BBC adds iPlayer to Twitter and Facebook
The BBC is to link with Facebook and Twitter when it launches a new version of its television service iPlayer.
The corporation is trying to strike a more conciliatory tone over its digital expansion plans after coming under fire from commercial rivals, which accuse it of attempting to colonise the web.
The BBC is proposing to close or merge half of its sites by 2012 and cut its £135m online budget by 25%. But the launch of a range of iPhone applications has been held up by the BBC Trust after the complaints.
The iPlayer remains central to the BBC’s digital push, however. There were 118m viewer and listener requests to the service in March, including 84m to watch television programmes.
The new version will let users share what they are watching with Facebook friends or comment via Twitter.
Last week Project Canvas, a BBC-led plan to bring internet television to the masses, avoided an Office of Fair Trading investigation despite being attacked by BSkyB and Virgin Media.
By combining Freeview with a broadband connection, catch-up services such as iPlayer and ITV Player will be more widely available on television sets.
