BBC partners with Virgin Media to create next-generation TV experiences via Red Button on TiVo

Virgin Media and the BBC have announced a new deal to bring BBC TV services to TiVo via the red button.

The two broadcasters will begin to develop new applications and user experiences for TiVo customers, which will allow viewers to access the BBC’s interactive coverage of 2011’s major sporting events, including Formula 1, Wimbledon, Euro 2012 and the London 2012 Olympics.

A forthcoming BBC Sport app will build on these enhanced red button services to bring next-generation viewing experiences to connected TVs in 2012. The new app will bring together all the live streams from the BBC’s existing red button service, video streams on-demand and additional content from BBC Online – providing a next-generation TV experience of Wimbledon, Formula 1, Euro 2012 and London 2012.

The BBC Sport app will sit alongside the BBC’s existing BBC News and BBC iPlayer apps.

The BBC News app, which brings together BBC News on TV and online in an on-demand service, will also launch on Virgin Media TiVo. Accessible via the Red Button and the Virgin Media TiVo ‘Apps and Games’ section, it is expected to launch in the first quarter of next year

Jane Weedon, controller of business development, BBC Future Media said: “Having partnered with Virgin Media to bring BBC iPlayer to TV back in 2008, we have since brought a vastly-improved, fully-integrated experience of BBC iPlayer to Virgin Media’s TiVo Service. With the addition of the BBC News app and enhanced BBC Sport services – all accessible via the red button – we plan to build on this partnership and continue to innovate in connected TV through 2012.”

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, added: “Our innovative new TiVo service offers a whole world of catch-up, on demand, HD, 3D and live TV content and we’re delighted to be adding the BBC’s next generation News and Sport services to the line-up.”