TMW Ideas

This article from the Guardian heralds the launch of Joost.

If you haven't heard about Joost yet, read the article or watch the little film above, but essentially it's an online, on demand TV service from the folk who brought us Skype. It airs shows from several US broadcasting networks such as CBS and Viacom, funded by in programme advertising (just like normal commercial TV). It also features other stuff like communities and audio chat so you can talk about what an anticlimax the last episode of the OC was with someone who actually lives in the OC.

Two things make this interesting to me.
Firstly, the US broadcasting networks seem to be looking for new ways to make money from their expensively produced content. Are they feeling the pressure of a downturn in traditional TV ad sales as advertisers look for more measurable and accountable media. Or is it that offerings like Joost make their viewers watch the ads - a reverse in the trend of skipping ads made possible by services such as Sky +.

The second thing I found interesting, was that when I visited the Joost site, I discovered that they had invited a bunch of bloggers to help test the service prior to launch, and actively encouraged them to write about the service, even giving them pretty screen shots and badges to declare themselves official Joost beta testers. They have also given bloggers the power to invite their readers to become testers themselves.

It all fits together very nicely, utilising the influence of trusted bloggers to spread the Joost word in a transparent way amongst the early adopters that this service will no doubt appeal to most.
Very clever stuff.