Advanced Television

BBC closes in on re-streamers

April 27, 2010

The BBC is cracking down on re-streamers of its iPlayer services like TVCatchUp and Zattoo. "We took them [BBC channels] down and they will remain down and we will link to the iPlayer instead," CEO of Zattoo Beat Knecht told the Guardian. "This is to comply with a request of theirs; and it frees us to launch a web presence next to the downloadable player and also support additional devices." The BBC said: "The BBC has not authorised the streaming of BBC channels through Zattoo, and we're pleased that they have ceased their unauthorised retransmissions. All our TV channels can be streamed live online through the BBC iPlayer."

Channel 4 said "Channel 4, like the BBC and other broadcasters, takes the issue of online TV streaming sites using our content without consent very seriously and we are actively pursuing a number of these sites. We will continue to monitor Zattoo and we reserve the right to pursue any site, including Zattoo, which we believe to be infringing our copyright or using our content in an unlicensed, illegal capacity."

The BBC is said to be ready to go after other services doing the same as Zattoo, including Swansea-based iPhone TV app Yamgo.

Categories: Articles, OTT, OTT, Regulation