iPlayer Signs Adobe Deal To Make Service More Accessible

The BBC’s iPlayer, the online TV catch-up service, is to include video streaming for PCs and Macs when it is launched later this year, following a deal with Adobe.

The service will be available on Macintosh and Linnux, as well as Microsoft Windows. It had been initially aimed at being compatible with only Microsoft XP, causing out-cries from users of other services.

Consequently the BBC iPlayer will now be compatible with other systems, and will also be accessible via links on websites such as MSN, Bebo and Facebook. The BBC also has a deal with Telegraph.co.uk, as when the users of the site go on ‘TV listings’ or radio, they can click on the link and go on the iPlayer. They also intend to launch the iPlayer on Virgin Media cable TV network “very early” next year.

The BBC iPlayer is also available from 7,500 hotspots due to a contract formed with Cloud, a wi-fi hotspot operator. Cloud deal with McDonalds, Coffee Republic, and BAA Airports, which runs Gatwick, Heathrow and Stanstead.

This will obviously boost the viewing of the iPlayer. “Wi-fi is a very useful service for us to reach consumers watching less TV, such as 16-to-24-year-olds,” said the BBC’s director of future media and technology, Ashley Highfield.

The BBC iPlayer allows you to catch up on the programmes you have missed during the past week, by downloading them on to your computer, and once you have finished watching it completely the video deletes itself (see BBC iPlayer To Launch In July).

The programmes that will be available on the player will include, popular TV series such as Robin Hood; soaps like EastEnders and documentaries such as Planet Earth. Initially the iPlayer will broadcast around an estimated 400 hours of programming. The system is also due to have radio available.

Channel 4’s on-demand service, 4OD, which launched in October, has been a success for the commercial broadcaster (see Channel 4’s 4oD To Offer Seven Day Catch-Up).

ITV also spent millions on revamping its website to provide a catch-up service (see ITV’s Online Portal Is Go).

Other broadcasters, namely Five and Sky, also have competing on-demand services.

But with the BBC’s vast library of content at its disposal, the iPlayer could in fact see of all competition.

However, beta testing in August led to users complaining about the system’s functionality (see BBC’s iPlayer Beta Test Encounters Problems).

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