BBC iPlayer opens up to third-party content creators

BBC iPlayer is no longer exclusively for BBC content. In an effort to attract more users, the BBC is opening the platform to third-party content creators, starting with the British Film Institute, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, and others.

Last fall, the BBC proposed a number of ways in which it could make the iPlayer platform — and the rest of its broadcasting services — more “open” to attract a wider audience. One of those methods was to host third-party content in iPlayer.

“For the first time, the BBC will be showcasing the great talent we have in our leading cultural institutions on BBC iPlayer,” said Tony Hall, the BBC’s director general. “It’s another step towards an open BBC – something we all believe in.”

Starting April 23, the BBC will begin this initiative with Shakespeare Lives, a celebration of the British playwright that will run for six months, featuring content from the sources mentioned above, plus the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

In addition to third-party TV programmes, iPlayer will also be open to radio shows. “We’re experimenting live with digital formats like never before,” Hall added. We can expect to see many more partners in the months ahead.

iPlayer is available on the web through your browser, on Apple TV and game consoles, and on Android and iOS devices through the official apps. Although some of its content is exclusive to the U.K., much of it can be enjoyed in other countries around the world, too.