Category: BBCi
Date: 30.07.2004
Printable version
New version of BBCi is launched on Freeview
3.6 million adults in Freeview homes used BBCi 'always-on' services
in May 2004 (53% of the Freeview audience)
6.6 million* adults in satellite homes also used BBCi
'always-on' services in May 2004 (46% of the satellite audience)
5.2 million adults in Freeview homes are aware of BBCi 'always-on' services
(77%)
12.4 million* adults in satellite homes are aware of
BBCi 'always-on' services (87%)
New version of BBCi launched on Freeview platform to offer viewers a
faster service
Over 10 million UK households with Freeview and satellite
television accessed BBCi's 'always-on' digital interactive services
during April and May 2004.
A quantitative study of Freeview homes commissioned
by the BBC and Teletext reveals the first figures on how many Freeview
viewers are using BBCi's services.
The research shows that over 5 million adults with Freeview
are aware of the name BBCi, of which 3.6 million used the services in
April and May 2004.
The monthly study of satellite households carried out
by TNS found that 6.6 million viewers used BBCi services in May 2004,
suggesting that the approximate audience that used BBCi interactive
services on both platforms during the month of May was over 10 million.
Rahul Chakkara, Controller, BBCi 24/7 services, said:
"The growing reach and usage of BBCi reflects what the audience have
been telling us - they value an interactive service that is available
on demand, complements programming, and is free.
"Our challenge now is to entice the rest of the
digital public to use BBCi".
The research comes at a time of change for BBCi - this
week a new version of BBCi has been launched on the Freeview platform,
offering viewers a service which is almost twice as fast as the previous
application.
"We recognise we need to offer a source which is as
efficient and user-friendly service as possible so we have made changes
to the application available on Freeview enabling viewers to access
content much faster," said Chakkara.
BBCi's interactive services are available 24 hours a
day and can be accessed on all major digital platforms.
Viewers can select from a range of text information
and video clips across news, weather, sports, entertainment and a range
of other subjects by pressing the red button.
BBCi also provides access to eTV programming, which
offers digital viewers extended and innovative content alongside linear
programmes, the most successful of which has been Wimbledon.
Other successful eTV programmes have included Fame Academy,
Test the Nation and numerous sporting events such as The Six Nations,
The Golf Open, Euro 2004 and the forthcoming Olympics.
*Figures provided by TNS
