MusicPlusTV Seeks to Create Next Generation Music TV Network
6/5/07 -With the rapid rise of online video destinations leading numerous startups to jump into the market, user-generated content has almost become the conventional approach. But one Echo Park-based startup is bringing the phenomenon full-circle. MusicPlusTV, founded in 2003 by entrepreneurs Marc Cubas and Dennis Tzeng, is creating a music-based online television network—complete with studios for original content production.
The company built the studios for the creation of professionally-produced programming, which serves as the centerpiece of its service. While it does incorporate social networking and user generated content like the My Spaces and You Tubes of the world, the streaming “television” channel based on music is the real differentiator for MusicPlusTV.
“Because our video stream is 24 hours, we can mimic the passive experience of watching television while also offering all our content on-demand,” said Henry Goldman, business development director at the company. “We can cater to whatever the user is looking for; if they want to put something on in the background while they get ready to go out on a Friday night, our stream is live, or if they want to relive their favorite bands performance from South by Southwest while killing time at work, all they have to do is search.”
The live television feed is streamed via Windows Media Player while the on-demand video content is served to users via a custom Flash player developed in-house. Users are able to customize their video content through the use of embed codes that allow any piece of video to be posted on individual profile pages. The company gives users space for 100 files each of videos, photos and audio with their free subscriptions.
While MusicPlusTV competes most directly in terms of business model with other “streaming network” companies like Denver-based Mania TV, the social aspects of the site puts the company in the difficult position of going head-to-head with other social networking businesses like My Space, You Tube, and their ever-growing list of competitors. However, Goldman tells StartUp Beat that the company sees its approach as unique enough to provide a strong differentiator from the other social sites.
“In terms of YouTube, as well as other user-generated content sites, users don’t think of them as networks as much as portals, channels from which they can access the work of other networks and creators,” he said. “By primarily focusing on original content, MusicPlusTV has established a brand that has at its core exclusive programming. All it takes for a music fan to realize the value of our site is one visit, where they can see the breadth of our content library.”
Earlier this year, MusicPlusTV launched version 3.0 of its site, when the social networking and on-demand video hosting and archiving capabilities were added. The company says its traffic has increased dramatically since then.
It also closed a funding round last November from South Bay-based Kenai Investments. A company spokesperson said executives are currently talking to additional potential investors.
In addition to its platform at MusicPlusTV.com, the company also syndicates content to other online destinations, including Joost. Goldman says that at least some of the company’s content can be found on most of the other major video sites.
Longer term, MusicPlusTV seems to be content with finding its niche in the online video universe, not conquering it.
“We have no plans to take over You Tube’s share of the market space,” said Goldman. “But, if just one-in-ten of You Tube’s users who visit their site for music video content came to us instead, we could carve out a very healthy business.”
MusicPlusTV – www.musicplustv.com
