To millions of viewers, listeners and users across the United Kingdom, BBC iPlayer is indispensable. The service allows people to watch and listen to BBC TV channels and radio stations, both live and on-demand, and for many years has allowed them to catch up on programmes that they may have missed for up to seven days after broadcast.
But BBC iPlayer has now become even better, as the Beeb has announced that it has extended the seven-day catch-up window to 30 days.
Viewers can now stream programmes broadcast on the BBC"s UK TV channels for up to 30 days after they are first aired. It will be a while longer, though, before downloads of shows will be available with the extended 30-day catch-up window too.
Speech and music programmes from its UK-wide radio stations - as well as from its radio stations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - can now also be streamed for up to 30 days. However, it will be a few more weeks until programmes from BBC Local Radio stations across England, and from the BBC World Service, are also included in the extended 30-day catch-up window.
Certain programmes - including current affairs content, such as Panorama, HARDtalk and Prime Minister"s Questions - will be available for up to a full year after broadcast. "A small minority of programmes", however - such as Match of the Day or BBC News bulletins - will be available for much less time than the new 30-day window, due to content licensing restrictions.
Ralph Rivera, Director of Future Media at the BBC, said that the changes were a response to "huge demand to make programmes available for longer on BBC iPlayer." The iPlayer service has now been optimised for use on over 1,200 phones, tablets, smart TVs, consoles and other devices, and will make its way to Microsoft"s Xbox One later this year.
Source: BBC Internet Blog