BBC to launch a revamped iPlayer and BBC Store

BBC director general Tony Hall has announced updated new services coming to the BBC iPlayer and plans for a new BBC Store. The plans for the iPlayer include extending the 7 day catch up windows to 30 days, new content for iPlayer, new themed channels and special channels for programmes like Doctor Who. The new iPlayer will also be personalised with TV and radio recommendations.

Coming soon will be a BBC Store which will offer UK residence chance to buy BBC shows and keep them, it doesn’t say whether it’s for current content or the BBC’s massive collection of archive content. BBC Music is to be expanded with new features like BBC Playlister which will enable you to tag music on the BBC and the listen to it later on streaming sites.

It’s great to see the BBC continue to invest in its online experience, the BBC recently launched a new iPlayer app for Windows and Mac.

Via BBC News

In a wide-ranging speech, Lord Hall announced the following innovations, although he noted the biggest changes would have to be submitted to the BBC Trust for approval:

This year’s Glastonbury Festival was streamed on television, the Red Button and tablet services

The next generation BBC iPlayer, which will allow a “more bespoke” experience for every user. There will be a 30-day catch-up window, subject to approval.

Marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016, the BBC will fully digitise its Shakespeare archive, making it available for free to those in education and learning in the UK where rights allow.

The corporation aims to double the BBC’s global news audience from 250 million users a week to 500 million by 2022.

BBC Playlister, a new digital service that will allow listeners to pick and tag any piece of music they hear on the BBC and listen to it later. The corporation is working with streaming services so that listeners can keep all their favourite music in one place, listening to it across whatever devices they have.

BBC Store, which will offer people in the UK the chance to buy, watch, and keep a selection of BBC programmes.

An extra 20% investment in arts programming, which will include a major new strand ‘BBC Arts at…’ that will showcase live performances from around the country. It will also relaunch The Space – the BBC’s partnership with Arts Council England.

Open Minds, which will be a selection of carefully chosen packages featuring highlights from Radio 3, Radio 4 and The World Service.

Digital Creativity and Coding – a project to teach people how to programme computers, smartphones and a whole range of digital devices, due in 2016.

Building on its experience of covering the Olympics, the BBC will deliver live experiences to audiences made up of the best video, audio, text and statistics, across four screens – TV, computer, mobile and tablet.