Brightcove Expands U.K. Business

LONDON: Brightcove has added Virgin Media Television to its roster of British clients, with the Internet TV service powering LIVING’s online channel Liv, which delivers free, original short-form content.

Liv went live last week, accessible from Living’s website as well as various third-party sites using Brightcove’s advanced distribution and syndication features. This is the latest development out of Brightcove’s two-year-old European headquarters in London. Since setting up its U.K. office, the company has worked with ITV, Channel 4, Five, BSkyB, UKTV and STV. According to Brightcove’s Josh Hawkins, the company’s British customers uploaded an average of 250 videos per month in 2007; today, that number has risen to almost 550. In addition, the average length of video segments published online has also grown from 1.96 minutes in 2007 to almost 3.5 minutes in 2009.

"From short-form original programming to feature-length catch-up TV services, U.K. broadcasters continue to expand their online video offerings and introduce new initiatives that extend the reach of their content and brands, build community, and provide new monetization opportunities," Hawkins said. "We are thrilled to see the market grow and broadcasters ramp their online video initiatives with Brightcove. It’s a privilege to work with so many leaders in the industry and we look forward to continued innovation and growth with our partners in the U.K."