BBC, C4 and Five move on-demand beyond PCs

by Fiona Ramsay Media Week 18-Mar-08

4oD and iPlayer, the video-on-demand services respectively operated by Channel 4 and the BBC, are set to launch on the Virgin Media cable TV platform.

BBC iPlayer, currently available as a PC-based offering, is set to
launch on Virgin Media's on-demand service in April, marking the first
time that the service will be available via TV sets.

Meanwhile, according to agencies, Channel 4 is presenting its plans for

the May launch of 4oD on Virgin Media's platform.

Channel 4 is expected to offer advertisers the opportunity to carry ads
on a pre-roll, post-roll and sponsorship basis.

About 1.5 million of Virgin Media TV's customers now use its VoD service
on a monthly basis.

A Virgin Media spokesman said he expected the Virgin on-demand service
to be further developed to make the content easier to navigate.

Meanwhile, Five is in talks with BT Vision, Tiscali and Virgin Media to
launch its revamped Five Download on-demand service on their respective
digital TV platforms.

Rhys McLachlan, head of broadcast implementation at MediaCom, said: "VoD
on TV makes complete sense. We know from Sky's Anytime service that
proper TV VoD is well-received by consumers. From our perspective, it is
good news."

McLachlan added that the development of VoD services on pay-TV platforms
such as Virgin Media would boost consumer demand for pay TV.