With competition emerging from Joost and Babelgum in the online professional video space, MySpace (NWS-A) is trying to fight back by launching online video channels that will feature lifestyle and news video from its parters.
While there will be videos specifically made for the Web, a lot of this will be drawn from National Geographic, where short-form videos will be taken from a variety of shows on the network.
There will also be video reviews of movies, politics and other topics of interest that will come from the New York Times (NYT) and Reuters (RTRSY).
Included with the new lifestyle channel will be video from IGN Entertainment, Ripe TV, video games and animation.
There will also be channels from Kush TV, Expert Village and The Daily Reel.
The emerging professional online video space is a relative unknown as far as its influence and growth goes, and the shrewd Rupert Murdoch, as always, is trying to cover all bases.
What is yet to be determined is if MySpace deviates so far from its original mission, will it be recognizable or desired by the original users. The answer will determine the Web sites' future.
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