STV launches online VoD service

Scottish ITV franchise holder STV has launched an online video-on-demand service called STV Player.

The VoD service, available on www.stvplayer.tv, lets viewers watch a selection of programmes up to 30 days after broadcast free of charge, as well as archived programmes.

It also allows users to click from individual episodes straight to the corresponding programme page on stv.tv, where they can access additional material.

A report from research firm Hitwise released earlier this year found that UK internet traffic to video websites was up 40.7% year on year (see UK traffic to video websites up 40.7%).

During February 2009, 1 in every 35 UK internet visits went to a specialist video website, the company said, up from 1 in every 50 in February 2008.