By ANYA SACHAROW
The ABC News Web site (www.abcnews.com) is expected to launch this Thursday with the next version of Progressive Networks’ streaming video technology, RealVideo, and advertisers Smith Barney, Eddie Bauer and Volvo. Content of the site will not be available until then, but a preview site went up two weeks ago. Online competition between ABC, MSNBC, CNN and Fox for news coverage on the Internet will now be in full force.
With Progressive’s announcement of its new streaming video, ABCNEWS.com will launch with a few refinements for netcasting. The new RealVideo will feature uninterrupted audio plus video on a corner of the desktop and channels. Foxnews.com will relaunch on Thursday also using the new RealVideo and with its first advertisers including American Home Products and Alliance Capitol. CNN.com recently started using VXtreme’s streaming video to netcast the UK elections. They will also use a searching product called Magnifi which can search video clips by images. CNN plans to stream more and more video onto the site. MSNBC.com uses Progressive’s RealAudio for sound and Microsoft’s NetShow for limited netcasting, but hasn’t begun streaming video on the site. MSNBC’s Keith Rowe said the site isn’t committed yet to streaming video. ‘Video solutions now are good at compressing talking heads,’ said Rowe. ‘But compelling video such as explosions and riots don’t compress well with streaming. We’re experimenting, but we haven’t decided yet.’ Rowe says Microsoft’s relationship with MSNBC will not preclude the site from using another company’s technology. An ABC spokesperson declined comment on the pre-launch, but the network will leverage its affiliate relationships for content.
‘What I’m hoping ABC will do is develop a set of content that is highly geared to the Web experience,’ said Mike Metzger, general manager of broadcast services at Progressive Networks. “Once this grows further I predict they’ll get into production specifically for the Web. What you’re
going to see is the evolution of a unique medium.’
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