BBC Services To Be Made Available On Digital Cable

The BBC and Telewest have today announced a long-term agreement for carriage of BBC licence-fee funded digital channels and interactive services on Telewest cable networks. The deal, which runs until 2006, will allow Telewest digital viewers access to the BBC’s radio services and digital versions of its terrestrial channels as well as BBC Choice, BBC News 24, BBC Knowledge and BBC Parliament.

In addition, viewers to Telewest’s Active Digital service will be allowed access to the BBC’s interactive information service, which contains over 400 pages of news, weather and sports content. Philip Langsdale, BBC director of distribution & technology, said: “With BBC services already available on digital terrestrial and digital satellite, digital cable is another important distribution system for the BBC in bringing its complete portfolio of digital services to all licence fee payers, widening choice for viewers.”

The deal is welcome news for Telewest which has been forced to suspend marketing of its digital services due to a shortage of set-top boxes (see Set-Top Box Shortage Puts Telewest Three Months Behind). This is the first time the BBC’s public service content will become available on cable in an interactive format and Andrew Shaw, director of content acquisition and business development at Telewest, said the move renewed faith in the benefits of cable. “This agreement with the BBC is also good news for Telewest as it demonstrates our long term aim to provide content that makes full use of our broadband capacity,” he said.

The move will increase the pressure on the BBC to form a separate commercial internet venture as its rivals claim unfairness in its use of licence-fee money (see BBC Makes Promises, ITN Makes Threats).

Telewest: 01483 750 900