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Comcast Presents First All-VOD Upfront

Comcast has delivered the industry’s first upfront presentation dedicated solely to video on demand, writes MediaWeek. “We realize that for a lot of people this is a scary step to take, but the eyeballs are there to take advantage of this platform,” said Steve Burke, Comcast COO.

According to Burke, advertisers that buy into Comcast’s VOD platform early would have an edge. “People who get in on the ground floor will be that much more advanced as to knowing what works and what doesn’t work,” Burke said.

While Comcast currently has VOD deals in place with NBC and CBS, Burke revealed that Comcast plans to sign VOD agreements with ABC and Fox “within the next 90 to 180 days.”

Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger said he would like to develop a fashion VOD channel that provides an e-commerce application so users could buy clothing and accessories through their remotes.

Though VOD looks promising, the platform lacks research support. “We’re trying to serve up standards across the industry so that our advertisers can get a better understanding of what they’re dealing with,” said Charlie Thurston, Comcast Spotlight president.