Channel 4 puts TV archive online for free

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 8 Jun 2009 at 14:44

Channel 4 will become the first UK broadcaster to place its back catalogue online completely free of charge.

The move means that from July, users of Channel 4's on-demand service, 4oD, will be able to stream every episode of shows including Father Ted, BrassEye and Dead Set without having to buy a DVD box set.

Channel 4 claims around 10,000 titles will be made available, representing more than 4,000 hours of archived material. Not included among the content are US shows, such as Friends and Frasier, and Channel 4 News.

The latter is being omitted because it shows news clips from rivals as part of its broadcast. The license attached to those clips dictates they can only be shown before midnight on the day of transmission.

"We are extremely proud of the new and improved service and think the combination of fantastic content that's easy to find and view will prove a compelling service for all users," says Jon Gisby, director of future media and technology at Channel 4.

Previously, 4oD screened new shows for 30 days after their initial broadcast. The new system means users will be able to watch them whenever they want. This will certainly place pressure on BBC's iPlayer, which screens programs for only seven days after their first airing, with the exception of selected series.

The Beeb's also expected to come under pressure from US on-demand service Hulu, which is expected to launch on these shores later this year.