Wii TV Given Official Name, Details

Kris Erickson • Jan 5, 2009 • Comments ()

Last month we reported that Nintendo has plans to get into the television broadcasting business in Japan. While Sony and Microsoft have tried to make their consoles the center of the consumer living room, Nintendo had no such plans -- up until now. The Times Online newspaper reports that a new service, named Wiinoma, will compete toe-to-toe with competing video streaming services.

Wiinoma will allow anybody living in Japan with a Wii console and an internet connection to stream advertising-supported content directly into their homes. That means that initially these broadcasts will be free, but will contain advertisements to offset the cost of their production. The content, produced exclusively for Nintendo by Japanese advertising agency Dentsu, is targeted at the core Nintendo demographic. That means we can expect brain training quiz shows, cartoons, and even cooking shows when the service kicks off early this spring.

The massive popularity of the Wii, particularly in Japan, makes this move a potentially disruptive one for traditional media companies. Nintendo estimates that it will be able to reach 40 million Wii owners with this service when it launches in the spring. That is a lot of potential households and a lot of advertising revenue if the content channel catches on.