They are playing our song!!
DirecTV Projects
E-Commerce Portal Launch
By Karen J. Bannan
February 1, 1999 3:22 PM ET
Portals aren't just for Web surfers anymore.
Satellite provider DirecTV plans this year to
launch an e-commerce portal designed
specifically for its video customers, said Brad
Beale, the company's vice president of
Advanced Products.
The move represents a retreat from
DirecTV's previously announced push
strategy. Instead, the company plans to
leverage its increased bandwidth, coupled
with Wink Communications' interactive
television technology, to deliver additional
on-demand video, data and e-mail services,
Beale said.
"Hard-core PC and Internet users are
interested in additional data, but they aren't
interested in paying for it. We've decided that
everything we do is going to be TV-centric,"
Beale said.
Initially, DirecTV's e-commerce portal will
feature stores and services such as books,
CDs and software, which already are
succeeding on the Internet, Beale said.
DirecTV also will offer multiple e-mail
addresses, interactive advertising and
additional video channels that would be
streamed during off-peak hours. The video
would be stored on a future Philips
Electronics DirecTV set-top box equipped
with the TiVo video capture abilities, he said.
DirecTV will charge a placement fee and
collect part of any Web sales.
DirecTV will get an immediate leg up on
cable competitors, because it will be able to
offer more customers to companies setting
up shop on the e-commerce portal, said Gary
Arlen, president of research firm Arlen
Communications. |
