Originally published December 12 2005
AOL to launch online TV channels for old shows
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
AOL's channels will be split by genre: Comedy, drama, animation, action, classic and superhero/villain, and will show past primetime hits. In2TV will show programs that are not currently running in syndication.
Time Warner Inc.'s AOL said on Monday it planned to launch a free Internet television service by early 2006, in one of the technology and media industry's most ambitious designs to reach TV viewers online.
The advertising-supported service, In2TV, will feature approximately 3,400 hours of programming from 4,800 episodes spanning 100 series of Warner Bros.-produced shows from the past in its first year in an exclusive deal.
could add up to 14,000 episodes from 300 series it has currently cleared with rights holders, executives said.
AOL is also currently in talks with "every major provider" to offer shows not owned by Time Warner, Kevin Conroy, executive vice president of AOL media networks said in an interview.
In2TV has been two and a half years in the making, executives said, and to date remains one of the most aggressive displays of collaboration among the corporate siblings of world's largest media conglomerate once riven by dissension and infighting after the 2001 merger of AOL and Time Warner.
"The great promise behind this legendary merger was there would be synergies," said Jupiter Research analyst Todd Chanko, who was briefed on the service ahead of the announcement.
Working with a corporate sibling was "better than spending $100 million" to build a service from soup to nuts, Eric Frankel, president of Warner Bros.
Invoking phrases eerily reminiscent of the unkept promises of the merger, Frankel added, "We're hoping one plus one equals seven."
Indeed, with some 112 million unique monthly visitors to AOL's online properties, the company has been quickly restructuring the company to attract even more by offering more free programming, through which it can sell online advertising to offset a quickly declining dial-up subscriber base.
Selling shows directly to consumers on a per episode basis, although interesting, could face problems at a time when monthly cable bills average about $40 and rising each year.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml