Description of the BBC’s new on-demand proposals 1. This document provides further detail on BBC management’s proposals to launch a number of new public service offerings, which will provide the BBC’s existing content on-demand to licence fee payers. The proposals are being considered by the BBC Governors through the Public Value Test (PVT) process. In summary, the proposals are: (a) Seven day TV catch-up over the internet (b) Seven day TV catch-up over cable (i.e. ntl, Telewest and Homechoice); (c) Simulcast TV over the internet; and (d) Non-DRM audio downloads over the internet. 2. The three internet-based offerings will be combined into a direct-to-consumer offering, BBC iPlayer1, which will also incorporate all the existing BBC players and consoles under a consistent user interface and brand2. BBC iPlayer is designed to unify the BBC’s provision of audio and video content on-demand. The plan is for it to replace all existing video and audio players within bbc.co.uk (excluding BBC Jam). Users will be able to navigate to the iPlayer from across bbc.co.uk. There will also be a dedicated area of the site which will serve as a direct entry point into the iPlayer. 3. This note sets out for each of the four proposals, further information about the content that will be offered, its availability and key technical requirements, i.e. how the service will appear to audiences and what users will be able to do with content accessed through the proposal (e.g. access for seven days, pause/rewind etc) and estimates of potential reach. General 4. If approved, the BBC’s new on-demand proposals would be expected to be launched following the conclusion of the Public Value Test (PVT) in early 2007. 5. This document sets out the limits on the window availability of content for which approval is being sought as part of the PVT. 6. No archived content will be made available via the new on-demand proposals. Only content broadcast from launch of the proposal onwards will be made available through the catch-up window outlined in this document. 7. As an extension of free to air linear broadcasting, these proposals solely relate to the primary consumption window and the BBC's Public Service offering. 8. Separate to, and not as part of the publicly funded iPlayer platform subject to this PVT, the BBC's commercial subsidiaries may wish to offer on-demand content licensed to it by the BBC on a commercial basis within a secondary window. Such activities carried on by the commercial subsidiaries are not funded by the licence fee and do not form part of the BBC's public service offering, consequently such commercial activities are not subject to the PVT and do not form part of the MIA. All activities carried on by the BBC's commercial subsidiaries are nonetheless subject to relevant requirements of the Charter and Agreement and, in particular, the BBC's Fair Trading regime and any relevant provisions of the Fair Trading Statement of Policy and Competitive Impact Codes to be adopted by the BBC Trust (pursuant to clauses 65 & 66 of the Agreement), as well as the guidelines to be adopted and published by BBC Management on Fair Trading and Competitive Impact (pursuant to Clause 67 of the Agreement). 9. Any proposals to make significant changes to the proposals and the points above from launch would be expected to require a new PVT. Seven day TV catch-up over the internet and cable Content 10. The features of the content that will be made available via the new seven day internet and cable/Homechoice offerings are outlined below. 11. The BBC intends to provide a complete TV schedule via its on-demand TV proposals. At launch however, the BBC expects to make around 70% of the BBC’s network TV schedules available, increasing to over 80% by 2010. (a) Any programme (whether in-house or independently originated) which is commissioned for transmission on any of the BBC’s TV channels will be made available through the TV offerings. In addition a small amount of programming that is commissioned by the BBC for transmission by S4C will also be made available. Initially this will exclude any programmes for which the BBC does not have the relevant rights. (b) In addition, subject to availability of rights, acquired and certain other TV content will also be made available at launch. Examples include acquired films and series, some sport, a proportion of non-narrative repeats, programmes rich in archive VT or stills, and some music performance. It is anticipated that new media rights will be acquired for some or all of these during the first two years following launch. (c) Where the BBC does not already have the rights it will ensure that it obtains the appropriate permissions for all its audience facing services. (d) The BBC is currently discussing with cable operators about the volume of content that can be carried on their platforms and how their service might evolve; at launch this may mean that seven day catch-up over cable includes a less comprehensive range and volume of programming hours than seven day catch-up over the internet. The range and volume of content and ‘series stacking’ on cable will therefore be subject to the above discussions. (e) On-demand and live streamed audio content will be made available through Radio Player which will be included in the iPlayer user interface (see 2 above). However, existing audio on-demand and live streamed content has previously been approved and does not form part of this PVT proposal. (f) No archive content will be made available via this proposal. Only content broadcast from the point of launch will be included. Platform for seven-day TV catch-up over cable 12. This proposal will make the above BBC television content available on-demand within a seven day window via digital cable (ntl and Telewest) and Homechoice.3 The features of this offering are as follows: (a) Audiences have seven days from the point at which TV content is broadcast to access a programme. When a user clicks on the programme from the listing of the last seven days’ content, the programme will stream to the users’ TV to be watched immediately. It is not stored on the set top box for later viewing. This means that there is a difference in the time frame during which audiences can access content on cable compared with the internet (as outlined below). After seven days the programme will no longer be available for access. (b) In addition the proposal may include ‘series stacking’ whereby all of the episodes in a series are available for viewing from the point at which they are broadcast until seven days after the transmission of the last episode in the series. After this point, all episodes will no longer be available. ‘Series stacking’ will be applied selectively to support particular editorial propositions. (c) Seven day catch-up over cable also allows retrospective scheduling i.e. users can view a programme after it was broadcast without having to make the decision prior to transmission. Audiences can therefore read the review of a programme and then decide to watch it. (d) BBC content will be provided at no extra cost (i.e. in basic tier). As outlined above in paragraph 7, commercial downloads do not form part of the seven day TV catch-up proposal. (e) As platform operators, ntl/Telewest and Homechoice will be able to host content from other content providers in addition to the BBC offering on their on-demand service. (f) Seven day TV catch-up relates to the BBC’s direct to audience proposition and those digital cable and IPTV services that have undergone technical and consumer trials of BBC television catch-up. The current application is limited to the provision of services through ntl, Telewest and Homechoice. In principle, BBC management is prepared to make BBC television content available to other mediated on-demand distribution methods subject to value for money and regulatory requirements likely to be imposed upon it by the Trust under the new Charter and Agreement. BBC management have also indicated to the Governance Unit they would like to establish in the light of this PVT the potential principles that might govern any such future arrangements. Seven day TV catch-up over internet Content 13. See above for features of the content that will be made available via the seven day internet and cable/Homechoice offerings. Platform for seven-day TV catch-up over internet 14. The features of the proposal4 are as follows: (a) This service will be available over the BBC website bbc.co.uk. The BBC website can be accessed through web browsers found on PCs, portable devices, games consoles etc. (b) Audiences will have seven days from the point at which it is broadcast within which to receive the programme from the BBC. Audiences will have a maximum of 13 weeks from the point that they download the file to open the file. If it is not opened within 13 weeks it will be permanently disabled. They will then have another seven days from the point at which the programme is first viewed to watch that programme as many times as they like. After seven days from the point at which the programme was first viewed, the file is deleted or permanently disabled. (c) The internet catch-up service will include ‘series stacking’ whereby all of the episodes in a series are available from the BBC from the point at which they are broadcast until seven days after the transmission of the last episode in the series. The viewer is then able to watch any available episode as many times as they like for seven days after the point at which each episode is first viewed. After seven days from the point at which it was opened the episode is deleted or permanently disabled. The span between the earliest episode broadcast and the most recent episode broadcast within any series stacking proposition will be limited to a maximum of 13 weeks. Series stacking’ will be applied selectively to support particular editorial propositions. (d) Seven day catch-up over the internet also allows retrospective scheduling i.e. users can view a programme after it was broadcast without having to make the decision prior to transmission. (e) Seven day catch-up over the internet also places programming in a ‘rich context’ i.e. TV programmes can be linked to supporting web functionality such as additional material and search to allow audiences to get more information about the content (e.g. actors, storylines, themes) and find related/linked content. (f) Catch-up TV over internet will be available in full screen quality. A certain amount of TV programmes will be available as quarter screen. (g) Delivery over the internet means that the new BBC on-demand offerings will deliver content to any device that is connected to the internet with a UK based IP address, subject to the connection speed being sufficiently fast to allow transfer of rich media assets in a reasonable time. In practice, this means that the service will be available primarily to users with a broadband connection. (h) Where distribution is via downloading, programme files will be available in a range of formats which will affect the size of each file. The range of formats will be determined by a number of considerations: editorial, audience demand and technical. (i) Currently most broadband connections run to a PC (located at home or in the office), and so viewing is likely initially to occur in front of a computer screen. Wireless devices with the equivalent of a broadband connection to the internet e.g. 3G, may also be able to access on-demand content. Where programmes are downloaded to view (e.g. catch-up), it may be possible to transfer them to portable devices through synchronisation with a computer subject to supporting appropriate DRM. (j) It is worth noting that bbc.co.uk is also available to most 2.5G and 3G enabled handsets with a browser. However, technological constraints including limited connection speeds and handset storage capacity limit the scope for access to catch-up content on mobiles. It is likely that this constraint will decline over time. (k) Over time, convergence of technologies is likely to mean more devices become internet enabled, e.g. set top boxes for linear digital television reception. It is anticipated that BBC iPlayer would become available through such converged devices. Simulcast TV over the internet Content 15. The BBC will simulcast all of its public service TV channels and their regional variations over the internet. This will include BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, News 24, CBBC, CBeebies and BBC Parliament. 16. The BBC intends to simulcast the whole of the linear schedules. However agreements with rights holders are likely to mean certain limited parts of the schedule will be blanked at launch. The BBC will seek to minimise this over time, although the speed with which this is achieved will be dependent on negotiations to acquire the necessary rights. Platform 17. The features of this service are as follows: (a) It will provide UK audiences with the ability to watch the BBC’s existing television channels ‘live’ or in ‘real time’ over the internet on their internet-enabled device via bbc.co.uk (i.e. as they are being broadcast on normal terrestrial, satellite or cable/IPTV television). Simulcast TV will be delivered via the bbc.co.uk website. bbc.co.uk is a device-agnostic browser service. (b) The number of users able to receive the simulcast at launch via their PC and also any related mobile devices will be extremely limited. Multicast streaming, which will be used to deliver the simulcast, is not generally supported by ISPs. It is anticipated that its availability will increase rapidly over time. Non-DRM downloads over the internet Content 18. The non-DRM audio downloads over the internet service will include mainly speech based audio programmes and material related to audio programming without Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection (i.e. where the rights holders agree that this form of distribution is appropriate). The availability of drama, comedy, book reading etc is limited by rights agreement issues. 19. An indicator of the non-DRM downloads that will be made available via this offering is what is already available for download as part of the podcast trial5. An accurate summary at the time of writing is as follows: Network Programme title Radio 1 * The Best of Moyles * Scott Mills Daily * Chart Chat with JK & Joel * Radio 1’s Music Interviews Radio 1’s * Entertainment News * Radio 1's Best of Unsigned 1Xtra * 100% Homegrown Mix Radio 2 * Steve Wright * Terry Wogan * Chris Evans - The Best Bits Radio 3 * Discovering Music * Radio 3 Arts Talk Radio 4 * The Today Lead Interviews * Broadcasting House * From Our Own Correspondent * In Business- currently off air * In Our Time- currently off air * Today Programme (8:10 interview) * File on 4 * The Woman's Hour Choice * Start The Week * Front Row Interview * Radio 4 Choice * Today in Parliament * The Now Show- currently off air Five Live * The Football Phone-In: 606 * Daily Mayo * The Chequered Flag * Wake up to Money * Mark Kermode's film reviews * Sportsweek * Fighting Talk 6 Music * The Russell Brand Podcast BBC 7 * Big Toe Clippings Asian Network * Film café World Service * Documentary * Digital Planet * Rooze Haftom * Studio 834 (Spanish) * World Today Select * World News Bulletin News * BBC Radio NewsPod * World Today Select * Newsnight Radio Cymru * C2 Pick of the Week / C2 Uchafbwyntiau'r Wythnos Radio Scotland * Scottish Football Radio Wales * All Things Considered Radio nan Gaidheal * Letter to Gaelic Learners (Litir Do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh) Radio Northampton * The Weekender Southern Counties * Sussex Breakfast Radio Ulster * The Stephen Nolan Show20. Archived audio material will not be made available as part of this offering. Only content broadcast going forward from launch will be supplied using the non-DRM audio download service. 21. Subject to the outcome of the PVT, the range of non-DRM downloads is expected to increase over time though this is dependent on (a) audience demand (b) agreement with rights holders that this type of distribution is appropriate (c) value for money (d) editorial consideration The BBC expects that over time all of the BBC’s existing national, local and international radio networks will provide material for the non-DRM download service. 22. No TV programme material will be provided via this service. 23. Non-BBC commissioned content will not be provided via this service. Platform 24. The main features are as follows: (a) The BBC expects to introduce measures to restrict the length of time material is available or promoted from bbc.co.uk. However, given the material is distributed without DRM, once it is downloaded there are no restrictions on the temporal or geographic consumption of material by audiences. (b) Non-DRM audio downloads can also be swapped using peer to peer technologies. (c) The proposal will sit alongside the existing on-demand Radio Player service. Due to rights restrictions there may be editorial differences between propositions appearing within the current RadioPlayer. However, the two services will be complementary. (d) Non-DRM audio downloads will be available for use on a wide range of portable devices (iPods etc). This means that audio content can be consumed offline. Removing DRM restrictions allows a broader range of devices to access the material, extending audience choice around where and when they consume BBC programming. The BBC will continue to support as wide a range of access devices as possible based on balancing cost with the size of a potential audience. Non-DRM audio material will be available on mp3 enabled mobile phones. (e) Non-DRM downloads may also be accessed through non-browser applications such as Apple's iTunes software on a range of computing devices. To users of iTunes and other similar services, it will seem as if BBC content is being downloaded from iTunes. However, it will actually be downloaded from the BBC website. (f) No commercial (i.e. paid-for) audio material will be provided via this proposal. (g) This proposal also allows retrospective scheduling. Technology 25. BBC iPlayer release 1.0 uses media player software resident on the end user’s machine to play audio or video material once it has been delivered from the BBC’s servers. The type of player used is dependent on which part of the BBC iPlayer proposition the user is accessing. The following elements will be available by the following media players: Service element Minimum Media Player compatibility Seven day TV catch-up over the internet Windows Media Player 10 with Windows DRM 10 Seven day TV catch up over cable n/a Simulcast TV over the internet This service element is currently being evaluated through a technical trial. It is likely that this service element will follow the software requirements of the existing streamed video services available through bbc.co.uk which provide compatibility with both Windows and Real Media systems. Non-DRM downloads over the internet Non-DRM downloads are supported by a wide range of media player applications from both commercial and non-profit providers.26. Which media player software applications are supported for each element is driven by two significant factors: (a) The software supports the technical requirements of the service element (for example, a digital rights management system that allows a seven day window) (b) There is an adequate installed user base for the software to justify the cost of supporting the application 27. The range of media players supported by the BBC is under continuous review based on these criteria and may increase over time. 28. Other organisations’ material will not be available through the BBC iPlayer Release 1.0, though BBC iPlayer does not affect a user’s media player software’s ability to play material from alternative sources. 29. As explained above, BBC iPlayer uses media player software already installed on the user’s machine, however, in the case of ‘seven day TV catch up over the internet’ the user will have to install an additional piece of software known as the ‘BBC iPlayer download manager’. This application works in conjunction with the user’s media player software in order to manage the licences issued with each programme as part of the DRM solution and the Peer-to-Peer distribution of the content. It will be available to download from bbc.co.uk. 30. The minimum recommended end user device specification for each of the service elements subject to the PVT are as follows: Service element Device specification Connection specification Seven day TV catch-up over the internet * A PC running Windows XP and Windows Media Player 10 or above. The minimum and recommended PC specification is: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/10/readme.aspx#System In the case of on-demand service delivered via streaming rather than download we expect to continue the current standards: * Netscape 5 and above, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 and above, or Opera 7 and above. (Other browsers may work with the BBC Sport Player, however the BBC is unable to guarantee their compatibility) * Javascript must be enabled * If cookies are enabled your viewing settings will be remembered for future visits. If cookies are not enabled or are reset by whoever manages your computer when you log on and off, the BBC Media Selector will prompt you to confirm your settings at each visit * Popup blocking mechanisms should be set to allow pop-ups to be launched from bbc.co.uk pages. You will also need to have one of the following media players installed on your system: * Real Player version 9 or above, available free via BBC Webwise Real Player download guide * Microsoft Windows Media Player version 9 or above, available free from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/default.aspx. * 512kbps and above Seven day TV catch up over cable * n/a * n/a Simulcast TV over the internet * This is currently subject to review as part of the technical trial. Our expectation is that the main system requirements will be unchanged from those required for existing bbc.co.uk streams. These are deliberately set to be as inclusive as reasonably possible, and are specified on bbc.co.uk (for example http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm) and as amended from time to time. The home network equipment (modem/router and any other network equipment) must also support multicast. * 512kbps Multicast enabled ISP Non-DRM downloads over the internet * n/a * n/a31. The BBC considers ‘mobile’ to refer to any portable computing device. In this context, portable device compatibility with BBC iPlayer release 1.0 can be summarised as follows: Service element Portable device compatibility Seven day TV catch-up over the internet * Users will be able to transfer downloaded programmes to portable devices that support the Windows DRM framework Version 10 and the ‘Windows Plays For Sure’ logo * Streamed on-demand programmes may be accessible via wirelessly connected devices with the appropriate media player software Seven day TV catch up over cable * n/a Simulcast TV over the internet * Simulcast TV over the internet will be restricted to multicast enabled ISPs Non-DRM downloads over the internet * Non-DRM downloads are intended for a wide range of portable devices32. A summary of the intended minimum service levels are as follows: Service element Image size on PC Seven day TV catch-up over the internet * It is intended to provide Seven day TV catch-up via downloads in full screen at a quality comparable to a standard definition analogue TV broadcast * On demand (via unicast) video material will be available at approximately ‘quarter screen’ size Seven day TV catch up over cable * n/a Simulcast TV over the internet Simulcast TV over the internet will be provided via multicast streaming; the programme resolution, or range of resolutions, is still to be determined. Non-DRM downloads over the internet * n/aReach of the proposals 33. BBC management have provided reach forecasts for each of the four on-demand proposals. Reach for on-demand is defined as the number of people who use a service for at least 15 minutes in a given week. By 2011, reach for each element is estimated by BBC management to be approximately as follows: * Seven-day TV catch-up over the internet: 20% of all television households. * Seven-day TV catch-up over cable: 11% of all television households. * Simulcast TV over the internet: 11% of all television households. * Non-DRM downloads over the internet: 5.5% of all homes. 34. Over time, BBC management expects that on-demand television viewing in the home will in aggregate be a substitution of linear viewing as audiences choose to take control of their scheduling. 35. BBC management’s view is that reach to the internet-based propositions will probably be driven primarily by their adoption among homes with broadband access, and to a lesser extent the increasing penetration of broadband. Growth to the cable offering is driven by increasing usage by cable subscribers of on-demand services. BBC Governance Unit 10 October 2006 1 Note that Non-DRM downloads will also be accessible through podcasting portals such as iTunes 2 Radio Player, News Player, Weather Player, Sport Player and Media Console Player 3 Technical and consumer trials for this proposal have been underway for some time. 4 A more limited definition of Seven Day catch-up over the internet was evaluated through the Integrated Media Player (iMP) trial which ran from September 2005 until February 2006. 5 Details can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/downloadtrial/#programmes. ?? ?? ?? ?? 1