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Programme Download Trial
Friday, May 20, 2005, 2 comments

The BBC press office has announced a 5000-strong three month trial of their interactive media player (iMP) to begin in September 2005.

The BBC's interactive media player (iMP) is a new application in development which will allow users to download tv and radio programmes from bbc.co.uk to their PC or laptop and watch or listen to them for seven days after the transmission date.

BBC Press Office:

BBC New Media has today (16 May 2005) announced the next phase in the development of the BBC's interactive Media Player (iMP): an extensive three month content trial that will begin in September 2005.

iMP offers UK viewers the chance to catch up on TV and radio programmes they may have missed for up to seven days after they have been broadcast, using the internet to legally download programmes to their home computers.

A technical trial took place in Summer 2004 with a limited number of participants and a small amount of rights-cleared programmes to test the concept of using peer-to-peer technology and digital rights management (DRM) to protect rights holders.

As part of the next phase of iMP's development, the BBC will now open up more of its radio and TV schedule - around 190 hours of TV programmes and 310 hours of radio programmes, as well as local programming and rights-cleared feature films.

The trial is in association with Siemens Business Services, BBC Broadcast and Kontiki Inc., assisting in the technical aspects of the project. iMP will use a peer to peer setup to distribute media content and

"iMP could just be the iTunes for the broadcast industry, enabling our audience to access our TV and radio programmes on their terms - anytime, any place, any how"

Another exciting note to point is that as part of this trial there will be an extension of BBC online radio in the form of downloadable podcasts.