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BBC's Director-General confirms instant video on-demand store is coming
Just last week, rumors regarding the BBC's purported iTunes competitor were making the rounds. Now, thanks to Director-General Mark Thompson, we can confirm that it is indeed in the works. Currently known around the British offices as "Project Barcelona," the service is expected to be an à la carte media offering, allowing you to "purchase a digital copy of a program to own and keep for a relatively modest charge." Speaking of which, movies, TV shows and specials are expected to start at £1.89 and may be available minutes after they're broadcast on TV, though we've yet to hear an official word on pricing. The Broadcasting Corporation chief went on to say this isn't "a second license-fee by stealth or any reduction in the current public service offering from the BBC, it's the exact analogy of going into a high-street shop to buy a DVD." He didn't, however, give any deets on when we can expect the service to launch.
Is the BBC the next contestant in the quest to take on iTunes?
PaidContent is claiming the BBC has some pretty advanced plans to launch a video market, one meant to compete directly with the iTunes of the world. According to its source, the British Broadcasting Corporation plans to offer its vast back catalog of movies, TV shows and specials as £1.89 downloads. Though much of its newer material is already licensed through BBC Worldwide, older content is not. The idea is to make all of that material available digitally and through its own branded service. The public broadcaster even plans to offer producers a larger chunk of the profits (roughly £0.40 per episode) in an effort to get a leg up on its potential competitors. Of course, these plans could still collapse if negotiations with independent producers fall through. Or, the plans could be less grand and far more preliminary than we've been led to believe. Still, don't be shocked it the iPlayer starts telling you to buy old episodes for a couple of quid in the next few months.
BBC launches news app for Sony connected TV, joins Samsung and Panasonic
Trading tradition for tech, the BBC has officially launched its news app for Sony connected TVs -- joining the ranks of its other offerings made for Samsung and Panasonic displays. With a third TV app under its belt, the Beeb is already talking about launching a fourth HTML-based variant designed to access all the newsy goodness from Virgin Media's TiVo boxes. Recently trading its Flash site for an HTML5 upgrade and launching its iPlayer for iPhone app in the UK, there's no doubt Austin Powers won't even recognize the joint when cryogenically unfrozen. Check out the tribute track after the break.
BBC moves towards HTML5 for websites, tells Flash it'll still be friends
Even the British occasionally have to change with the times. Following a study stating that 80 percent of all web video is now compatible with HTML5, the BBC has formally adopted the standard for videos on the desktop and mobile versions of its website. The full roll-out across BBC.com follows a pilot program in which the broadcaster tested HTML5 on the Health section of the site. According to Electronista, the BBC has been working with HTML5 delivery systems throughout 2011 to build its iPlayer apps for the iOS. In other news, the BBC has just texted Flash and said it's totally open to staying friends and meeting up for coffee sometime.
