ROO adds MoMedia content

MoMedia International, a leading international producer and distributor of digital entertainment, has signed a distribution deal with ROO to license content produced by Madrid-based, “how-to” guide specialist Canalmicro.  The deal includes Canalmicro’s “See & Enjoy”, a 600 clip series of video recipes with cooking tips for everyone; “Wonder & Enjoy”, a series of “how-to” magic tricks; and, “Ride & Enjoy”, a series about bicycle repair and maintenance for road and street bikes.

Consumers More Engaged With Online Video

A recent study from the Simmons branch of Experian Research indicates that consumers pay more attention to video ads viewed online than ads that are viewed on television. Researchers found that people are 47% more engaged with ads seen online than on television.
The study further found that users are 18% more engaged with ads in general which are viewed online - video, display and text ads are included.

Americans More Wired

Within the span of eight months, the use of online and mobile devices for entertainment has rocketed among online US consumers, according to the second edition of the “State of Media Democracy” new-media survey from Deloitte & Touche, reports Reuters.

• About 38% of consumers are watching TV shows online, 36% use their cell phones as entertainment devices and 45% are creating online content like Web sites, music, videos and blogs for others.
• About 20% of consumers said they are viewing video content on their cell phones daily or almost daily. 
• 67% said they would be willing to be exposed to more online ads in return for free content that’s valuable.  However, 37% said they would rather pay for online content than be exposed to advertisements.
• 69% said they are watching or listening to consumer-generated content.

Downloading Videos On The Rise

The downloading and viewing of broadband video among adult Internet users continues to rise, according to a report from Horowitz Associates.

• About 61% of Internet users download online video content at least once a week and 86% do so on a monthly basis, compared to 45% and 71%, respectively, in the 2006 study. News and user-generated, non-professional content are the most often viewed genres, followed by movie previews/trailers, music videos, and previews/segments of TV shows.
• Among those with video-enabled handheld devices, about 35% watch video on their devices at least weekly and 62% do so at least monthly, translating to 18% of Internet users overall who watch video content on a handheld device at least monthly. This figure is up from 8% just one year ago.

OK! Magazine Launches ROO Player

OK! Magazine, one of the UK’s most popular celebrity news sites, has launched a ROO powered video player.  The player not only features Entertainment videos, but also includes News, Sports, Business and more.  Check it out here.

ROO Group Announces Strategic Realignment

ROO Group announced that they have appointed a new CEO, Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, commencing on Jan. 9th.  He will also be appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Mr. Isaza Tuzman stated he believes that with greater emphasis on exclusive content, TV broadcaster relationships and the best quality distribution tools, ROO will become a leading player in the provisioning of video over the Internet. See the complete press release here.

ROO Powers Comedian Talent Search Contest

Rove Daily, one of Australia’s most popular entertainment shows, recently held the Snickers Golden Nut award. The ‘Search for A Comedian’ talent search used a range of ROO video players to introduce the campaign (by Mr T), and allowed users to vote for their favorite comedian. ROO also powered a showcase video player that displayed all the participants around Australia. Check out the mini player and the showcase player.

Grapevine Launches ROO Video Player

ROO is pleased to announce that it has been selected by Grapevine to power its online video player. Grapevine is a large Canberra, Australia internet service provider offering home and business broadband service and web hosting. The ROO powered video player has been added to their home page for their existing users to enjoy as well as attract potential new clients. Check it out here.

ROO UGC Services on Big Brother

ROO recently activated the UGC component of the 2008 Big Brother Australia site and now the public is voting for their favorite potential housemate. Using ROO’s user generated content module, audition clips are being loaded online to the site. ROO is also powering the video component of the project. The top 3 most popular video applicants will make it through to the actual TV series early next year. Check out the BB08 contestants and vote here.

ROO Powers Amy Winehouse Videos

Universal Music UK artist Amy Winehouse recently launched a ROO powered video player on her site. Amy has received 6 Grammy nominations – including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. Check out Amy Winehouse TV , powered by ROO, where you can see her video for Rehab, which is up for Song of the Year.