The Digital Embrace

Rival Broadcasters Unite to Avoid The Fate Of The Music Industry - Owen Gibson (The Guardian)

Britain's biggest broadcasters ITV, BBC, Channel 4 unveil a new Video-on-Demand download service to compete with US Giants Apple and bedroom pirates alike, offering classic programmes at the touch of a button. By offering the massive online library, with everything from mainstream hits to niche interest and cult classics, the BBC's commercial arm, ITV and Channel 4 hope to help maintain their relevance in the digital age.

By doing this Broadcasters are hoping to avoid the same fate that is not being encountered by the Music Industry with Illegal Downloading bringing the industry to its knees.

The "historic" agreement will allow viewers to replay recent shows they have missed, providing a home for the free catch-up services recently launched by ITV and Channel 4 and linking through to the BBC's iPlayer.

But for many the attraction will be an extensive archive likely to feature everything from mainstream hits such as Doctor Who and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet to acclaimed British dramas such as Our Friends in the North and GBH. The eclectic mix is also likely to comprise landmark documentaries, such as the World at War, and classic comedies, ranging from Blackadder to On the Buses.