E! Online joins NetChannel lineup
Through the partnership, NetChannel consumers will be able to watch E! Online's web-based content on ordinary televisions that have been hooked to the Internet through modems in NetChannel's set-top boxes. The first of their set-top boxes will be manufactured by Thomson Consumer Electronics to be marketed under the RCA label, and are expected to go on sale in September.
Viewers navigate through the NetChannel service using either a TV remote or a wireless keyboard.
E! Online is a wholly owned subsidiary of E! Entertainment Television, and is a noted content creator of entertainment-related news and information for the Web.
"E! Online is the premiere brand name in online entertainment programming," said Philip Monego,president and CEO of NetChannel. "This partnership marks a whole new way for entertainment enthusiasts to enjoy their television experience."
NetChannel's programmers cull content from the Internet, then organize and format it for easy delivery to its home viewers. NetChannel customers can easily customize the web-based information that's sent to their televisions, creating what the company calls a personalized experience to enhance TV watching.
NetChannel has announced partnerships with several online and television programmers, including A&E, CDNow, Court TV, History Channel, Ticketmaster and USA Today.
