Danish streaming company, Xstream, has become one of the first online video platform suppliers worldwide to offer Facebook Video-On-Demand (VOD) applications as part of its MediaMaker OVP product.

The apps allow Facebook members to watch movies and TV series, in HD quality, directly on the social network. Nordisk Film, the leading Nordic developer, producer and distributor of creative content in movies and games has become Xstream's first customer to take advantage of the new service.

Based on the Xstream's online video platform, MediaMaker, Xstream's Facebook VOD apps enable viewers to rent and watch movies, share with friends, comment on and chat about what they're watching in real-time. Paying for content using credit cards is easy through the solution's integrated purchase workflow. Other payment options such as Facebook credits, paying via cellphone and mobiles, are also possible. MediaMaker encrypts the content with Microsoft PlayReady DRM or other preferred Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions.

The customized VOD apps created for Nordisk Film will allow Facebook members within Nordic countries to rent and stream episodes of the world famous 'Twilight Saga' and other films and shows, in HD quality, directly within the Facebook canvas. The VOD apps also enable full screen viewing.

Making TV Social & Engaging Viewers
Watching a movie is as much about friendship as it is about the film itself. We have all seen a new TV series because a friend has recommended it, shared funny clips, voted for our favourite 'X-Factor' participant, talked about incredible sports highlights and speculated on what will happen in the next episode of a show. TV is a social activity and Facebook is a social platform where we already share photos, status updates, personal details, music and brands that we like with friends and family. The Facebook VOD apps make it easier for content owners and broadcasters to interact and engage with users.

With more than 800 million active Facebook users (11.7% of global penetration) and more than 30 million pieces of content shared by users each month, Facebook is the largest and most engaging social network in the world. As a result it's easy to understand why Facebook is a unique platform for distribution of online video content.

"Availability of relevant content is how content owners should differentiate themselves if they want to succeed." says Brynhild Vinskei, CMO at Xstream. "There's no social platform better suited to making your unique content accessible to a large, targeted audience than Facebook. I think we'll certainly see more content owners and distributors take advantage of Facebook as an additional platform for distribution of live and on-demand video content and with Xstream's MediaMaker solution they can do that quickly and cost-effectively."

Nordisk Film
Nordisk Film is part of the Egmont Group and the leading Nordic developer, producer and distributor of creative content in movies and games.

Statistics on Facebook

People on Facebook

• More than 800 million active users
• More than 50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day
• Average user has 130 friends

Activity on Facebook

• More than 900 million objects that people interact with (pages, groups, events and community pages)
• Average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events 
• On average, more than 250 million photos are uploaded per day

Global Reach

• More than 70 languages available on the site
• Approximately 80% of users are outside of the United States
• Over 300,000 users helped translate the site through the translations application

Platform

• On average, people on Facebook install apps more than 20 million times every day
• Every month, more than 500 million people use an app on Facebook or experience Facebook Platform on other websites 
• More than 7 million apps and websites are integrated with Facebook

Mobile

• More than 350 million active users currently access Facebook through their mobile devices
• More than 475 mobile operators globally work to deploy and promote Facebook mobile products

Source: Facebook.com