BBC to release iPlayer to other broadcasters

September 13, 2009

The BBC are going to release their iPlayer to other broadcasters around the UK.

Eric Huggers, Director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, announced that the BBC iPlayer would be opening up to third-party broadcasters. He made the announcement at the IBC 2009 conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He said that the broadcaster would be willing to accept outside content. The sharing of technology with other broadcasters means that ITV and Channel 4 shows could be featured with the same technology. This would mean that British viewers would get the chance to watch shows like popular singing competition show The X Factor and long-running soap-opera Coronation Street.

Huggers explained: "The concept of opening up our investment and technology infrastructure, user experience and design is central for us in helping other broadcasters achieve their goals of continuing to have a direct relationship with users rather than being disintermediated by third-party aggregators. The iPlayer isn't something you can stick on a DVD, install and run. We can offer other free-to-air broadcasters a chance to share in our investment and get into on-demand."

Huggers also said: “It is about making sure each of the broadcasters around the world can continue to have a direct relationship with their users. The investments are going to be made available to public and private companies so that they don’t have to invent the iPlayer or look at how to deliver free-to-air."

The corporation's governing body have yet to approve the proposals made for the "open iPlayer".