It can be difficult to find television programs on the Internet. To solve that problem, Clicker, a well-financed startup, has launched what it calls a “TV Guide for the Web.”
“If you created TV Guide in 2009 instead of 1953, you’d create something like this,” said Jim Lanzone, Clicker’s chief executive, who previously served as the chief executive of Ask.com, the No. 4 search engine.
Using the software, if you're looking for an NBC, Fox or Disney show, search Hulu and an answer comes quickly. But other programming is more difficult to find. Clicker limits itself to television shows and other professionally produced content that is listed by major news organizations.
Through partnerships with content creators and its own search of the Internet, Clicker creates and makes available a database of programs. When users search, the results are clustered according to the network that produced the content. Clicker finds only content that has been uploaded legally, and tries to locate its original source.
Clicker has received $8 million in financing from Benchmark Capital and Redpoint Ventures. The company’s income source will be advertising. The service, which has been available by invitation only until now, has already earned positive reviews.
