WebProNews

Social network Bebo is dominant in the UK and behind in the U.S.  A new platform called Open Media could give it a big boost in both countries, though, as it comes into existence with quite a few powerful friends.

Yahoo, the BBC, CBS, ESPN, MTV, Channel Four, ITN, BSkyB, Last.fm, JibJab - these are not unimportant companies, and each of them is an Open Media partner.  That means they’ll allow some of their videos and music to be shown and shared on Bebo.

Bebo’s users are likely to respond positively to this development, and more people might join as a result.  Open Media’s (potential) popularity might even have been enough to bring other companies onboard.  Yet those companies will have an added inventive in the form of cash, since, according to Bebo, “partners will not be charged for access to the platform and are able to distribute their content using their own video players, which can carry their own advertising and allow them to retain 100% of the related ad revenues.”

It’s hard to see a loser in this scenario, even if Bebo is passing up the chance to make a few bucks.  Open Media isn’t liable to change the social networking world, but it’s nonetheless interesting and important, and is sure to have grabbed the attention of Facebook, MySpace, and Google.