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The service, called Messenger TV, allows two users to exchange messages while both watching clips from the MSN Video service.

The service is being rolled out across Europe first, where Microsoft claims there are 95 million Window Messenger users.

In order to spur the service Microsoft has signed UK content deals with EMI and Channel 4, with the television network providing a selection of "best of" clips from popular programming including Skins, Peep

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Show and Father Ted.

The tie-up with EMI will also see music videos from artists such as Robbie Williams making an appearance.

Microsoft hopes the ability to share video clips through messenger will draw a younger audience that may not otherwise have used the main MSN Video site, making it a more appealing proposal for advertisers.

"Our core audience is spending increasing amounts of time online and expect to be able to watch their favourite Channel 4 shows this way," says Jon Gisby, Channel 4's director of New Media and Technology.

"We are building relationships with premier brands, such as MSN, to ensure easy access to this high-quality content across the internet."

Video is, however, a notoriously difficult service to generate revenue from. Google CEO Eric Schmidt claimed earlier this month that making money from YouTube was this year's top priority at Google, despite the immense popularity of the site.