Since BBC, MSNBC and CNN are often simultaneously airing the same stories anyway: a more personal 24-hour programming choice.

The idea of continuously live television channels becomes far more democratic at Mogulus, an online television studio that makes it possible for those of us who are not Oprah or a BBC broadcaster to create and produce our own television station.

The site, which launched its beta version earlier this year, allows anyone to start and manage their own television channel. Users can alternate between third-party clips hosted at elsewhere (platforms like YouTube or Google Video), and live streaming.

Anyone may stream themselves speaking, or capture and broadcast live events with a webcam (anything from a student seminar, family gathering or sporting event). While live streaming, it’s also possible to bounce from a “main studio” to “correspondents” elsewhere in the world. And, lest the idea of running a 24-hour channel sound a bit daunting, it is possible, of course, for multiple users to team up and control the content for one channel.

Mogulus launched after receiving about $1 million from a single angel investor in mid-May, 2007.

Its CEO is Belgian-born New York resident Max Haot – incidentally, the first man out of the Soho Apple store with the iPhone, which he then reviewed for (competitor?) Fox News.
Mogulus is based in New York City but runs a lot of technical operations out of its office in Bangalore, India.

Haot discusses his approach in this July interview.

What sets Mogulus apart from possible competitors – such as Stickam or UStream - is how easily it helps users create their own brand. It helps users create a logo, integrate professional banners and backgrounds into their content, and set up their own news ticker to run along the bottom of the screen.

Even early channels created on the platform look like they are created thoughtfully, with an air of professionalism.

This seems to encourage media professionals who work in one medium to explore another. In Italy – where a sizeable percentage of Mogulus users reside - a few well-known radio deejays recently decided to create their own video channel.