BBC’s Rivera: Internet needs to become creative platform
June 26, 2013
By Colin Mann
Ralph Rivera, the BBC’s Director, Future Media, has suggested that the Internet needs to become a creative platform to build on the early successes of broadcast and online convergence.
“The Internet as a distribution platform needs to shift to be the Internet as a creative platform,” he said during a keynote address at the IEA Future of Broadcasting Conference in London. He noted that viewing had successfully moved from the analogue era to “being digital”, and now broadcasting needed to look at how to maximise the online potential.
Rivera suggested the 2012 London Olympics had provided a glimpse into the future of broadcasting, with its multiple live streams and broadcast channels. “For us, the Olympics sets a baseline for coverage [our] people take it as ‘business as usual’. It’s an expectation that is how sporting events will be covered, but it’s not just sport,” he said, noting the BBC’s coverage of the forthcoming Glastonbury festival. For the first time, the BBC will be live-streaming the six key music stages including the ‘BBC Introducing’ stage, reflecting acts ranging from the newest talents to the biggest headliners, and amounting to more than 250 hours of live coverage and streaming.
The BBC’s coverage will be available on multiple platforms across TV, radio, and online, on four screens: PC, mobile, tablet and connected TV (including Smart TVs and games consoles), as well as BBC Red Button. Music fans will be able to watch and listen to a huge range of performances live, wherever they are, and relive their favourite festival moments or ones they’ve missed on BBC iPlayer.