SideReel
 | |
| Type of business | Online media |
|---|---|
Type of site | Video Portal / Entertainment Fansite |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Parent | RhythmOne[1] |
| URL | www |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | February 24, 2007 |
SideReel is a television show tracking website.[2] The site, while not a production or publishing entity, gives users access to various discussions, reviews, and news articles related to shows; it acts as a medium for users to access content centered around shows of their liking.
History
SideReel launched in April 2007 and was featured in CNET's Webware "beta watch" that same month.[3]
In 2011, SideReel was acquired by Rovi Corporation,[4] and the Allrovi.com site was launched.[2] The company also announced it had surpassed 1 million unique visitors in one day.[2]
In July 2013, Rovi spun off SideReel, along with AllGame, AllMovie, AllMusic, and Celebified, as All Media Network; the company's owners includes the original founders of SideReel and Ackrell Capital investor Mike Ackrell.[5][6][citation needed]
In 2014, a free SideReel app was launched, allowing fans to find, track and watch their favorite TV series on iOS devices.[7] The site's Android and iOS apps were later withdrawn as they were too unprofitable.[8]
In 2020, the site was purchased by Netaktion LLC.[9]
Business model
SideReel compiles a comprehensive list of television shows and aggregates content for them. The site provides links to view full episodes online, as well as a forum to discuss and review TV shows.[10]
This site allows users to actively collaborate on updating site content, and uses Facebook Connect to foster user participation and a sense of community. Users of Connect can see what shows friends like, and share their favorites.[citation needed]
Criticism
In 2010, an LA Times article was published using interviews with unnamed anti-piracy experts who accused SideReel of being a way for viewers to watch shows that are not available online by linking to pirated streaming sites. The company denied the charges, stating that it was merely a specialized search engine that points to legitimate sites and removes infringing links when notified of them.[10]
References
- ^ "Thank you for visiting the RhythmOne website for investors". investor.rhythmone.com.
- ^ a b c "Rovi acquires SideReel, launches AllRovi.com". vator.tv. 2011-03-01. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
- ^ Needleman, Rafe (April 27, 2007). "Beta watch: SideReel opens new video wiki". CNET.
- ^ "Rovi Buys Sidereel, Expands to the Web". Gigaom.com. March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Rovi Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2013 Financial Performance Announces Agreements to Sell Rovi Entertainment Store and Consumer Website Businesses". globalnewswire.com. 2013-07-31. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
- ^ "Digital Entertainment Veterans Launch 'All Media Network' to Perfect Digital Media Discovery". BusinessWire. December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
- ^ "SideReel app lets fans watch and track their favorite shows on iOS devices". adweek.com. 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
- ^ "An Important Update About the SideReel iOS and Android Apps". SideReel.com. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
- ^ "About | SideReel".
- ^ a b Chmielewski, Dawn C. (September 21, 2010). "Hollywood sounds alarm as streaming video websites enable a new wave of piracy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 25, 2010. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
External links
- Official website
- Matthew Wise (October 10, 2011). "SideReel – Zach Larson (video interview and transcript)". FounderLY.