(21 June 2006 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: US net portal Lycos is working with the broadband TV platform PermissionTV to offer a variety of video programming to its 25 million visitors. PermissionTV is a system for media companies and content owners to distribute television programming via the Internet.

The two companies will team up to deliver a high quality TV entertainment solution to the nearly 25 million visitors to the Lycos Network of sites.

Lycos will use the PermissionTV platform to offer a variety of video programming to the Lycos audience. Lycos says that the deal reinforces its core strategy to provide consumers with quality video programming and entertainment enhanced with the interactivity of the web, and a platform for creators to showcase and market quality content.

Lycos CEO Alfred Tolle says, "We chose to work with PermissionTV because we considered it to be one of the most powerful broadband TV platforms available today, allowing us to offer high quality video to our end users that is television-centric, while providing our content partners their own customized channels with a completely unique look under the Lycos brand.

"By teaming with PermissionTV, Lycos is uniquely positioned to become a leader in the television internet space." Lycos plans to leverage the PermissionTV platform to acquire a wide range of on-demand content from episodic television, to independent films and programming, to long-form films, providing a totally unique broadband based video experience.

PermissionTV CEO David Graves says, "The combination of Lycos's reach, and PermissionTV's advanced technology is an attractive proposition for video programmers who want to attract a large audience in the most compelling way. This platform makes it easy to get up and running, allowing content providers to build an audience for their own brands."

For sponsors, the enhanced online programming offers exactly what they have been seeking: the targetability of web advertising with content that fit expectations of traditional TV viewers. With the PermissionTV platform, Lycos is able to offer media companies and content owners a new distribution channel with subscription, advertising or VOD (video on demand) packaging options. Advertisers get a robust and cost-effective way of reaching potential buyers, while viewers get a controllable on-demand viewing experience that feels like TV.

Tolle adds, "The era of merging the interactivity of the Web with traditional broadcast television programming is here. Lycos can bring an instant audience, immediate distribution and traffic, and consistently re- engage our users with new content, making this platform particularly attractive to content partners and advertisers alike."

The first programming kicked off on 9 June 2006 with the launch of Lycos' behind- the-scenes video coverage of the soccer World Cup. For the remainder of World Cup, Lycos will give an insider's look at World Cup culture, featuring exclusive video from embedded Lycos videographers on the front lines, available only at worldcup.lycos.com and powered by PermissionTV. Additional programming will be launched in the coming weeks, including branded television- and movie- related offerings that lend themselves to mainstream audience demand.