A new online distribution network for high-quality TV and video content called Jalipo launched yesterday. With partners including BBC World and Al Jazeera English, Jalipo also has the former president of Sony Europe, Chris Deering, on board as its chairman.

It will offer a pay-as-you-go credit service to consumers wanting to watch live events and video-on-demand online. They are doing this to allow content owners more control over their footage to set the price and determine where it is available to avoid chancing any other distribution deals. Viewers will pay a per-minute rate. Chief Executive Alex Taylor talked about the plans for Jalipo.

“We’re hoping to create a much more user-friendly way to buy video content that means you can now monetize your content online while still maintaining your rights.”

Video and user-generated content has proved to be incredibly popular on the Internet. Google Inc. bought YouYube last year, but just last month Viacom Inc. sued them for more than $1 billion after what was said to be intentional copyright infringement for allowing users to upload popular shows onto the site. Although YouTube dominates the market, they may have competition on their hands since Jalipo aspires to be an alternative to YouTube. Taylor hinted at this idea in a comment.

“This is absolutely not for user-generated content. If you were looking to put us into the marketplace, I would put us at the other end of the market to YouTube. This is rights-protected, territory-restricted and monetized every minute.”

Jalipo wants to allow more content to be made available to consumers and also let it be syndicated to other sites. They have signed content deals with BBC World; Al Jazeera English; news channel France 24 in French, English and Arabic; and Bloomberg, among others. It is looking to sign deals to show live sports, concerts, and independent films. Jalipo also just announced that they joined the Adobe Solutions Partner Programme.

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