BCCL to make its video content available on mobile

Times Audience Network (TAN), the digital video arm of Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited (BCCL), will make available the video content of its various TV channels -- Times Now, ET Now and Zoom TV -- on GPRS-enabled mobile phones. Music videos from Times Music will also be offered.

Vuclip will enable the media giant to package video clips for fast streaming, or consumption across different brands and models of mobile handsets. Video clips will be uploaded on mobile sites or destinations -- V.TimesNow.tv, V.ETNow.tv and V.Zoomtv.in -- specially created to distribute video content.

In addition, BCCL will also host its video content on mobile sites of various telecom operators. Vuclip will be responsible for the tie-ups with mobile operators.

Sameer Pitalwalla, head, TAN declined to divulge the revenue model for monetizing the video content on mobile. He says, "There is scope for advertising on content, but it's a different kind of medium; therefore, it's not the only type of revenue model we are looking at." BCCL does not plan to charge consumers for watching the video clips.

In an official communiqué, Rishi Khiani, chief executive officer, Times Internet Limited, says, "Vuclip allows users across mobile operators and devices to have access, in near real-time, to the latest news, entertainment and gossip from TAN's premium content partners."

Times Audience Network was earlier known as Zoom Audience Network.