TVNZ’s new site – crippled

Posted byLance Wiggs 3 Comments on TVNZ’s new site – crippled

Go Tui – who managed to sneak a look at TVNZ’s new site. Read/Write web has also blogged about how TVNZ.com will be positioned as a third channel.

The site seems lovely to look at (looks like there is some nice ajax action, and the download speed tester recognises the constraints we have here)

Tragically it is fatally flawed – programs you buy are not yours – they expire after 7 days. Moreover it does not work on Apple Macs as it relies on the appalling Microsoft Windows Media Player with full DRM.

This crippled implementation though a step in the right direction is sad and weak.

How good would it be if we (anyone in the world) could automatically download programs, news or sports events from TVNZ.com, and have them stored on our own hard drive for later playing. That would be instant mySky for everyone.

Charge us for it sure, but once we download a program it should be free as in beer and free as in un-DRMed. If your prices are right (and they seem pretty good) then there is little incentive for us to on-sell the program. Meanwhile you’ll have a whole new revenue stream and tap into the diaspora of Kiwis. TVNZ.com should be 3 channels, not one.

Keep trying chaps.

Scoopit!

Published by Lance Wiggs

@lancewiggs

3 replies on “TVNZ’s new site – crippled”

  1. Lance, what you seen on launch date is still very version 1.0 of the product. TVNZ are totally committed to ‘Inspiring New Zealander’s on every screen’.

    I was at the same meeting RRW was at am I am very impressed by how open TVNZ were and how much they are willing to listen and take ideas on board. The download option at the moment is crippled but this is due to licensing issues. TVNZ have not set up a division whose only focus is to work through these issues and put in place a a great strategy for the long term.

    Glen

    Disclaimer: Jason Paris the new head of emerging markets is a friend of mine so I may be a little biased but I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now!

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  2. Thanks for the comment Glen
    at launch there should be little licensing issue for TVNZ produced content such as news and sports? Will these shows be crippled?

    a brave DRM-free approach here would really dig into Sky. Why not source other channels as well and sell them to us online?

    Block non-NZ IP addresses, if you must, for foreign sourced content.

    But TVNZ should aim to have all domestic content ever produced available forever, then let me subscribe or pay per view.

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  3. But TVNZ should aim to have all domestic content ever produced available forever, then let me subscribe or pay per view.

    – That apparently is the plan long term. The problem of course is that there are rights issues around that and digitizing the content is a _huge_ job. At the moment TVNZ are still analog – Yes the ads you see on TV are stored on TAPES.

    There are heaps of ideas around licensing Asian channels, fringe content, etc. but as Rachel Hunter says “It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen”.

    I’ll chat more about it on Tuesday morning if you are in the office.

    /b

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