SeeSaw for sale as free-to-view iPlayer wins out
Seesaw, the video-on-demand business showing Battlestar Galactica and Bad Girls, is for sale after struggling against competitors such as BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 On Demand.
On demand: SeeSaw shows shows such as shameless.
The company, owned by telecoms group Arqiva, has appointed advisory firm Ingenious Media to sell the business, which has about 4.5m users a month.
SeeSaw, which works with NBC Universal, rushed to market a year ago showing all episodes of programmes such as Shameless and Neighbours. It was aiming to cash in on the growing interest in on-demand viewing on PCs and laptops.
For £2.99 a month, users can view all episodes with some free to watch directly online.
Giles Cottle, senior analyst at researcher Informa Telecoms & Media, said the business had a great model, but became less popular as people could watch free on other services.
'However, the sale could provide a platform for an international company to gain a foothold in the on-demand market,' he said.
Interested parties include Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica; Hulu, the US online video streamer; and European business Canal Plus Group.
Arqiva declined to comment.
Chorion, the media company that owns rights to Beatrix Potter and Enid Blyton, is expected to make an approach this week for Ragdoll Worldwide, distributor of In The Night Garden - Upsy Daisy is pictured, left - and Teletubbies.
Chorion and the BBC declined to comment.
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