Roi Carthy reveals that user-generated video portal Knocka TV [might need a rebrand for U.K. users :)] is to launch later today, following four months in beta.
The Israeli start-up is backed by the founders of instant messaging service ICQ, sold to AOL in 1998 for US $408 million.
Testing the limits of contradictory language, the service bills itself as “a user generated professional television network” [so which is it?] Reading on in the blurb, it’s clear that Knocka is attempting to position itself alongside Sony’s Crackle, as a stage for contributors with some modicum of creative prowess, as oppose to the Jackass-a-likey videos clogging up YouTube.
Unlike similar moves by Sony’s Crackle and News Corp.’s MySpace to beef up professionally-produced uploads, Knocka appears to lack the scale of the others’ parent companies, which are able to offer incentives such as development deals with other divisions, such as TV networks.
Knocka’s declared launch proposition is a confusing mix of social networking and online video buzz jargon — doubtless there so that its backers can swiftly offload it on to some hapless investment consortium. Promised are ‘channels’ offering “viewers’ creations”, “hip indie music” and an endless stream of scantily-clad babes masquerading as a “fashion” channel. An extreme sports ‘channel’ is also claimed to be in development.
Quick take: at first sight seems like a cynical attempt to connect with young males, claim a record user base and then flog it off to idiot investors at a time when the market is about to nosedive (again). $408m may not buy you common sense, for everything else there’s a black AmEx…
The Beyondness of Things 
From the article it is obvious that you (the writer) didn’t actually see the product…
You write from a perspective of someone who just read about it… that’s a shame.. and not a real journalism…
I suggest that you register to their alpha and try to actually experience the product… than your writing might be a little more valuable to your readers! Rather you like the product or not…
For my humble opinion… it’s a pretty cool product.. not like anything else I’ve seen on that area…
Thanks for the comment UV. Who said I’m a jounalist or in the business of providing journalism. My comment is based on years of experience of proposition tasting, just as a studio producer or financier would receive a pitch and back it or walk away on the basis of what they’ve seen or heard.
You’re right that I haven’t tried out the service, but now that you’ve thrown down the gauntlet, I shall and promise to update my earlier post should my opinion change.