Yahoo! looks into TV service tie-up with BT Vision

by Gareth Jones, Marketing 16-Jan-07, 08:30

LONDON - Yahoo! is believed to be in talks with BT Vision about making its internet services - including video search and instant messaging - available via TV.

The internet services company has been working on converging media projects in the US for some time, and is now looking to make its web products available to British TV viewers.

Yahoo! is understood to have held initial talks with BT Vision about a video-search service that would allow viewers to use the web to track down shows that can then be watched on TV.

Other products such as chat, dating and jobs search could be wrapped around programmes. For example, viewers watching a football match could chat with friends via its instant messaging service during the game.

Yahoo! declined to comment, but an insider said it is talking to broadcasters, set-top-box companies and technology providers about its UK TV options.

It is not thought that the company's negotiations with BT Vision have yet reached an exclusive stage.

Microsoft currently provides the software behind BT Vision, leading to speculation about a potential tie-up between the two companies.