Joost, the video-delivery-by-internet company, has linked with Hong Kong-based TOM Group to launch a service into China. The snappily named ‘joost.tom.com’ j-v has sourced programming from CCTV, BTV Media, China Record Corp, CAV Warner and Huayi Brothers, amounting to some 16,000 hours of material. 

Joost.tom.com launched on July 23. “Joost has always been a global service, and our partnership with TOM is a perfect example of the regionalized offerings we are able to bring to the market," Joost CEO Mike Volpi said in a statement. Local sources state that Joost will supply its underlying technology while TOM looks after the selling of ad-space. China authorised the TOM Online service in June.

There were estimated to be over 160 million Chinese viewing video material on the internet in 2007, a figure which is sure to have grown as broadband services take root.

TOM is majority backed by billionaire Li Ka-shing, who also has stakes directly in Joost as well as social networking site Facebook. Joost was founded by Kazaa and Skype founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom.