Media on trial - Zattoo

by Natalie Bell Media Week 07-May-08, 07:30

Zattoo, the live online TV platform, has launched amid controversy that it is streaming all five terrestrial TV channels, despite having struck no formal contracts with these stations.

The fallout of this is yet to be seen. Meanwhile, the Zattoo proposition continues to inject fresh interest in the UK online TV marketplace.

With Kangaroo set to launch in the autumn, and with sites such as Babelgum and Livestation also in the mix, online TV is a hotly contested sector, with differing, unproven models.

In terms of content, Zattoo appears to be ahead of the rest by offering a good range of TV channels, including the big five: BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five.

The Zattoo service is very user- friendly in terms of features and usability, but you can't help feeling that it simplifies things a little too much, and isn't using all of the Web 2.0 options available to it - unlike Joost, which fully exploits these. The design feels a little dated and the electronic programme guide is very basic, with no search functionality. It does, however, have the added bonus of running on all PC operating systems, unlike Livestation.

The advertising opportunities on the platform are limited, offering five-second ads slots during the buffering stage between channel switches, along with an interactive button to a branded microsite.

As ads are served while users wait to watch content, Zattoo claims that consumers will be fully focused on the screen.

It's an interesting argument, particularly as the service pitches itself as "the football game as you chat, the news as you e-mail and your favourite soap as you pay your bills", and therefore not actually demanding all of the user's attention.

Overall, Zattoo is an uncomplicated, easy way to watch TV on PC screens. However, with only limited and relatively low engagement advertising opportunities, Zattoo will need to reach big numbers to be viable.

Review by Natalie Bell, digital planning director, Manning Gottlieb OMD