Cable’s Bravo Network is planning to start a gay-themed broadband network, Outzonetv.com next month.
The company said Tuesday that it’s joining forces with PlanetOut Inc. to start the broadband channel. PlanetOut is said to be the largest gay media company in the U.S.
Last year, the NBC-owned company gained attention when it moved its struggling Trio arts channel from cable to the Internet where it resides under triotv.com.
Outzonetv.com would feature streaming video of shows running about a half hour, which would include new original programming produced by Bravo including the documentary series “Gay Weddings.”
Other content would include Bravo’s existing series “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and “Boy Meets Boy.”
The site would also create blogs and other such forums aimed at allowing viewers to voice their opinions about the site and its programming.
Bravo President Laura Zalasnick said that broadband gives Bravo a low-cost alternative to cable.
“Our strategic partnership with PlanetOut in the broadband space , with their additional expertise, is going to make OutzoneTV.com a huge success.,” she said.
Mark Elderkin, PlanetOut’s president, said his company’s network of Web sites, such as gay.com and planetout.com would provide promotional and editorial support for the new venture.
“Bravo’s extensive gay-themed television programming combined with our editorial product… creates a unique Internet video advertising opportunity for national advertisers,” he said.
Bravo’s move into broadband is a low-risk venture that could pay off big, said Josh Bernoff, a media analyst for Forrester Research. He told The New York Times, that selling niche advertising would be attractive to large companies like Sony, Apple computer and others.
He added that there were 38 million broadband subscribers, compared to about 30 million digital cable subscribers and about 25 million satellite subscribers.
