Knocka.tv ends speculation today by alpha launching an Internet television network. As a TechCrunch exclusive, 1000 of our readers will be the first users to gain access—the sign-up form is at the bottom of this post.
The concept is a multi-channel Internet broadcast network that features both professional and user generated content. Knocka packages the content prior to broadcast with promos, branding, transitions, credits, etc. The participatory angle comes into play by having users determine the playlist and in the future actually take part in live shows.
By no means is Knocka inventing a new category. Similarities can be found in offline Current TV, and in online maniaTV.com. In much the same way that news is democratized by Digg, Knocka is attempting to empower users to create and determine television broadcasting on the Net.
Knocka describes itself as a “professional internet television network for user generated content.” I feel that “participatory internet television” is in fact both a more befitting description, and it’s also five words shorter.
This leads to what I view to be Knocka’s main problem. While the offering is indeed compelling, at the same time it’s also complicated to the point that users will have a problem comprehending its nature, let alone explaining it to others. There are many moving parts to Knocka, so do your best to follow:
Professionals and amateurs upload videos that enter a pre-screening pool where they are rated by users. The top rated ones are broadcasted, but not before Knocka packages them up and creates the actual playlists, which is done 24 hours in advance. Once broadcasted, users can again rate the individual videos, or shows. Individual videos can then be selected to be seen independently of their original show. While all this is happening, users can communicate with each other through chat rooms, private text messaging, and by webcams. Got that?
Basically, instead of focusing its appeal to a single group, Knocka is trying a bowling alley approach by attempting to appeal to the entire food-chain: Producers, influencers, communities and viewers (passive and participatory).
Knocka is kicking-off with 8000 videos by 600 producers, including Break a leg, aniBoom, Ministry of Sound, and Fashion TV. The three debut channels are:
- Knocka One – A general channel featuring “the best of the best” from Knocka’s channels.
- Kilowatt – Knocka’s very own music channel featuring independent artists.
- Kandy – A “sexy” channel featuring scantly clad women (amateurs & pro’s). The raciest I caught was a coed in a thong.
Knocka is 100% browser based and there will be no embedding. On the cosmetics front, Knocka scores high marks with me. The frontend was done in Flex and while the interface requires some fine-tuning, all-in-all it looks good. I also really enjoyed the packaging which took me back to when MTV defined “cool” and actually played videos.
An interesting tidbit about Knocka is that it marks the return of ICQ co-founder Sefi Visiger back to the startup scene. He took a major leave of absence since the big exit back in the day.
It’s fairly obvious that massive participatory events around video will happen sooner or later. Knocka still has work to do, but it comes out of its corner for round one with potential.
I’ve seen the promos – it looks very impressive.
Could be the first democratic & interactive TV that really works.
I’ll keep myself posted, good luck!
some of the promos are great.
i am sure that it will get better!
can’t wait.
: )
This looks interesting/promising, I’ll definitely check this out (already entered my email) and will probably blog about it when my new blog’s up!
Democratic TV looks interesting!!! But I again think, remembering Dan’s post, that how much will it be open to manupulation. Manipulation happens in Digg (subvertandprofit) and in youtube, so would want to see their spam protection first of all.
Impressive promos, but I have my doubts. Like 4 said, gaming will be a problem, plus things with mass appeal don’t always guarantee that they will be any good…
CurrentTV has all this AND a cable tv channel to push your content up to …
NEXT!
yet another…
Interesting, can’t wait to play.
the video deadpool is going to be enormous
I tested it for 30 minutes (about 29minutes longer then I stay on most TC sites) and I really like it. Desipite the usual alpha bugs it has a great concept.
I recommended this is in the chat: They need some techcrunch style content to keep their early adopters happy (entrepreneur videos?)
Also, on a large scale the chat might be overwhelming but right now its one of the best features.
I prefer http://boston.tv who just opened up for user generated videos, but that is of course, my geographic.
I’m not that impressed. The site is very busy with too much action going on along side the player. Like Chris R said “yet another…”. What’s with the name? Knockawhat?
There seem to be a new video site out every day now – but this one is definitely different.
I must say the interfaces is a bit too busy for my taste, and there are still some bugs. It took me some time to figure how to switch between channels and other user’s webcams didn’t always show, but I guess this is only an Alpha version right
Once you are in you get a constant running stream, live chats and a really nice feature of real time voting with dynamic statistics at the end of each clip. the entire experience is capturing and can get really addictive – I ended up staying on the site for more the half hour!
For me it’s a different experience from anything else out there, I’m looking forward for some more Knocka action…
Looks really stupid!
Amazing site, great content, spent a lot of time on it yesterday…
We have had their applying for funds, and simply sent them home to do some homework.
Why in the world would any one want to spend some time there? YouTube has a similar (unsuccesful) service. If it didnt work there, it will never work for Knocka.
Sad to see the waste of time…
Jim Marsh
Exec. VP
Opperations
The execs at Knocka who concieved this UI probably have no trouble getting around it and making it sound great to VCs. For anyone uninitiated (=99.999% recurring of web users) we’re left with up/down unlabelled channel buttons and inexplicable channel titles. Users want/expect to quickly find something of interest or they’ll bail. Will never get beyond early adopters. What a mess… How 1990s. How quaint. Do people still really fund this stuff?
Maybe in 12 months Knocka will do a usability study and realize what a massive mistake they’ve made… unless they have the maturity and cahunas to replace the person leading the UI design.
Another website trying to be like TV overlooking that Internet and TV are fundamentally different. …
They have 30 employees according to their about page.
My problem with the site:
The videos can’t be played on demand, only in a tv-style broadcast. Which is like a step backwards. Why not have both? One to find new content and another one to watch and share the ones you’ve seen with friends? I watched one clip that I really enjoyed. It was over after 3 minutes with seconds to vote and I never caught the title of the show. This really cuts off word of mouth promotion if I can’t easy share or find-out quick info on what I’m watching.
Besides that I enjoyed it in that youtube kind of way, watching a lot of meaningless but otherwise entertaining videos.
Hey Jakee (18),
You can watch both VOD and live stream for the same reasons you
mentioned and more.
For now it is done through navigating to yours and other user’s library.
Tomorrow there will be an additional VOD page with new outstanding features.
Last TIP – when you’re watching live stream you can add the playing video
to your favorites and/or open the video page to view it now or later
in a VOD mode.
All the best
KnockaTV is far more exciting than the user generated vid sites I’ve seen till now
I’m super super thrilled that they came in to existence.
y’all wait and see. knockatv will revolutionize UG TV.
The execs at Knocka who concieved this UI probably have no trouble getting around it and making it sound great to VCs. For anyone uninitiated (=99.999% recurring of web users) we’re left with up/down unlabelled channel buttons and inexplicable channel titles. Users want/expect to quickly find something of interest or they’ll bail. Will never get beyond early adopters. What a mess… How 1990s. How quaint. Do people still really fund this stuff?
Maybe in 12 months Knocka will do a usability study and realize what a massive mistake they’ve made… unless they have the maturity and cahunas to replace the person leading the UI design.
Another website trying to be like TV overlooking that Internet and TV are fundamentally different. …