MUMBAI: This is an initiative that sees National Geographic in the US trying to leverage the strength of emerging digital media delivery platforms.

American company Akimbo Systems which claims to be the first company to deliver digital-quality video-on-demand (VOD) to any television through a broadband-Internet connection has announced a deal with National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F).

NGT&F has joined a list of companies that provide video programming for the Akimbo Service. Akimbo offers consumers a video-on-demand (VOD) service that is delivered to televisions via the Internet and allows consumers to create their own personal television experience.

The Akimbo Service will be offering a selection of titles from National Geographic’s library consisting of 25,000 hours of adventure, science, natural history, current affairs and cultural programming. In addition, feature films will include Inside the Pentagon,, Ambassador: Inside the Embassy, Egypt: Quest for Eternity and 21 Days to Baghdad.

Akimbo CEO Josh Goldman said, "The National Geographic brand is recognised and respected worldwide. Movies and documentaries from their vast library represent the type of A-level programming that makes the Akimbo Service unique. Now, Akimbo users can access these informative and educational programmes on demand."

The Akimbo Service works with the Akimbo Player. This is a set-top box that can store up to 200 hours of video, and provides consumers with viewing controls such as pause, rewind and archive. The Akimbo Player has an onscreen programme guide and a customised remote control. The Akimbo Player utilises widely adopted technology for playback including Windows Media 9 technologies for audio and video compression, and digital rights management.