Home
Trust decision on on-demand services
Following completion on the first Public Value Test (PVT), the BBC Trust on 25 April 2007 approved the BBC Executive's on-demand proposals, subject to modifications.
What the Trust has decided
The Trust has approved the proposed on-demand services, subject to certain conditions and modifications to the proposition.
The conditions attached to the four proposed on-demand services are outlined below. For full details of the Trust's decision please see:
Seven-day catch-up television over the internet
- The storage window for catch-up television over the internet will be set at 30 days from the day of download.
- Series stacking will be limited to an annual quota of 15 per cent of all television content offered on-demand. As guidance to the BBC Executive, series most appropriate for stacking are those with a distinct run, with a beginning and end, and a narrative arc or those with exceptionally high impact. This will be reviewed in the form of a progress report at 12 months.
- The service will be provided on a platform-neutral basis within a reasonable timeframe of launch. The Trust will hold the Executive to account on the issue by auditing its progress every six months.
Seven-day catch-up television over cable
- Series stacking will be offered on the same basis as described above for seven-day catch-up television over the internet.
Simulcast Television over the internet (live streaming of television networks)
- No conditions
Non-digital rights management (non-DRM) audio downloads over the internet (podcasting)
- Book readings will be excluded entirely from the non-DRM audio download service element.
- Classical music will also be excluded, except insofar as it is used in contexts such as incidental music to programmes or as signature tunes.
In addition to the above conditions the Trust will conduct a formal performance evaluation of all the service elements at 24 months from launch.
The modifications and conditions attached to the Trust's approval are to ensure the public get the best value from the services. Information on how and why the Trust reached its final decision is available from: on-demand PVT FAQs.
Platform neutrality review
In approving the on-demand services' PVT the Trust required BBC management to make seven day catch-up TV available on a platform neutral basis within a reasonable timeframe. The Trust is conducting a six-month review of progress towards platform neutrality and has committed to publishing results of this review.
The BBC Trust is committed to a platform agnostic solution for the TV catch-up service on BBC iPlayer – as specified in the on-demand services' PVT. The Trust received a platform neutrality report from BBC management in November 2007. The Trust is satisfied that progress has been made towards achieving platform neutrality for the TV catch-up service. The Trust notes that a streaming solution has been implemented, which will be a partial solution to the issues. The Trust welcomes the addition of streaming functionality, but remains committed to the TV catch-up service being delivered as a platform agnostic application within a reasonable timeframe. The Trust received the second platform neutrality report from BBC management in June 2008.
Background
Although the BBC was not required to apply a Public Value Test under the previous Charter, the BBC Board of Governors - the predecessor of the BBC Trust - decided that it would act as though the requirement was in place.
The Governors began a Public Value Test on the proposed on-demand services, which the BBC Trust is continuing.
Details of the interim regulations for the application of the Public Value Test, as well as a summary of the process can be found in the regulatory framework section on this site.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 31 Aug 2006 | The BBC Governors announce a PVT on the BBC Executive's proposals to launch new on-demand services |
| 18 Sept 2006 | Details of the MIA and the PVA are announced |
| 10 Oct 2006 | Additional information on the proposals is published and the period for representations extended to 7 November 2006 |
| 17 Jan 2007 | Final meeting of the Joint Steering Group (JSG), which commissioned and oversaw the Market Impact Assessment (MIA). The JSG comprised Ofcom and the BBC Trust, and was chaired by Ofcom for this MIA. The JSG met four times during the on-demand PVT. |
| 19 Jan 2007 | Ofcom submits the MIA to the BBC Trust |
| 23 Jan 2007 | Ofcom publishes the MIA |
| 24 Jan 2007 | The Trust approves the Public Value Assessment as part of the PVT process. In reaching its provisional conclusions about the proposition the Trust evaluated both the MIA and the PVA. |
| 31 Jan 2007 | The Trust publishes its provisional conclusions, along with other previously unpublished supporting material. As this is a new process and due to the amount of information being released the Trust extends the consultation period on its provisional conclusions from an expected 28 days to eight weeks |
| 28 March 2007 | Consultation on the Trust's provisional conclusions closes |
| 16 April 2007 | The Trust’s PVT Steering Group considers the response to the consultation |
| 25 April 2007 | The Trust considers and reaches a final decision on the proposals |
| 30 April 2007 | Final decision published |
Further information from the on-demand PVT process
- Public responses to the provisional conclusions, PDF (1.59MB)
- Public responses to the provisional conclusions, text only (271KB)
- Organisations' responses to the provisional conclusions, PDF (1.11MB)
- Organisations' responses to the provisional conclusions, text only (229KB)
- Provisional conclusions and consultation, PDF (167KB).
- Provisional conclusions and consultation, text only (70.1KB)
- Ofcom Market Impact Assessment, PDF (2.18MB)
Background information on the BBC Executive's on-demand proposal is available on the supporting evidence page.