BSkyB and Google team up on launch of UGC channel

by James Livesley, Media Week 06-Feb-07

BSkyB is set to launch a user-generated content channel called Sky Cast on both TV and the internet, with video technology powered by Google.

In December, the broadcaster and search engine announced they were to
work together to provide Sky's broadband customers with search, e-mail
and a video-sharing website.

As a point of differentiation to existing video-sharing and social

networking sites such as MySpace and YouTube, the broadcaster is working

on how the user-generated video could be linked into its existing
programming strands. Users of the UGC channel will be able to edit,
upload and share their own video content.

Media Week understands the service will launch within a matter of weeks,
rather than months.

A spokesman for Sky said: "We are working with Google to move into the
user-generated content space, and it will be integrated across all
platforms. We are looking at how we will generate the content and Google
is assisting us in that process."

Google will provide the search bar on Sky's broadband portal and share
those search advertising revenues with the broadcaster.

Sky is this week set to go head to head with Virgin Media, which has
rebranded from NTL Telewest. Both are active in the coveted triple-play
area, which combines TV, broadband and telephony.

Google last year acquired channel video website YouTube in a $1.65bn (£880m) all-share deal, and also has its own video-sharing
site, Google Video.

Like Sky, rival broadcaster ITV is also working on ways to involve
user-generated content with its programming, and has been running an
interactive Emmerdale murder mystery on its website, ahead of a relaunch
of ITV.com in March.

Last week News Corp, the owner of Sky, invested in ROO Group, a provider
of video for websites, content providers and advertisers.