SAN JOSE, Calif. — Oct. 15, 2007
— The BBC
and Adobe® Systems Incorporated
(Nasdaq:ADBE), today announced a
strategic relationship around
the delivery of Web video. By
adopting Adobe® Flash® Player
software, the BBC will make its
free catch-up TV service — BBC
iPlayer —available as a
streaming service across
Macintosh and Linux®, as well as
Windows®, by the end of the
year. The strategic
relationship will also allow the
BBC to provide a single
consistent user experience for
the majority of streamed video
and audio content on
www.bbc.co.uk.
The BBC iPlayer on-demand
streaming service will
complement the download service
currently available. This
non-exclusive relationship is
part of the BBC’s strategy to
reinvent
www.bbc.co.uk,
to ensure all its rich-media
content is accessible to the
widest audience possible.
Erik Huggers, BBC future media
and technology group controller
said, “I’m delighted to announce
this strategic relationship with
Adobe. It is important to ensure
that BBC iPlayer is available on
as many platforms as possible.
It will offer our audiences
increased flexibility as to how
and when they consume our
content, both live and
on-demand, on
www.bbc.co.uk.
With a complete end-to-end
workflow, Adobe’s video
solutions will revolutionize how
we create and deliver content to
audiences in the digital age.”
Bruce Chizen, chief executive
officer of Adobe added, "Adobe
is driving the next generation
of video delivery by
accelerating the fusion of TV
and the Internet. With more
control over playback,
interactivity and branding, the
move to Flash Player compatible
video will help the BBC to
engage audiences by delivering a
seamless, instant-on Web video
experience."
BBC iPlayer will have its
marketing launch during the
holiday season when it will
offer downloading and streaming
services, as well as radio
options. The service currently
enables viewers to download and
view around 400 hours of
television programs from the
last seven days and store for up
to 30 days.
All procurement of software,
hardware and services will
follow the BBC's usual
procurement practice.
BBC iPlayer is only available to UK audiences and cannot be accessed
outside the country.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the
world engages with ideas and
information – anytime, anywhere
and through any medium. For more
information, visit
www.adobe.com.
About BBC
The BBC exists to enrich
people's lives with great
programs and services that
inform, educate and entertain.
It provides a wide range of
distinctive programs and
services for everyone, free of
commercial interests and
political bias. They include
television, radio, national,
local, children's, educational,
language and other services for
key interest groups. The BBC is
financed by a TV license paid by
households. It does not have to
serve the interests of
advertisers, or produce a return
for shareholders.
