TELECOM ITALIA LAUNCHES YALP!, THE FIRST “COMMUNITY TV”
The first Internet TV that allows users to create their own television channel with self-made videos and available on-demand video content
Online access of 19 of the main national and international TV channels
The Yalplayer application will be available soon. This will allow, for the first time, the mastering of films and concerts from Yalp!’s vast library
Telecom Italia has launched Yalp! (www.yalp.it), the first “Community TV” on the Internet which offers navigators the possibility of creating, publishing and sharing their own television channel with professional video content and soon also user generated content. Divided in Video, Audio, Community and TV sections Yalp! offers around 40,000 “on demand” elements of content, including music, film, cinema, sport, of which over 80% is free and allows users to see for the first time full-screen versions of the programming of 19 of the major national and international television channels. Shortly, and for the first time in Italy, it will also be possible to master some of the films from Yalp!’s vast library thanks to the innovative Yalplayer application that allows users to create a DVD divided into chapters and arranged in a menu.
In particular, the Community section allows users to record themselves, to interact with others and publish one or more television channels drawing on the plentiful free on-demand content available in the Video section (news, concerts, sporting events, documentaries, film and television series from the national and international majors). The personal television channels which obtain the most votes from the Community will be published in Yalp!’s “TV” section alongside the major broadcasters, with their own channel number.
In the Audio section, users have free access to some of the major national radio stations and over 1,000,000 albums and musical tracks. They can be bought single or, thanks to the Yalplayer application, with a monthly subscription that permits the unlimited use of all the musical content.
Yalp!’s vast TV section offers the possibility of watching in “full screen” some of the main national and international television channels on your pc for free and without the need to install specific software. Yalp! transmits programming from the Rai channels (Rai Uno, Rai Due, Rai Tre and the “all news” network Rai News 24), programming from the Gruppo Class (Class CNBC, Class LIFE, Class NEWS), from the new channel for young people Bonsai, from Motor Channel (Gruppo AGM Comunicazione), as well as the most voted channels of the community and prestigious international television stations like Al Jazeera (in English and Arabic), FRANCE 24 (in French and English), Deutsche Welle (in German and English) and the channels of some of the most important foreign football teams like MU (Manchester United) TV, Chelsea TV, Liverpool TV, Barça TV. In conclusion, the Yalp!Mix channel gathers a selection of content from the other channels. An innovative graphic interface allows the use of a virtual remote control to channel surf on line and to consult a practical and up-to-date TV Guide.
Milan, 28 May 2008