I don’t normally write about the BBC - it is my employer and it’s best to keep comments in-house in any organisation. But I’ll make an exception on this occasion. There was never any doubt that iPlayer would be taken to the nation’s heart in quick time. I expect there is plenty of research predicting the take up in the Corporation (we BBC people tend to call it that - 4 syllables rather than 3 - that’s the way we are). But did we expect it to be taken up so quickly? Possibly. I don’t know.
I’m on both sides on iPlayer. I use it – frequently – and more often the streaming rather than download. I don’t think I’ve downloaded anything since the streaming system started. I’m also involved (in a very minor way) in putting programme onto iPlayer and getting feedback from the audience. What has surprised me is the speed and number of emails I get when a programme is not almost immediately available. (It does take time, people. It’s mainly automated, but it still takes time.)
Now the ISPs are complaining. There is a very interesting article here.
But this is only the beginning. iPlayer will be joined by Kangaroo. You already have Joost, Bablegum and others on the horizon. There is no question that better connections will attract richer (bigger) content which should drive even better connections.
