Brightcove just announced a deal with TiVo to deliver video from the internet to TiVo boxes and TV sets. From the press release:
Under terms of the agreement, Brightcove and TiVo will phase in a number of content partners and new downloading capabilities for a number of possible content partners of TiVo’s going forward. The partnership will provide an automated method for almost any publisher of broadband video using Brightcove’s Internet TV services to distribute content to TiVo subscribers and monetize the distribution through advertising, subscription plans, or pay-per-view.
This kills the power of the closed network bit by bit. It means that anything on the internet in video is now TV; it doesn’t have to go through the funnel of a network or a cable system. (Full disclosure: I’m on the Brightcove board of advisors.)
