Mohu Turns Over New Leaf for OTA TV

Mohu wants to bring the sexy back to over-the-air (OTA) television. Already well-known for its Leaf HDTV antenna, Mohu launched a new product in the Leaf line Tuesday that it describes as providing "top performance in a stylish, small package." The Leaf Metro boasts a 25-mile reception radius. It's available online from Mohu for $24.95.

The numbers on broadcast-only households are in dispute. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) says 19.3% of US homes are broadcast-only, while the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) argues that the number is under 10%. Either way, there has been a definite uptick in interest around OTA programming in recent years. Higher monthly fees for pay-TV services and new online video options make OTA an attractive alternative to cable. Much like Aereo is trying to capitalize on free TV with its cloud-based services, Mohu wants to do the same with its OTA antennas. (See Antenna TV Roars Back.)

Today's introduction of the Leaf Metro is interesting because it provides a useful data point on market demand for OTA television. However, Mohu may soon have another product that expands even further on the value proposition of free TV. The company recently completed a Kickstarter campaign for its Mohu Channels device, which is designed to combine OTA content with web-based video.

As described by Mohu, the adapter product pulls in content from an HD antenna (sold separately) and online video sources. It also offers a program guide that marries both types of content in one interface and lets users personalize listings with the channels that are most relevant to them. The Mohu Channels device is scheduled to launch this summer.

— Mari Silbey, special to Light Reading