WorldTV’s EPG feature on Techcrunch UK
Mike Butcher of Techcrunch UK has written an excellent article on WorldTV’s new EPG feature.
In it he says…
“In some sense WorldTV is going up against other user-generated video sites like YouTube, Magnify.net and Kyte.tv. But the difference is that this has been built from the ground-up to actually work on a TV… The experience is much closer to a TV one and that’s important.”
Mike is a sterling advocate of the UK and Irish based startup scene and doing a steller job. See him in full Santa garb as master of ceremonies at the recent Techcrunch Talk / Xmas party just a few nights ago.
Read MoreWorldTV introduces EPG feature
We’re all very excited (and a little relieved) to announce a major new feature on WorldTV that we’ve been working on for months and which has been widely requested by users on our feedback forum.
Starting today all channels on WorldTV now have an Electronic Programme Guide (or EPG) which lets viewers scroll through a list of videos on a channel (see left), and scroll through a list of other channels to watch. In typical WorldTV fashion it is both easy-to-use and should work fine on a wide range of computers.
The best way to explain it is to experience it, and you can see it in action on this channel here (opens in new window).
The new feature is enabled by default across all channels on WorldTV starting immediately, but you can choose not to display it if you wish. You can choose between showing just the Playlist or just the Channel list if you prefer. The new controls for doing this are on the Player section of the Channel Settings tab (see right).
Within the next month we plan to offer the ability for channel owners to have control over which channels appear in the channel section, meaning in effect you’ll be able to create your own TV network! You’ll be able to link between different channels that you and your friends create.
For those interested in how we determine which channels are shown on the EPG, we take the best channels on WorldTV (those with a ‘pick’ status on the World page) and display…
- Some from the same country as the channel you are watching
- Some from the same continent as the channel you are watching
- Some from around the World
All the more reason to get your channel chosen as a ‘pick’ by writing to us and letting us know what a great channel you have!
We hope our users enjoy this new feature and it certainly makes watching WorldTV even more of a pleasure. You can now surf through and find all kinds of interesting channels and videos.
You can also read the Press Release for this announcement.
Read MoreWorldTV Empower™ goes live!
WorldTV’s new advertising platform that empowers users to monetize their online video channels went live today shortly before 5pm GMT.
Users can now add their own Google Adsense details to their channel to immediately begin earning a 50% share of the ad revenue on their channel. Users can upgrade their channel to receive a 95% share of the ad revenue if they wish, or eliminate advertising entirely.
A couple of other new ‘Pro’ features were also launched alongside the ad platform including the ability to debrand a channel (remove all WorldTV branding) and remove the 100 clip limit within the Library and Playlist.
Full details of the ad platform are in our previous post.
Read MoreWorldTV to launch new advertising platform – earn money from online video
Version Français | Versión Español | Versão em Português
One of the core principles of WorldTV is to offer channel creators a full suite of tools for building and operating an Internet TV channel. WorldTV is intended as a platform where you can literally build and run your own broadcast TV network.
A full set of tools would naturally include the ability to run advertising on a channel and potentially earn money from your channel. Internet TV is growing, and when it becomes common to watch Internet video on a TV set, the WorldTV channel creators of today could well become the media moguls of tomorrow. That’s our goal, and we look forward to helping make this come true for everyone.
We’ve thought long and hard about the best way to implement an advertising solution on WorldTV. A system that empowers people who want to monetize their channels, recognizes that some people don’t like advertising, and a system that ensures we can invest in the future.
Summary of new advertising functionality
Beginning December 8th 2008 all channels on WorldTV will have a new advertising unit on the left hand side of the channel. We’ve been running trials on certain channels for several weeks. You can see the advertising unit in action here.
- If you do nothing, your channel will have the new advertising on it starting December 8th
- If you have a Google Adsense account, you can earn 50% of the ad revenue on your channel simply by entering your Google Adsense details within the Editor
- You can remove the advertising entirely (classic WorldTV mode) by paying $5 per month
- You can receive 95% of the ad revenue on your channel by paying $20 per month
- If you are a non-commercial entity with a worthwhile project and feel strongly about the issue of advertising, you can request removal of the ad unit, for free, by way of e-mail letter, and we will consider your request.
Other details
- Ads will not appear when a viewer goes into full screen mode
- Ads will not appear on the embeddable player
- If you currently use an iframe technique to embed your channel, you may want to switch to the embeddable player technique as the iframe technique will include the new ads
How it works in practice
A new tab will appear in your Editor on or around December 8th called ‘Advertising’. Here you can enter your Google Adsense PublisherID (available on the top right hand corner of your Adsense account page) and immediately start earning 50% of the revenue from your channel. We achieve the revenue split by showing ads with your Google Adsense code alternatively with our own. In other words, viewer 1 to your channel will see our Adsense code, viewer 2 will see yours, and so on. If you choose the upgrade to 95% revenue split we will show your channel with your Google Adsense code for 19 out of every 20 impressions.
How much money will I make?
It’s completely free to try your own Google Adsense code so just give it a go! The most successful channels will tend to be the ones that get the most viewers, so finding ways to promote and market your channel through blogs, social networks and from other sites will be key. Compelling content that is regularly updated, and finding ways to promote the updates you make (something we plan to help with through new forthcoming ‘notification’ features) will also help.
Are any channels restricted from showing advertising?
Google AdSense program policies are specific about the kind of content that ads are allowed to be shown next to. We have implemented a system that will automatically disable channels from showing ads that are deemed to be against Google Adsense program policies. If you feel your channel has been disabled inappropriately, you can contact us and we will review your channel manually.
I’ve created a new channel on WorldTV and there is no advertising option
When you first create a channel on WorldTV, there will be no advertising for the first 48 hours. After 48 hours the option will become available. This gives us time to review the content with our system.
How do I make a ProBono request to remove advertising from my channel?
Write to us at reception@worldtv.com telling us your channel URL and why it is important for you not to have advertising on your channel. We will consider all requests on a case-by-case basis and notify you within 3-10 days if your request has been successful. Personal, charitable and other worthwhile non-commercial projects will all be considered and are warmly welcomed at WorldTV.
If you have any questions about our new advertising plans please write to us at reception@worldtv.com
You can also read our Press Release on this announcement
Read MoreToby’s Choice – Week 10
1. Roger Federer – worldtv.com/roger_federer
The greatness of Roger Federer is hard to appreciate fully as he is still playing and has recently unimaginably become fallible with the might of Rafa Nadal causing tennis ranking upheaval. However future historians will affectionately look back at Federer as one of, if not the all time Greats. A true Gentleman and ambassador for the game who is still only 27 and is just one win away from equaling Pete Sampras’s previously thought unbeatable record of 14 Grand Slam titles in the Modern era.
2. Gooner News TV – worldtv.com/gooner_news_tv
In case you were unfamiliar with the term a Gooner refers to a fan of Arsenal Football Club hence the channel name. Arsenal have consistently been a top flight Premier League football club for more than a decade under the meticulous care of Arsene Wenger whose brand of football is even popular among opposing team fans (myself included)
3. Ayrton Senna – worldtv.com/ayrtonsenna
I remember exactly where and what i was doing when i heard that Ayrton Senna had crashed and died. Senna seemed like an elusive, sultry looking man and I used to love watching the aggressive style of his rubbing burning battles with Prost and Mansell, perhaps we were denied the only driver who could have challenged Schumacher in his early years., The yellow helmet is still revered and copied by the current king of the track Lewis Hamilton a self confessed fan of the late great Aytron Senna.
4. Diego Maradona – worldtv.com/diegomaradona
As an Englishman its hard not to have some distaste for Maradona after his Hand of God goal and possibly the greatest goal scored in the competition, all in one match against England in the 1986 World Cup. However like Federer he remains arguably the best ever player to have graced his game and is quite literally worshiped in his home country Argentina. Watching this channel you cannot help but be amazed at his ability, check his tricks out as he casually warms up before a game, unbelievable natural talent.
5. Boxing TV – worldtv.com/boxingtv
I remember boxing once being described as “a barbaric sport, but there is nothing more exhilarating to watch..” This channel is is full classic boxing encounters including a documentary series about the best of British fighters locked in the ancient art pugilism
Extra
Alpine TV – http://worldtv.com/alpinetv
High altitude shenanigans from this Alpine based adrenalin laced channel.
Skateboard TV – worldtv.com/skateboard_tv
Four little wheels on a board, some skills and a lot of balls..
That’s it for this weeks sport tastic Toby’s Choice. Happy channel building and don’t forget you can follow all WorldTV News using our RSS feed
Read MoreToby’s Choice – Week 9
Toby’s Choice this week enters the political sphere with a humorous look at some of the world’s most powerful politicians. With the seemingly endless campaigning almost over and the 2008 American Presidential Elections literally hours away…
Obama TV – worldtv.com/obamaTV
As a non-American, outside observer, Obama gets my vote (for what it’s worth). I sincerely hope that if he does manage to reach the goal of his campaign and become president of the US of A, that he begins the process of “change” immediately as there is a fair amount of damage to undo. For a more factual look at Barack, check out History of Obama – worldtv.com/HistoryofObama
John McCain TV - worldtv.com/johnmccainTV
It seems to be that McCain is the man for those who lean towards preserving the status quo in the U.S. A Vietnam veteran who exudes patriot America and is the popular choice for the ex Bush crowd. For a more serious take on Mr McCain, see History of McCain- worldtv.com/HistoryofMcCain
Sarah Palin TV – worldtv.com/SarahPalinTV
Will the real Sarah “The Hockey Mom” Palin please stand up! Her packaged politics and robotic white toothed deliveries may prove to be a hindrance rather than help to the McCain campaign. Only time will tell. For a more factual look at Sarah, see History of Sarah Palin- worldtv.com/HistoryofSarahPalin
George Bush TV – worldtv.com/georgebushtv
Regardless of your political persuasion I’m sure most of you will agree that GWB hasn’t been the ideal president of the most powerful country in the world, but boy does he provide a seemingly endless supply of hilarious video recorded ineptitude. One of our oldest and most popular channels always delivers the belly laughs.
Sarkozy Superstar - worldtv.com/sarkozy_superstar
The French Head of State not surprisingly has a big smile with the power at his fingertips and a gorgeous ex model wife to boot.
Non mi piace Berlusconi – worldtv.com/non_mi_piace_berlusconi
The practically self appointed, football club owning “pure as the driven snow” president from Italy receives another transparent and impartial piece of political advice.
Any opinions expressed in this article are purely my own and are not necessarily shared by WorldTV.
WorldTV goes German
WorldTV has added German to its list of supported languages. This joins English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian and Russian. It’s always been our goal to make WorldTV a truly global network and with 80,000 user channels from 188 countries, we are well on our way to that goal. We’d like to extend a warm ‘Wilkommen’ to all German speakers using WorldTV!
WorldTV ist nun auch auf Deutsch verfügbar. Diese erweiter nun die vorhandenen Sprachen Englisch, Französisch, Spanisch, Portugiesisch, Ukrainisch und Russisch. Es war immer das Ziel von WorldTV ein globales Netzwerk zu erstellen, und mit über 80`000 Nutzern aus 188 Ländern, sind wir unserem Ziel schon etwas näher gerückt. Somit möchten wir alle unserer Deutschen Benutzer Willkommen heissen auf WorldTV.
To access our different language options simply select the drop down menu on the Home Page , on our player, or in the Channel Editor.
Um die verschiedenen Sprach-Optionen einzustellen, benutze bitte das „drop-down“ Menu auf unserer Homepage, im Player oder im Channel Editor.
You can also view channels from German speaking countries or click on the World Page map and choose the country to watch the channel of your choice.
Du kannst dir auch Channels aus anderen deutschsprachigen Ländern ansehen oder klicke auf die Weltkarte und such dir ein Land aus um einen Channel deiner Wahl zu sehen.
More languages will follow in the future and we will of course keep you updated.
Wir sind stets Bemüht, unsere Homepage noch in weiteren Sprachen anzubieten und werden euch selbstverständlich auf dem Laufenden halten.