Web Video Comes to TiVo: Ad Opportunities

I just spoke with TiVo’s SVP of Programming, Tara Maitra, about the company’s new TiVoCast broadband-to-TV offering and what sorts of ad opportunities will come with it.

There’s not much to tell. The basic story is it works the same as with any program you pipe in from the airwaves. As you watch the show, you get the advertising that comes with it. Maitro told me TiVo will consider additional marketing opportunities where appropriate, but she declined to go into details.

One of the participating publishers, The New York Times, comes to TiVoCast through the company’s new relationship with video distribution platform Brightcove. In a separate Q&A I did with Brightcove CEO Jeremy Allaire this week, Allaire told me he’s thinking of syndicating content to TV as a long-range opportunity and doesn’t expect its relationship with the DVR company to benefit its business for many many moons.

TiVoCast will initially include content from the NBA, WNBA, Heavy.com, iVillage, NYT and others.