“We’re helping cable operators do two things – deliver new programming and create a new cable channel experience that offers deep engagement,” Sean Doherty, Wurl CEO and co-founder, says. “In an entertainment environment where viewers demand control and choice, Wurl provides cable operators with new channels that deliver the programming and the on-demand experience that viewers want.”
Doherty is commenting on Monday’s announcement of the Wurl Network, which the company is touting as the world’s first streaming cable TV network. It provides five new channels of 24/7 programming, which are broadband-delivered through cable TV operators’ internet-connected set-tops and appear in operators’ on-screen guides similar to legacy cable channels.
Wurl’s lineup includes The Alt Channel, Streaming News Network, The Sports Feed, Baeble Music TV and the Popcornflix Channel, and has reportedly been integrated with pay TV systems in use by more than 50 operators serving more than 13 million homes. Viewers can fast-forward and rewind any show, binge multiple episodes and watch any program on-demand at any time, according to the company.
“We are excited to be offering Wurl’s channels to our subscribers,” Loren King, product manager at Fidelity Communications, an operator based in Missouri, says. “We now have a new source of programming and new interactive viewing features that will give us a competitive edge.”
Raymond Attipa, CEO of Obsev Studios, says his company started digital, but TV is the place it wants to be.
“We’re really excited to have our shows on the Wurl Network, because it gives us the opportunity to reach a broader audience in a way that makes a lot of sense for our brand and our business,” Attipa notes.
Wurl’s channels are certified for use in program guides running on many top Internet-connected cable set-tops, including those already in millions of homes worldwide, according to the company. No new equipment is required. Wurl is ad-supported and individually targeted ads are the call to action for operator and video producers looking for new revenue.
