Despite the high-profile loss of Hulu content earlier this year, Boxee users are still tuning in: the average Boxee user watches six to seven TV shows and three movies on the Web-to-TV service each week, Boxee CEO Avner Ronen told Beet.TV in an interview earlier this month.
Ronen spoke to Beet.TV after his convergence startup raised an additional $6 million in funding in a round led by General Catalyst. That adds to a $4 million venture infusion from late last year.
The Hulu brouhaha in which the popular video site pulled all its content from Boxee earlier this year hasn’t detracted from the service’s popularity, evidently, since Boxee now counts 600,000 users, up from 100,000 earlier this year. Most of those users connect Boxee to their TV sets on Apple TVs or Windows Media Centers, Ronen said.
Ronen said the additional funds are earmarked to inking deals for more programming, such as sports, news and other content. The software maker will also use the money to tighten the development process so developers can create Boxee apps within hours rather than days, he said. Also, striking deals with device makers is a top priority, Ronen said. He would like to see Boxee’s service integrated into game consoles, Blu-ray players and connected TVs.
As for the possibility of winning back Hulu, Ronen said he’s talking to both mainsteam media and independent players. “Most people realize they need to be part of it. They are just cautious with when and how much,” he said.
Daisy Whitney, Senior Producer
