Web TV network after 100,000 viewers

A new venture, described as the country's first internet TV network, is aiming to attract 100,000 regular viewers a month to its portfolio of specialist local and international channels.

Ziln, the brainchild of two local technology companies specialising in online broadcasting - e-cast and NetsideTV - is starting today with a lineup of seven New Zealand channels playing scheduled and "video on demand" programming, plus 14 international news and business channels streaming live.

TelstraClear, the country's second largest telecommunications company, is backing the venture, which it will promote through its Clearnet customer website.

Ziln marketing director Phil O'Reilly said the network had been developed "to give New Zealanders the opportunity to tailor their viewing interests and to provide another outlet for local content providers".

O'Reilly said the local channels would feature New Zealand-made content not currently provided by mainstream television - covering home design, travel, shopping, real estate, history, science and extreme sport.

The international programming includes the popular Al Jazeera news channel and business news channel Bloomberg.

They, and the other international channels will be streamed live over the site, meaning Ziln viewers will see programmes at the same time they are shown around the world through satellite and terrestrial TV broadcasts.

Ziln plans to add more channels and aims to become the country's largest online video content platform.

According to Neilson Media Research's Panorama survey, 330,000 New Zealanders watched TV online last year, up from 194,000 in 2006.

The country's two major free-to-air television broadcasters, TVNZ and MediaWorks, have been investing heavily in the screening rights, technology and promotion of online video broadcast.

Ziln is chasing the advertising opportunities associated with internet TV. It says it can offer advertisers a mix of traditional video commercials plus website banner ads and links, as well as more "interactive" ad formats such as downloadable vouchers and redeemable offers linked to the content of the channel viewers are watching.

Ziln says within six months it expects to draw in 10 per cent of New Zealand's one million broadband customers, giving it a regular audience of 100,000 viewers a month.

It plans to expand its service to include video delivery via set-top boxes and media centres, allowing viewers to watch internet TV through their television sets.

Ziln also intends to extend the service to users of iPhones and other mobile devices.

For TelstraClear, the venture is a chance to promote the use of its broadband services and showcase the potential of its super-fast hybrid fibre coaxial networks in Wellington and Christchurch.

THE ZILN LINE-UP

Live streaming channels:
Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, BVN (Holland), CCTV 9 (China), Channel News Asia (Singapore), DWTV (Germany) Euronews, RTPi (Portugal), Russia Today, TV5 Monde (France), TVE (Spain), VOA (USA), Zee News (India).

Video on Demand channels
AirsideTV, NZ Archives, Pacific TV, The Outdoors Channel, The Travel Channel, The Shopping Club, TrendsTV.

www.ziln.co.nz