"Video hosting service videobel.by is our first OTT [over-the-top media service] platform, which will host programs and various sections. And even off-air activities of video content creators. If you like, this is a rather weak analogue, but such a first step towards creating a Belarusian YouTube," state news agency Belta quoted Pertsov as saying.
According to him, it is impossible to predict how the situation with YouTube, whose download and playback speed has recently slowed down in Russia, and other OTT services will develop further.
"We know for sure that the Belarusian viewer wants to watch (and not only Belarusian) videos on demand via a personal computer, mobile phone, where it is convenient for him, at a time when it is convenient for him to do it. This project will be launched on September 12," Pertsov said.
He said that in addition to user videos, the video hosting service will provide the opportunity to watch the main Belarusian TV channels in real time, and the main page will also feature a feed of the main news of the Belta state news agency.