Yahoo Cuts Deal With Al Gore's Current TV

Posted on September 25, 2006

The New York Times reports that Yahoo has cut a deal with Al Gore's Current TV video website. Yahoo has set up the Yahoo Current Network and will run videos from Current TV on four channels.

The service, which is called the Yahoo Current Network (video.yahoo.com/currenttv), was set to begin today with four channels. One section, called Current Buzz, will feature segments related to the news. It is produced by Madeleine Smithberg, a former executive producer of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Three other channels will relate to specialized topics: travel, action sports, and cars. Over time the companies hope to add more channels.
Each channel will have one professionally produced segment each day and 8 to 10 segments contributed by users.
Amateur videographers whose clips are chosen for the Internet service will receive $100. If the clips are also broadcast on Current's television network, the maker will receive between $500 and $1000. Videos that are not selected to be part of the Yahoo Current offering will be included on Yahoo's broader site that includes user-contributed video.

Current TV also has an ongoing deal with Google Video. You can see Google's current channel here. The Times says Gore was asked about having deals with both companies and he wisely answered back with the following question, "Why wouldn't you want to work with both of these great companies?"