King is the big name attached to Ora.tv, which will stream programs to computers, mobile devices, and connected TVs. The site, which is expected to be announced today, is the latest venture by Mexican billionaire, Carlos Slim Helú. With Slim’s financial power and King’s name recognition, this is more than just a warning shot to cable companies to get their acts together. This is a cannon firing direct hit to industry bickering over who gets paid and who has the rights to stream shows that air on set top boxes.
The New York Times reports the new project “will have a slate of shows of varying lengths and will stream them via the Internet to computers, phones and television sets in the United States, Latin America and elsewhere, bypassing traditional television distribution systems.”
King will host a daily, one hour interview show, similar to the one he hosted on CNN for 25 years that ended in 2010. King’s wife, Shawn, may also get a show, this one style-themed, on the channel. Ora.tv joins YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, and other companies choosing to have a go of it on their own with original content. The site is set to launch later this year, but there’s no exact date set.
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