Blinkx offers search for premium TV shows

by Fiona Ramsay, Media Week 30-Jul-08, 14:20

LONDON - Video search engine Blinkx has launched a web service that allows users to search for all British TV shows that are legally available online.

Blinkx Remote allows users to find TV shows from the numerous online video-on-demand services provided by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five.

Through tv.blinkx.com, users searching for full-length episodes of programmes can search for specific shows by title, genre or network, and sign up for alerts about new programmes available.

Blinkx said Remote filters out illegal clips and spam, and currently offers legally available free programmes, including My Name is Earl, Neighbours, Banged Up and Eastenders.

The video specialist also plans launch a US version of the site.

Suranga Chandratillake, founder and chief executive of blinkx, said: "The online video landscape has changed dramatically over the past year. What was once the domain of short-form, user-generated material, has become the realm of premium television."