Boxee Has 500,000 Users but Progress with Major Media is Moving “Slowly”

NEW YORK — Boxee, a free software download which allows users to connect computers to television sets, bypassing a cable box, has 500,000 users in the U.S.

I sat down with CEO Avner Ronen earlier this week at the Streaming Media East conference where he was a keynote speaker.

As for negotiations with major media for permission to stream the networks' shows, Avner tells me is going "slowly." While things are going slowly with big media, the company is working with smaller networks of independent video creators including NextNewNetworks and Blip.tv

In the interview, he outlines the company's business model.

Boxee is only available on Mac's and Linux machines. It will be available on Windows devices this summer, he says in this interview.

Why Young People Don't Need the Cable Connection

Update 5/17: The Washington's Post's Paul Farhii has a big story on the big changes in how many are bypassing traditional cable service.

Andy Plesser, Executive Producer

By Andy Plesser on May 15, 2009 @beet_tv

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Boxee Has 500,000 Users but Progress with Major Media is Moving “Slowly”

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