Rachel_Sandford
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BBC iPlayer, the catch up service that gives viewers a chance to watch TV programmes for up to seven days after its initial broadcast, launched in 2007. Since then it's been made available on BT Vision, Freesat, Freeview, Virgin Media, and on mobile operating systems.
Now, the Beeb has just announced that their player will be made available for free on Sky later this year. Launching full version at an undisclosed date, iPlayer will be made available on Sky's Anytime+ internet TV and SkyPlus HD. The former service delivers on-demand TV shows and catch up content to Sky customers with broadband internet. It is also free to Sky subscribers.
According to sources, Sky was vying to make iPlayer available to Sky broadband customers only, but the BBC would not agree.
“A core BBC value is to reach all audiences on a universal basis,” they said in a statement.
Sky announcement that iPlayer would soon be on their service came the same time they announced that the service would be made available to anyone with broadband internet, “an important development” that aided in bringing iPlayer to the platform. It is a move that “can only be fantastic news for audiences,” said BBC director general Mark Thompson.
Now, audiences will have access to Sky channels and their partner content, like Discover, Disney, FX, History, MTV, National Geographic, UK TV, and shows like Doctor Who, Outnumbered, and Top Gear. Apart from that, ITV Player will also be made available on the service beginning tommorrow.
Jeremy Darroch, chief executive of Sky said in a statement that: “Sky Anytime Plus will go from strength to strength in 2012 and we are delighted that the addition of the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player will allow customers to also enjoy the best of terrestrial TV, whenever they want. We’re also delighted to be able to widen access to the service so that millions more Sky customers can enjoy the added flexibility it offers.”
Now, the Beeb has just announced that their player will be made available for free on Sky later this year. Launching full version at an undisclosed date, iPlayer will be made available on Sky's Anytime+ internet TV and SkyPlus HD. The former service delivers on-demand TV shows and catch up content to Sky customers with broadband internet. It is also free to Sky subscribers.
According to sources, Sky was vying to make iPlayer available to Sky broadband customers only, but the BBC would not agree.
“A core BBC value is to reach all audiences on a universal basis,” they said in a statement.
Sky announcement that iPlayer would soon be on their service came the same time they announced that the service would be made available to anyone with broadband internet, “an important development” that aided in bringing iPlayer to the platform. It is a move that “can only be fantastic news for audiences,” said BBC director general Mark Thompson.
Now, audiences will have access to Sky channels and their partner content, like Discover, Disney, FX, History, MTV, National Geographic, UK TV, and shows like Doctor Who, Outnumbered, and Top Gear. Apart from that, ITV Player will also be made available on the service beginning tommorrow.
Jeremy Darroch, chief executive of Sky said in a statement that: “Sky Anytime Plus will go from strength to strength in 2012 and we are delighted that the addition of the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player will allow customers to also enjoy the best of terrestrial TV, whenever they want. We’re also delighted to be able to widen access to the service so that millions more Sky customers can enjoy the added flexibility it offers.”