The BBC iPlayer is going international! The Beeb has appointed Mark Smith, who’d previously been acting manager of the UK version of iPlayer, to helm a project that will create an international version. At the Edinburgh International Television Festival two weeks ago, BBC director general Mark Thompson promised an international iPlayer would arrive “within a year”. It looks like the BBC really is getting on with it…
While radio shows are accessible through the BBC iPlayer in Ireland (and some other locations), TV shows are restricted to the UK unless you tinker with methods for spoofing your IP address. The appointment of Smith to head up international iPlayer development will mean on-demand TV comes to other territories but it’s unlikely to be a free for all.
The BBC currently licenses and sells BBC shows like Top Gear across the world through BBC Worldwide. An international BBC iPlayer is likely to arrive as either a heavily ad-supported service or as a subscription service for foreign users. The glories of a free BBC iPlayer will remain the preserve of UK licence payers.
Thompson said in his Edinburgh International Television Festival speech that the BBC is working to “find a way of letting UK licence fee payers and servicemen and women use a version of the UK public service iPlayer wherever they are in the world.” That opens up the exciting prospect of logging in to iPlayer on your holidays.
Smith takes up his role at the end of this month so hopefully we’ll hear some more news on plans for the international BBC iPlayer soon. Hit the comments and let us know what you think of the plans. If you’re one of the many Electricpig readers in far flung locations, how much would you be willing to pay to get iPlayer where you are?
Out TBC | £TBC | BBC (via Strategy Eye)
