Television viewers can now watch all of the UK’s free-to-air television channels online from a single site for the very first time and at no cost.
The new service at TVCatchup.com was launched to the public today (Wednesday) as an independent web-based television platform, allowing live access to a range of high quality television streams. The service carries the 18 main channels and plans to provide the full range of over 40 channels by the end of the year.
The service is expected to attract a wide audience from the growing number of people who are spending more and more time at their computers. Initial trials have proven to be extremely popular with students, commuters and those living in poor reception areas. For those unable to purchase a satellite or cable subscription, TVCatchup offers them access to the full range of UK television for the very first time.
The service will likely also come as a relief to the estimated 2.5 million homes which will not be able to receive full digital TV once analogue services are switched off in 2012 .
TVCatchup was first trialled in 2007 but was voluntarily suspended pending clarification of the legal issues arising from the streaming of live broadcasts online. The service has now resumed operations using patented technology to deliver a superior video quality equal to the best of other online providers.
During the next twelve months legislation allowing the broadcast of “television without frontiers” is expected to be introduced within the European Community . Similar legislation is likely to be adopted outside of Europe in due course.
TVCatchup will have a particular appeal to viewers overseas, especially holiday makers, ex-patriots and British forces staff who would not otherwise be able to view their favourite programmes when away from home. However, pending such changes in legislation, access to the TVCatchup service is currently restricted to only those situated within the UK.
The current live streams are compatible with mobile devices and have been successfully trialled on trains, coaches and even planes. The developers of TVCatchup are additionally working with third parties to provide home PC users with functionality similar to those offered by the Sky+ recording system.
TVCatchup is free, funded by advertising. A company spokesman said that TVCatchup was “unique” by providing complete choice for the first time to the viewer. He said: “We are challenging boundaries, we have done what has never been done before, and at no cost to anyone.”
“More people than ever are now using their computers instead of their TVs and our content line up will go way beyond conventional offerings, with public broadcasts, community TV and independently production all thrown into the mix. TVCatchup will mean their never having to miss a show ever again.”
http://www.tvcatchup.com
Saturday 29 November 2008
Viewers turn to online TV news to keep ahead of credit crunch, says Zattoo
Zattoo, the online TV player, reports today that the credit crunch has spurred a doubling in viewing share of its news, finance and current affairs channels in the last three months.
Analysis from Google Trends shows that UK searches for the term “credit crunch” have trebled in the last quarter (August to October). At the same time, the share of viewing on Zattoo for BBC News, Bloomberg and ABC News Now more than doubled, from 9% to 19%.
Alex Guest, General Manager for Zattoo in the UK, said: “The vast majority of viewing on Zattoo continues to be for evening and weekend entertainment. Fight Club on Channel 4 last Sunday was a big hit with our viewers. Now the news channels are growing in popularity with those who want to keep abreast of current affairs in these turbulent times.”
Bloomberg TV, with its live coverage of financial matters, accounted for 5.7% of viewing time in October, compared with just 1.5% in August. BBC News increased from 7% to 12%, while ABC News Now, with its focus on US news, grew from 0.6% to a peak of 1.3% in September.
Guest continued: “Watching TV news online is a very practical way of getting up-to-the-minute information while getting on with something else at the same time.”
http://www.zattoo.com
Analysis from Google Trends shows that UK searches for the term “credit crunch” have trebled in the last quarter (August to October). At the same time, the share of viewing on Zattoo for BBC News, Bloomberg and ABC News Now more than doubled, from 9% to 19%.
Alex Guest, General Manager for Zattoo in the UK, said: “The vast majority of viewing on Zattoo continues to be for evening and weekend entertainment. Fight Club on Channel 4 last Sunday was a big hit with our viewers. Now the news channels are growing in popularity with those who want to keep abreast of current affairs in these turbulent times.”
Bloomberg TV, with its live coverage of financial matters, accounted for 5.7% of viewing time in October, compared with just 1.5% in August. BBC News increased from 7% to 12%, while ABC News Now, with its focus on US news, grew from 0.6% to a peak of 1.3% in September.
Guest continued: “Watching TV news online is a very practical way of getting up-to-the-minute information while getting on with something else at the same time.”
http://www.zattoo.com
Thursday 27 November 2008
BroadbandChoices.co.uk comments on the new BBC streaming service
• Broadband users need to be aware of their download limits and fair usage policies before streaming live TV programmes
• BroadbandChoices.co.uk offers its top downloading tips for consumers thinking of using this service
Michael Phillips, Product Director, BroadbandChoices.co.uk commented:
“This new service from the BBC is a positive step forward and allows broadband users to take advantage of exciting new applications and new content. We are concerned however that the wider public may not be sufficiently aware of the broadband usage caps and fair usage policies they may fall foul of when using this new service.
“The BBC iPlayer successfully opened up the downloading of high quality video programmes from a dedicated minority to the general public and this new service takes things one step further with high quality video streaming. As a public service broadcaster they have a responsibility to clearly inform users of the potential impact to their broadband service and punitive charges they might incur through accessing high quantities of this content.
“A live streaming service of this kind will certainly test consumers’ broadband packages due to the high speed connection and substantial download limits that it will demand. It’s important that consumers know what their monthly download limit is so we would recommend using our free Broadband Download Monitor to track downloads and alert them as they reach their limit.”
Best broadband packages for speed – Be There and Virgin Media offer packages with fast headline download rates.
Best broadband packages for download limits – O2 and Be There both have generous fair usage policies compared with other ISPs. Also, Sky’s top package is currently the only service to offer truly unlimited downloads without any caveats.
Broadbandchoices.co.uk 5 top tips for downloading:
• Download at night - If you don’t have to watch the programmes live we would recommend using the iPlayer to download the content overnight when download usage is unmetered or usage caps are often less restrictive.
• Pick the right ISP - If you think you will be a regular user of video streaming applications it is worth comparing faster packages with larger download limits. Our guide looks at the most suitable packages on the market.
• Track your usage - Be aware of your monthly download limit. Install a download monitor (Broadband Download Monitor) and set it to alert you as you reach your limit, before you incur any penalties.
• Boost your speed – If you don’t want to switch providers, there are still a number of tricks you can try to boost your speed. Our guide to speeding up your broadband connection should help you get the most from your current package.
• Be aware of the cost – Technically, this new BBC streaming service is only available to licencse fee payers. As a licencse fee payer, it is important to minimise any additional costs (for example, fair usage penalties) otherwise consumers will effectively be “paying twice” for watching the programmes online.
• BroadbandChoices.co.uk offers its top downloading tips for consumers thinking of using this service
Michael Phillips, Product Director, BroadbandChoices.co.uk commented:
“This new service from the BBC is a positive step forward and allows broadband users to take advantage of exciting new applications and new content. We are concerned however that the wider public may not be sufficiently aware of the broadband usage caps and fair usage policies they may fall foul of when using this new service.
“The BBC iPlayer successfully opened up the downloading of high quality video programmes from a dedicated minority to the general public and this new service takes things one step further with high quality video streaming. As a public service broadcaster they have a responsibility to clearly inform users of the potential impact to their broadband service and punitive charges they might incur through accessing high quantities of this content.
“A live streaming service of this kind will certainly test consumers’ broadband packages due to the high speed connection and substantial download limits that it will demand. It’s important that consumers know what their monthly download limit is so we would recommend using our free Broadband Download Monitor to track downloads and alert them as they reach their limit.”
Best broadband packages for speed – Be There and Virgin Media offer packages with fast headline download rates.
Best broadband packages for download limits – O2 and Be There both have generous fair usage policies compared with other ISPs. Also, Sky’s top package is currently the only service to offer truly unlimited downloads without any caveats.
Broadbandchoices.co.uk 5 top tips for downloading:
• Download at night - If you don’t have to watch the programmes live we would recommend using the iPlayer to download the content overnight when download usage is unmetered or usage caps are often less restrictive.
• Pick the right ISP - If you think you will be a regular user of video streaming applications it is worth comparing faster packages with larger download limits. Our guide looks at the most suitable packages on the market.
• Track your usage - Be aware of your monthly download limit. Install a download monitor (Broadband Download Monitor) and set it to alert you as you reach your limit, before you incur any penalties.
• Boost your speed – If you don’t want to switch providers, there are still a number of tricks you can try to boost your speed. Our guide to speeding up your broadband connection should help you get the most from your current package.
• Be aware of the cost – Technically, this new BBC streaming service is only available to licencse fee payers. As a licencse fee payer, it is important to minimise any additional costs (for example, fair usage penalties) otherwise consumers will effectively be “paying twice” for watching the programmes online.
Wednesday 26 November 2008
Saturday 22 November 2008
Friday 21 November 2008
Thursday 20 November 2008
Tuesday 18 November 2008
Message in a lunchbox sings to the public
Part promotion, part real-world viral experiment, the Georgia Wonder ‘Hello Stranger’ campaign is a fun way of seeing just how far each CD will travel
This week, musical duo Georgia Wonder purposefully mislaid 40 numbered copies of their latest CD ‘Hello Stranger’ across the country to begin a journey on what could be called a nationwide ‘pass the parcel’.
Part promotion, part real-world viral experiment, the Georgia Wonder ‘Hello Stranger’ campaign is a fun way of seeing just how far each CD will travel across the nation.
Members of the public who find these CDs have been encouraged to visit the band’s website and Facebook page where they can leave a message saying which CD they found, where they found it and where they intend on leaving it next. There is also a humorous video explaining the campaign on YouTube.
Like something straight out of Lewis Carol’s ‘Alice In Wonderland’, each heavy duty CD ‘lunch-box’ container is clearly labelled ‘Hello Stranger, I am on a journey, please pick me up!’. The idea is that anyone finding one of these lunch-boxes in public can check out the music inside before leaving it in a different place for someone else to discover.
Within the first week CDs have been spotted at a Premier Inn at Old Trafford, The ICA in London, Bentalls in Kingston Upon Thames, the terrace at Celtic Park FC and a number seven bus in Brighton.
If opinion is anything to go by the CDs may not get quite as far as planned - influential music site Pop Justice has commented on the campaign ‘..the chances of it all taking off and becoming a proper social phenomenon are incredibly slim, mainly because the music on the CD is so good that you don't really want to give it away.’
About Georgia Wonder
Georgia Wonder are Stephanie Grant (vocals) and Julian Moore (music)
‘A darker Dido with the voice of an angel’
The lead track from Georgia Wonder's debut EP ‘Hello Stranger’ has already claimed Song Of The Day (6th August) on the Pop Justice website, and Record Of The Week (4th September) from the Record Of The Day website. Pop Justice called it 'One Grey's Anatomy soundtrack appearance away from being an international hit single'. Record Of The Day, the UK's music industry tip sheet said of it 'A simple, restrained, haunting ballad which sounds classic but not dated - the video is stunning too.'
Saturday 15 November 2008
Welome to That's News TV!
After a problematic attempt a couple of years ago, That's News is now able to bring you That's News TV.
We are using the technology of Youtube to bring TV programmes to you, via the Internet. It's early days yet, and That's News TV plans to bring you more video and TV programming as the service progresses. At the moment That's News TV has no firm plans to create our own TV programmes, but that is our long term aim.
For the foreseeable future That's News TV will bring you interesitng television programmes from around the world. Although programming will primarily be in English, we do have plans to bring programmes in other languages to the 'airwaves' of That's News TV, including some Welsh (Cymraeg) language programming.
Programmes will be placed here on That's News TV and also on other appropriate members of the That's News organisation online magazines.
We hope that you will enjoy the TV programmes which we will be bringing you. These will include news items, how to videos, comedy items, health programmes, and so much more.
We are using the technology of Youtube to bring TV programmes to you, via the Internet. It's early days yet, and That's News TV plans to bring you more video and TV programming as the service progresses. At the moment That's News TV has no firm plans to create our own TV programmes, but that is our long term aim.
For the foreseeable future That's News TV will bring you interesitng television programmes from around the world. Although programming will primarily be in English, we do have plans to bring programmes in other languages to the 'airwaves' of That's News TV, including some Welsh (Cymraeg) language programming.
Programmes will be placed here on That's News TV and also on other appropriate members of the That's News organisation online magazines.
We hope that you will enjoy the TV programmes which we will be bringing you. These will include news items, how to videos, comedy items, health programmes, and so much more.
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