Content is still the problem for online TV services, not the technology that brings them to our screen. Remember Joost?
SeeSaw has finally launched, offering the UK its first non channel-specific Hulu type site. It’s what remains of the Kangaroo dream of bringing all our TV channels under one roof for online streaming – the downside being that only the BBC, Channel 4 and C5 have actually signed up so far, and the BBC especially is only offering a fraction of the line-up you’ll find if you jump across to the blessed iPlayer.
The shows on the service come with ads, and if you’ve played with other streaming video sites over the last year or so, you’ll recognise most of what SeeSaw has to offer immediately. It’s nice to have everything in one place, but it really needs a big infusion of new shows to excite us. These may be coming soon with the addition of premium content, but as the name suggests, we’ll have to pay if we want to get our hands on things. If it can get the likes of Sky on board, or better yet, the American networks directly, we’ll have a really interesting service – especially with talk of the UK version of Hulu having very gone quiet over recent months. Until then, we just wish we could get more excited.
