BBC to rent TV shows over Facebook - including New Zealand

UPDATE: A BBC spokeswoman told NBR one series would cost 15 Facebook credits. 50 Facebook credits can be bought for $US5 ($NZ5.75).

There is still no official time table for the international launch of the BBC's web-based iPlayer, which will offer a broad range of content for a set monthly fee.

In a new venture for BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm will tomorrow offer a series of digitally remastered Doctor Who stories to rent via Facebook.

By using Facebook credits, users visiting the official Doctor Who page will be able to stream a selection of nine stories.

The episodes will be available for Facebook users in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Once rented, episodes will be available to view for 48 hours.

Doctor Who fans will hope the international on-demand content expands to all shows in the series. And TV aficionados everywhere are eagerly awaiting the promised international expansion of the BBC's iPlayer, which makes most of the broadcaster's content available online. Currently, iPlayer is restricted to UK viewers.

And it's a development that could be watched closely by Communications Minister Steven Joyce.

The minister recently told NBR that Sky TV does not have a near-monopoly, in part because it faces competition from new technologies that let content makers reach viewers directly, cutting local broadcasters out of the loop.

Of course, many Dr Who fans - tech savvy and impatient - did not wait for Prime to screen the latest series, instead turning to illegal BitTorrent services (which, yes, Mr Joyce also sees as Sky TV competition).

Providing street-legal downloads has to be the best way to return these usually law-abiding sci fi fans to the straight-and-narrow.

NBR staff
Wed, 13 Jul 2011

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BBC to rent TV shows over Facebook - including New Zealand

BBC to offer TV shows over the internet, worldwide - for a fee

BBC to offer TV shows over the internet, worldwide - for a fee