Network Multimedia Television (NMTV), a start-up based in Chelsea, London, has launched a free multimedia personalized business news service over the internet. By using advanced communications and sorting software, NMTV hopes to get a head start on its rivals. NMTV distributes video- and text-based content from its server which is based at the London Telehouse Internet switching center and connects to major European ISPs such as PIPEX, Demon, PSINet and Compuserve via a 144Mbps ATM backbone. The NMTV service is of particular interest to users connecting to their ISPs via a leased line, says chief executive Rob Lewis. Multimedia content is created by NMTV’s team of 60 full-time and freelance staff who use BladeRunner software from UK software house Cromwell Media to edit content and sort it for personalized delivery to subscribers. The first product from NMTV is a 40-channel IT news service offering short video clips and news items created at NMTV’s London studio and optimized for internet delivery. Each channel is sponsored by a different company which has to sign a non-interference clause. So far, NMTV has raised 1.5m pounds in sponsorship for its channels, and in addition has received 4.5m pounds in investment from a consortium of private investors.
