures.

Nicholas Wheeler, the
managing director of ITN On, commented: "We have always believed in
getting our content to the audience wherever they are and now we know they are
on Bebo in a big way and we want to be part of it. As always it is great to be
a launch partner and be able to help grow the market for great content on new
platforms like Bebo. We're offering a range of content in the celebrity and
quirky genres and look forward to introducing a host of new bespoke video, as
we progress, to engage Bebo users and enhance their experience of the site."

Following the launch today
in London and New York, additional media companies will be able to add their
content through a "self-service" system. Open Media also includes
content from web-based services such as the music recommendation site Last.fm,
the user-content channel SumoTV and comedy site Crackle, owned by Sony Pictures
Entertainment.

—By Irene Lew