RJR Communications Group is to offer video-on-demand and live streaming of its programmes by October.

The company has inked a deal with Miami-based Unified Video Technologies (UNIV) to provide the techonology called uVOD (video-on-demand) OTT (which refers to delivery of video, audio and other media over the Internet).

Declining to reveal the total spend,

RJR group director of finance, Andrea Messam, said the project to provide content for viewers outside of Jamaica will entail significant capital investment as part of its Go Global strategy, although she declined to reveal the cost.

However, the media company has other projects in the pipeline, Messam told the Sunday Finance.

Viewers will be able to access a library of the channel’s content for viewing on iOS and Android tablets as well as an RJR-branded uVOD web portal, according a press release issued by UNIV.

Subscription costs, or price to view content, are still to be finalised.

“We haven’t worked out the details, but there will be different types of services, with different bundles so the costs will vary,” Messam explained.

The solution will stream all RJR television stations — TVJ, TVJ Sports Network, Jamaica News Network (JNN), and Reggae Entertainment TV (RE TV) — live for viewing 24-7, the press release said.

Pay-per-view events will also be available for mainstream events such as sports and concerts produced by RJR as well as a user-friendly front-end interface that makes it simple to choose programmes, and manage user accounts across all devices.

“Jamaicans worldwide maintain close ties with friends and families back home, and keep up with news, TV programmes, films and events that are happening in Jamaica,” said Gary Allen, managing director of RJR in the press release.

Messam added that the company would also target non-Jamaicans who admire the local culture, to use the OTT, which will be rolled out during the second quarter of the company’s financial year, which started on April 1.

“UNIV is committed to helping RJR make the most of their digital assets by empowering them to deliver on-demand and linear content to viewers everywhere, at any time and on any screen,” said Ariel Matzkin, chief technical officer, UNIV.

According to UNIV, firms such as Comcast and networks that include, NBC, TNT, USA and FOX have used its OTT.