iPlayer wants to complete with Netflix/Amazon

SixTwoSix · 11 Jan 2017 at 12:30

I know we have a BBC/iPlayer thread but felt this warranted it's own.

The BBC is abandoning linear exclusivity as it goes for broke to make the iPlayer a global Netflix rival. The corporation says it will throw entire series on to the on-demand streaming service before the first episode in a series is even broadcast on terrestrial TV.

Unless they really start delivering more volume and become more competitively priced, I can't ever see them being a viable alternative to existing streaming services.

Don't get me wrong, the BBC makes some excellent programs but so does Netflix and Amazon, the latter having many extra benefits at a far better price point.

Full article here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/01/11/bbc_surrenders_linear_to_take_out_bingewatch_netflix/

Casdawer · 11 Jan 2017 at 12:34

Will it just be BBC shows?

If so, it will never compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon.

MooMoo444 · 11 Jan 2017 at 12:54

The corporation says it will throw entire series on to the on-demand streaming service before the first episode in a series is even broadcast on terrestrial TV.

To encourage people to use this they need to make something that is worth watching.

Eddie182 · 11 Jan 2017 at 13:50

Unless I, and anyone, can subscribe directly without the need for a TV licence then it simply won't. Also, as already mentioned, they need a lot more content.

Putty · 11 Jan 2017 at 14:03

Hmm, they have a lot of good historical content (tv series etc.). If they whacked all of that in as well for a decent monthly price it may actually be quite good - if they still have the licenses for their old stuff of course.

llamadal · 11 Jan 2017 at 14:11

I can count on 1 hand the number of shows i'd watch on the bbc.

I find iplayer really unreliable, always dropping out.

Trifid · 11 Jan 2017 at 14:17

MooMoo444 said:
To encourage people to use this they need to make something that is worth watching.

#It'sCoolToHate.

The BBC make a lot of quality programming but they are right, they have to compete with Netflix. As it stands I don't need any more content however there are parts that I miss from the BBC due to the change in the licence. Maybe this will tempt me to pay the licence.

planty · 11 Jan 2017 at 14:53

They will need to really beef up their app usability, streaming infrastructure and reliability in order to compete with netflix.

DrToffnar · 11 Jan 2017 at 14:55

MooMoo444 said:
To encourage people to use this they need to make something that is worth watching.

It's not like they have one of the best track records for making game changing comedy/drama or anything :/

tom_e · 11 Jan 2017 at 14:57

As others have said actual content aside they're going to need to spend a fortune on making the various iPlayer apps actually usable first. Currently they're a buggy, slow and drop out prone mess.

jpaul · 11 Jan 2017 at 15:01

BBC already sell content via google play (720 apparently) eg earthII (£2 episode/£10 series would you have paid?) and sherlock -
I assume that is international, so distributing via iplayer cuts out google.
Iplayer offline capability also makes it robust versus netflix, although netflix willl be doing that soon, as amazon already do.

tom_e · 11 Jan 2017 at 15:04

Quite a few BBC things are already on Netflix Sherlock and Luther are the 2 that jump to mind.

snips86x · 11 Jan 2017 at 15:10

They would have to address the pricing also, no way I would pay for a TV license just to watch iPlayer content...

planty · 11 Jan 2017 at 15:16

jpaul said:
BBC already sell content via google play (720 apparently) eg earthII (£2 episode/£10 series would you have paid?) and sherlock -
I assume that is international, so distributing via iplayer cuts out google.
Iplayer offline capability also makes it robust versus netflix, although netflix willl be doing that soon, as amazon already do.

Netflix has offline playback too.

SixTwoSix · 11 Jan 2017 at 16:32

jpaul said:
BBC already sell content via google play (720 apparently) eg earthII (£2 episode/£10 series would you have paid?)

Thanks...i've been wanting to watch PE2 for ages but not willing to pay the licence fee for it. Will get this tonight, never thought to check google play.

Glaucus · 11 Jan 2017 at 17:02

Eddie182 said:
Unless I, and anyone, can subscribe directly without the need for a TV licence then it simply won't. Also, as already mentioned, they need a lot more content.

i think tahts a granted thats on the books for non uk people, as without taht it isnt a competitor.

good move imo, it needs to embrace technology and move on, if they can sell it around the world, they'll have a massive income boost and can produce even more shows, just like netflix and amazon are doing.

however i fear because of the law, for us in the uk, it'll remain rubbish as its far more expensive than netflix or amazon.

also bbc being so slow, whats the betting this is years away.

they havea lot of good programing over the years, its just what licenses do they still hold and what have they sold of if any? putting all the british comedy series on which are loved around the world, all the animal documentaries which again are highly rated.

Scrutinize · 11 Jan 2017 at 22:11

They have a huge back catalogue of series they already cross sell and license around the world.

They could actually make something decent out of this.

Unfortunately it's the BBC so that writes off airing pretty much any non politically correct non liberal series they have made.

jpaul · 11 Jan 2017 at 23:37

from bbc accounts it already makes £1B from w/w licensing (for material we, license payer, payed for/own ?) plus ~£4B license income, together balancing 2016 production+running costs - do not get to see age of material being licensed and what it cost to produce.

Netflix has $2.3B revenue ($1.4B usa, $0.9B rest) $400M profit - 86M streaming members

...difficult to compare the efficiency of them.

stewski · 11 Jan 2017 at 23:43

Casdawer said:
Will it just be BBC shows?

If so, it will never compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon.

If the BBC made the iPlayer what it should have always been, an always available full archive of all the BBC content the license payer has already paid for, it would be a resource like no other.

Frankly the idea that BBC content continually turns up more conveniently (licensed out to) on Amazon or Netflix UK, is an affront to the license fee.

unclebob123 · 12 Jan 2017 at 13:15

stewski said:
If the BBC made the iPlayer what it should have always been, an always available full archive of all the BBC content the license payer has already paid for, it would be a resource like no other.

Frankly the idea that BBC content continually turns up more conveniently (licensed out to) on Amazon or Netflix UK, is an affront to the license fee.

The BBC have an internal service called redux for BBC employees. It's like iPlayer but with all the archives added in