Over 42 Million Shows Accessed On iPlayer
More than 42 million programmes have been accessed on the BBC’s online catch up TV service, the iPlayer, in the first three months of 2008.
The total number of requests for downloads and streams of BBC programmes in March were 17.2 million, rising from 14 million in February and 11.2 million in January. There were 1.1 million iPlayer users each week over the three-month period on average.
This represents a growth of a quarter month on month and contributes to the total of over 42 million programmes accessed on-demand since the Christmas marketing launch (see 3.5 million Programmes Watched On BBC iPlayer At Christmas).
Some of the most successful programmes on the iPlayer were The Apprentice, Ashes to Ashes, Dr Who spin-offf Torchwood, and long-running soap, EastEnders.
This week ISPs complained that the success of the BBC application was putting pressure on their systems. They want the corporation to share the cost of upgrading the network, which is estimated at over £830 million, to cope with the increased workload, but the BBC claims that it is being unfairly singled out.
Ashley Highfield, BBC director of Future Media and Technology, said: “Its initial performance proves the case not only for the BBC iPlayer, but for all video-on-demand services over the internet, and benefits both our audiences and the industry as a whole.
“We continue to work closely with the internet service providers with a view to driving the next generation of broadband internet access.”
Yesterday the BBC signed a deal with Nintendo to make the iPlayer available via Wii games consoles.
“Nintendo is a very attractive console because it is family orientated, but it also connects to the TV and internet and has a large installed user base,” said Highfield.
“Our strategy is that we have to reach as many people as we can and this is the last 10 yards of missing rail track.”
Virgin Media will also soon begin offering the iPlayer to its cable TV viewers through a specially branded interface.
The iPlayer is already accessible via Apple’s iPhone and wireless-enabled iPod Touch, and the BBC is also working on versions for more handheld devices and games consoles (see iPlayer Launches On iPhone).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk/