The BBCs Director of Future Media and Technology, Eric Huggers, has revealed plans for the next-generation of its online video service, the iPlayer, which include increased functionality and recommendation possibilities.
Huggers told members of the Broadcasting Press Guild that the new service would be as much a “you player as an iPlayer”, with a recommendation engine that would learn from previous user experience; a new playlist functionality, which enables a programme of interest to be stored for later viewing; the ability to follow items of interest, be they programme, actor or topic related, as well as the ability to trawl for TV content.
On 8 May the BBC announced the launch of CBeebies iPlayer. The specially designed child-friendly BBC iPlayer offers children six years old and under the chance to watch many of the programmes they love, at a time which suits the whole family.
Designed to be a shared and flexible online experience with parents, the new service follows the launch of the popular CBBC iPlayer last year for six to 12-year-olds. Through the CBeebies website, the service provides a dedicated place on the internet for the BBC’s youngest viewers to view BBC children’s programmes on demand. The service is designed to restrict inadvertent access to non-children’s programming and puts children’s viewing priorities first. Most programmes will be available to view for a week after broadcast with some available for up to 13 weeks as “series catch ups”.
The award-winning BBC iPlayer has received over 414 million requests to view BBC television content (TV streams and downloads) since its launch in 2007.