BBC reveals further iPlayer details

BBC future media and technology controller Eric Huggers has revealed more about the iPlayer's imminent public launch and its relationship with Kangaroo.

Speaking at the FutureMedia conference in London, Huggers confirmed a heavy marketing campaign would begin as the application ceases its beta stage on Christmas Day.

He said its slogan would be: "Making the un-missable un-missable."

Huggers added: "We're actively pursuing relationships with more suppliers to make sure the iPlayer becomes available on more services as well as Virgin Media [to launch in the new year], so that users have direct access to content on a TV through the iPlayer.

"This is going to be a fabulously exciting opportunity for the consumer to have direct access on a TV set to all that programming that today is available on a PC through iPlayer."

He continued: "2008 will be the year when we start to find out how [video on demand] gets into the living room and how users can access these services from their couch.

"It doesn't make sense to make all these services available on each platform, but we need to figure out how these platforms can complement each other."

Huggers also took the opportunity to clarify the difference between the iPlayer and Kangaroo, BBC Worldwide's joint video on demand project with ITV and Channel 4.

"The iPlayer is the public service broadcaster's way of maximising value to the licence fee payer by offering a seven-day catch-up," he explained. "Kangaroo is a commercial service with other UK broadcasters.

"After the BBC shows' seven-day catch-up windows expire, Kangaroo picks them up, so the two services will never offer the same content at the same time."