Borders To Launch Online Book TV Channel With Simply Media
Borders Pres Release 22 Jan 2008

Borders Books is to launch an Internet television channel at www.borders.co.uk featuring interviews with bestselling authors; news on the latest books; and offering readers the chance to upload video of themselves reviewing books. The content will also appear in a daily programme on satellite TV channel, Simply TV (Sky channel 196) as well as being included in a weekly email to 700,000 Borders customers.

The move is in collaboration with Simply Media, owner of www.bookzone.tv, which will now be re-branded as 'Borders Book Zone'. Simply Media will produce weekly programming for Borders fronted by Nina Sebastiane (ex ITV1's 'Loose Women') and Samantha Norman (ex VH1 and LNN's 'London Tonight').

'Borders Book Zone' will launch with an archive of more than 100 interviews with authors such as Ian Rankin, Terry Pratchett, Michael Connelly, Martina Cole, Katie Fforde, Gary Rhodes and Jane Moore. Each week, new content will be added.

Borders is re-launching its website in the spring at the same time it starts doing its own online retailing, currently provided by Amazon.co.uk. When a user searches for a book, relevant videos will also appear, allowing them to watch these in high resolution, on demand, in a Flash media player.

David Kohn, Commercial Director of Borders (UK) Limited said: "The move into video content will clearly differentiate www.borders.co.uk from any other book retailer and make it a destination site for book lovers, as well as offering a new marketing tool to publishers. We are delighted to be working with Simply Media, as they have the experience and knowledge to create something that will stand Borders apart from all other book retailers."
Leon Hawthorne, Chief Executive of Simply Media's channels and production arm (Simply Productions) said: "Borders is in the vanguard of retailers to embrace the power of online video content as a marketing and communication tool and to fully integrate it into their ecommerce. What Borders is doing today, other retailers will find they must follow or be left behind in this digital age."

"From working with other online sites such as ivillage and Boots we know the power of video and how it can engage viewers and drive response to commercial propositions" commented Henry Scott, CEO of Simply Media. "We are delighted to be working with Borders to drive their online presence forward."