麻豆官网首页入口

VeesSee TV creates a stir

• By Paul Crichton
• 15 May 07, 04:33 PM

A new video on demand website for hearing impaired people launched recently, but it has divided opinions amongst the deaf community.

, which is still in beta testing, offers a combination of user-generated video as well as VeeSee's own news and programming in British Sign Language (BSL).

When I tuned in, I saw user-submitted stand-up comedy from John Smith in BSL. There were also a number of of news stories taken from the 麻豆官网首页入口 website and signed by a VeeSee interpreter in a mock studio, such as an update on the search for Madeleine McCann. says that, "It has made a huge difference in understanding more of the news and it makes viewing more pleasurable."

Users will generate the majority of the programming and members will ultimately pay to view content, with a slice of the money going to contributors. Additionally, the website also offers a range of other features, including an e-bay style buy and sell zone, forums, an e-learning area and webcam to webcam communication for members.

So far, so good. VeeSee has attracted some criticism, however.

One area of concern for users is the integration of BSL into the website. Navigation is all done with text links, and quite a lot of content is also provided in text. There are websites out there, like that uses BSL animation for navigation as well as text. By comparison, as one blogger says, "it is evident that BSL is not a priority" on the VeeSee website. For us 'hearies', it is worth remembering that BSL is the first language for some people who are hearing impaired.

A more fundamental question has been raised by some about the nature of the website. The programming for VeeSee TV will be user-generated. Alison Bryan asks on her blog, "In an age where blogging and vlogs are gaining steady ground... Why can't people just upload videos to YouTube?" The answer to that question may lie in sharing revenue with content providers.

Alison Bryant goes on to add that VeeSee, "tries to be too much, and my head is all over the place." VeeSee is certainly an ambitious project, but it does look like they have over-extended themselves by trying to do too many different things like the buy and sell zone. It may be better to concentrate on just providing an excellent video service before moving into other things.

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