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The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ today announced the launch of a new beta version of its on-demand website ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer, with a fresh new look and functionality to make it simpler, more personal and connected.

Since its 2007 launch, the product has evolved to add radio, live TV channels, HD and functionality such as recommendations. It has been repurposed to work on a range of different devices and platforms – reaching mobile phones, games consoles and internet-connected TVs.

Delivering a record 123m streams of TV and radio programmes in April 2010, it has established itself as a leading digital brand and a pioneer in the fast-moving market for on-demand services.

Today it re-launches with a raft of new features – including a simplified and intuitive user-experience that will make content even easier to find, enhanced personalisation that allows audiences to create their own ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer experience, and social functionality that will allow audiences to share and recommend content to friends on Facebook, Twitter and within ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer.

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Director of Future Media and Technology, Erik Huggers, said: "The launch of this version of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer is part of our strategy to do fewer things even better and make it more simple, personal and connected. We must no longer try to do everything online, but focus on delivering genuinely world-class products like ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer – which audiences love and which really embodies the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's core mission in a digital age.

"Bringing the benefits of emerging technologies to the public is in the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's DNA as its sixth public purpose. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer gives audiences greater control over the programmes they enjoy, guarantees subscription-free access to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ content in an on-demand world, and provides better value for the content they have already paid for.

"In two and half years ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer has evolved to become one of our most popular websites, integral to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Online, and available on a wide range of internet-connected devices."

Setting boundaries and driving innovation through partnership

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ has also announced a range of new non-exclusive partnerships which enable audiences to connect with each other around ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ programmes and make ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ content more discoverable.

Collaborations with social networking and micro-blogging websites, initially Facebook and Twitter, will enable audiences to recommend content to friends on their own networks. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is working with others with a view to establishing further similar partnerships. This is the first major part of a wider initiative to introduce more social features to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Online.

Joanna Shields, Vice President for EMEA, Facebook said: "The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's use of Facebook's social plug-ins transforms ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer into a customised social experience for each of our 23 million UK users. By integrating Facebook within ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is enabling people to share their favourite content and discover the content their friends are recommending and watching."

A partnership with Microsoft allows Windows Live Messenger users to log in to their messaging service through ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer, enabling them to invite other contacts to watch programmes at the same time and chat live. This is an experimental feature, which will be available in beta later in the Summer; if it proves successful, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ plans to extend it to other instant messaging services.

Later in the summer, audiences will also be able to find links to programmes from ITV Player, 4oD, Clic, Demand Five and SeeSaw – as a result of partnership deals with public service broadcasters ITV, Channel 4, S4C and Five, and communications infrastructure and media services company Arqiva.

These "metadata partnerships" mean that audiences looking for long-form programmes from other TV services will be directed to their websites: ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer will link and drive traffic to them, without any sharing of technology or syndication of content.

Erik Huggers said: "As we focus on what public service means in a digital age, we are working to set clear boundaries for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Online. We don't want to build a social network, microblogging or instant messaging service.

"But through a greater emphasis on strategic partnerships, we can harness the benefits of the web to enrich the audience's interaction with our content and support other content providers. The new ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer reflects public service broadcasting in the digital era."

Notes to Editors

Key new features

Simple

• Cleaner user experience, with three discovery areas

–Sliding drawers: Featured, For you, Most popular, Friends
–TV Channels: TV listings page, showing what's on now
–Categories: browse by genre and sub-genre

• Separate TV & Radio

–No longer grouped together, easier to browse
–Radio console
–Pop-up console runs while you browse

• Channel-hop whilst watching live

–Quick links in viewing window, one-click to flip between channels

• ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer Desktop

–Download favourites in advance to save time
–Easier to watch favourite programmes offline

• Improved viewing experience

–Fewer buttons
–Larger screen
–Higher quality video

Personal

• Favourites

–Tell ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer what you like, and it will line programmes up in a convenient playlist
–New programmes, expiring programmes and unwatched programmes are flagged so it's easier to keep track

• Improved recommendations based on what you watch and listen to

–Stored in local cookies, or via ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iD
–Families can log in through separate IDs: individual experiences through the same machine
–Improved programme alerts delivered via email, so you don't miss a thing

• Roam with ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iD

–Log in to store preferences, so you pick up where you left off on another computer

• Customisable EPG

–List your favourite channels and stations

Connected

• Connect with Facebook

–Post content directly to your wall to recommend and share with friends

• Sync with Twitter

–Auto-tweet to recommend and pass links to friends

• Live chat with friends using Windows Live Messenger

–Log in to Windows Live Messenger through ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer
–Forward links to others online: watch on-demand at the same time
–Comment live on programmes as they air

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