BBC Reveals ‘Revolutionary’ iMP Trial Results

The BBC has revealed the results of its iMP trial, which allowed 5,000 viewers to download TV content direct to their PC up to seven days after broadcast, claiming the technology could revolutionise broadcasting.

Speaking at Milia, the audiovisual and digital content market at MipTV in Cannes, Ashley Highfield, the BBC’s director of new media and technology, said: “This research gives us the first glimpse into viewing behaviour in the on-demand future.

“It provides the first significant clues as to how TV programmes over the internet could revolutionise broadcasting, and prompt a wider, cultural shift in television consumption.”

The trial, which began last year and ran until the beginning of 2006, revealed users consistently watched two programmes a week on average, despite the limited range of content on offer. Equating to an extra hour’s viewing per week, Highfield explained that this is a 6% increase in TV consumption for an average household.

“Consumption was consistent over the period of the trial, and the iMP appealed equally to men and women,” the BBC boss continued. “Niche programmes that would have struggled in a mainstream linear schedule performed consistently well throughout the period of the trial, while the top five programmes accounted for a quarter of all the viewing, some niche programming performed disproportionately well.”

The availability of on-demand content also had the effect of extending peak time, according to the BBC, with the majority of iMP usage occurring between 10pm and 11pm, building on the traditional linear peak time of 7pm to 10pm.

“This apparent shift in television consumption is consistent with the results of early video-on-demand trials with NTL and Telewest,” Highfield added.

The iMP trial precedes the development of the MyBBCPlayer, which will offer users online access to the broadcaster’s last seven days of radio and TV, as well as live simulcasts of BBC One and Two (see BBC Faces First Public Value Test For Online Streaming).

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk