The Big Bang Theory? Pfft. This week sees the premiere of Series Four of The IT Crowd, one of my favourite comedies. However, while some prefer to wait on BitTorrent, or wait until the ABC acquires the rights to broadcast it, Channel 4 (the broadcaster in the UK) has put the entire first episode up on the web before its television premiere. Only problem: you must be in the UK. So fire up that proxy or VPN, get a disposable email address, and soon you’ll be watching that first episode.
The BBC is said to be looking into offering a global service to its iPlayer service, currently available to the UK market only, with the help of its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide. However, unlike the iPlayer in the UK, you are likely going to be charged to watch one single episode.
Several sources are claiming that both Hulu (owned by News Corp., NBC Universal and now Disney) and YouTube (owned by Google) are talking separate deals with UK broadcasters the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV to allow their shows to be on demand on their respective websites.
Project Kangaroo, the new joint venture between UK broadcasters ITV and Channel 4, along with BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC, has been blocked from launching the site, similar to Hulu (owned by NBC Universal and News Corporation) by the UK Competition Commission.
The BBC may consider offering free and open use of the technologies that make up the successful BBC iPlayer in a way to prevent Channel 4 to gain a stake in the profitable commercial arm of the BBC, BBC Worldwide; forming part of a response to a public service broadcasting review by Ofcom, according to The Guardian.