ThePlatform releases new video player for social media

ThePlatform, used by local stations and network broadcasters, has unveiled a new video player for social media that allows media companies to include advertising with video viewed on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, Yahoo! and other platforms.

The user drags the slider bars to define the start and end point of the video to be shared and then publishes it. The player is available through ThePlatform’s Player Development Kit 4.2.

Users of PDK 4.2 can place the entire video player experience, including add-ins and features, into a single Adobe Flash file that can be embedded into social networks and blogs. The player also allows consumers to comment, rate, tag and create favorite videos for their players.

“Historically, there has been some resistance from traditional media companies to fully empower consumers to share their videos across social networks because of the need to maintain some control over branding and monetization,” said Ian Blaine, co-founder and CEO of thePlatform. “Our video management system gives them that control. The advertisements can travel with their virally syndicated content, no matter where it has been embedded.”

The company said the new player development kit preserves the video’s advertising and the “financial obligations between content owners, advertisers and distributors.”

Major media companies including Comcast, Fox, Time Warner Cable and NBC use ThePlatform for video management and publishing.