International BBC iPlayer to launch next year
Paid-for VOD for foreign market
The head of BBC Worldwide has told The Telegraph that the BBC Trust has okayed an international version of the popular iPlayer.
Although there has been no official statement from the BBC Trust, BBC Worldwide chief executive John Smith has insisted that the BBC iPlayer will have an international version next year.
Currently the iPlayer is restricted to UK users, but the potential for the video on demand catch up service being offered worldwide is clear.
Legitimate
"Not only will that mean international fans of, for example, Doctor Who can get their fix legitimately, but it has the potential of opening up a new revenue stream for the entire UK production industry, alongside sales to traditional broadcasters," said Smith to the Telegraph.
The proposal would see international customers given the chance to watch major BBC shows – but only by paying a fee, something that would help ease some financial pressure on the BBC following the government's decision to freeze the BBC licence fee at the same level.
Luke Bradley-Jones, is the MD of Global iPlayer, and he added "Our research has shown there is an international audience of British TV fans that are frequently watching TV online – and we are excited about rolling out our iPlayer VOD service to meet and grow this demand.
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"We strongly believe the Global iPlayer is going to offer an excellent opportunity for the UK's creative industry to directly reach much sought after digital audiences and revenue streams around the world."
Via Telegraph
Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content. After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.