Hirschhorn described the video portal during a panel discussion at the Webby Connect conference in Laguna Niguel, California. He demonstrated the private beta version of sling.com, which he says will feature "thousands and thousands" of clips and full-length shows, similar to Joost or Hulu. Some of the programs in the private beta include well-known cable and broadcast television shows such as Californication, Saturday Night Live and Battlestar Galactica, but he said that clips from online services such as CollegeHumor.com would be featured as well. Human editors choose to "bubble up" certain pieces of content, he said. Unlike Hulu or Joost, there is also a social element that allows a registered user to create a profile that includes a "feed" of the programs that the user and his or her friends are watching. The site includes a shop, but it was unclear how pricing will work.

Hirschhorn said advertising would be a part of Sling.com. The site is currently "playing with some ad networks," he said, but noted that advertising was mostly in control of the owners of the programs. "Sling.com is a platform. We're never going to as good as selling ads as the brands themselves," he explained. Program owners will have the ability to sell their own inventory, according to Hirschhorn.

Sling.com will launch to the public "later in November," he said.