Plex, whose software lets users organize digital media like TV shows, news, and photos, will soon recommend related content to users.
This move comes about a year after Plex added Watchup, which aggregates news content from the likes of CNN, the Washington Post, and Bloomberg, to its platform. Plex will avail Watchup’s recommendation technology to tell its users what they might want to watch next, in the vein of Netflix and YouTube, as first reported by TechCrunch.
Though the big news in TechCrunch’s report is that Plex will now offer podcasts, some of which feature video, that seems to be just the beginning. Plex is also preparing to add video content from creators who would otherwise post to YouTube. If a major YouTube creator finds her latest video is a bit too long for the video platform or wants to delve deep into a specific subject, that longer video could find a home on Plex.
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While some creators are already reportedly talking to Plex about this possibility, no names have been mentioned. The idea is to give online video creators an additional platform to house content, and therefore a wider reach. Plex doesn’t say how many people use its media organization service, but it does work on Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. Plus, it lets users stream and record live TV thanks to its digital antenna.
The new recommendation feature could even further expand the reach of video creators’ who put their work on the Plex platform. Whereas YouTube can only recommend a creator’s content next to other YouTube videos, Plex will be able to do so after a podcast or a series offered outside of YouTube. This may get viewers who don’t typically turn to YouTube for entertainment watching a YouTube star’s work.
