BBC iPlayer technology won't be licensed to ITV and Channel 4 just yet

The BBC Trust claims that international broadcasters are looking at licensing the iPlayer also

Consumers have to wait a while longer before watching Hollyoaks and Coronation Street on the iPlayer

The BBC Trust has rejected the proposition offered to them by Channel 4 and ITV to allow iPlayer users easy access to shows on the two channels under the open iPlayer idea.


With ITV and Channel 4 sent back to the drawing board, Diane Coyle from the BBC Trust commented “We concluded that the open iPlayer plans in their proposed form, combining both commercial and public service elements, were too complicated," going on to add that the members of the BBC Trust are "not convinced that there was enough potential value to licence fee payers".


Gone too is the idea of the Radio Times website which was also proposed, which would’ve collated all of the TV shows available to watch on the channels.


What the other channels really want from the BBC however is their iPlayer technology, which was potentially going to be available to them via a commercial licensing deal. The Trust has commented that they’ll look at licensing the technology again if it “can be done on a simple, fair and commercial basis.


It’s not just UK channels which are looking at the BBC enviously, with Coyle claiming broadcasters from overseas are interested in licensing the technology behind the iPlayer service also.