New LiveStation beta focuses on news content

by Jan Harris

LiveStation, which delivers live radio and TV to a computer via broadband, has entered a wider beta testing period.

The company has decided to focus on news, and eliminate entertainment and sports content, partly because there are less rights issues with news distribution.

Its decision follows a study commissioned from consulting firm Enders Analysis, which found that over 60 million broadband users are interested in news.

The LiveStation technology was developed out of a Microsoft research initiative, IP Ventures, and was acquired by UK-based Skinkers in June 2006. LiveStation is built upon Microsoft technologies called Pastry and SplitStream.

Skinkers hopes to roll-out LiveStation commercially in the second half of 2008. The service is available globally, with varying content according to location.

US-based users of the beta version will have access to radio from BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4, and TV content from France 24 in English and French and the English version of Al Jazeera.

European users will also receive these channels, plus Bloomberg, Euronews, Canal+, and Sky News.

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