Sky News First To Offer Video Podcasts

Sky has become the first broadcaster in Britain to offer viewers video podcast content, providing updates from Sky News through its website.

The first programme to be made available by the new service is Sky News’ 7 Days, providing a run down of the week’s lighter stories. The 7 Days video is presented by Sky’s Chris Roberts and will be followed by more programmes in the future as Sky plans to build a library of news clips for download to portable media players in the coming weeks.

Earlier this week Sky lifted the lid on its trial TV via broadband system, allowing customers to download full-length movies and sporting highlights. The broadcaster has plans to develop a fully-fledged video on demand (VOD) system in the coming months, building on its acquisition of internet service provider EasyNet last year (see Sky By Broadband Trial Offers Glimpse Of VOD Plans).

Elsewhere, rival operator Telewest recently became the first British broadcaster to provide VOD services nation wide, offering all of its customers access to movies and TV programmes at the touch of a button, complete with DVD-style controls for pausing, fast-forwarding and rewinding content (see Telewest Completes On-Demand TV Roll Out).

Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com