BBC hands iPlayer to ex-Microsoft man

 

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Posted on 18 Jul 2008 at 12:20

Former Microsoft employee Erik Huggers has been confirmed as the BBC's new director of Future Media and Technology.

The Netherlands-born Huggers replaces Ashley Highfield, who left the post in April to head Kangaroo, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4's controversial joint venture.

He will be responsible for all the BBC's output on the internet, interactive TV, mobile, broadband - notably iPlayer, and other new platforms.

BBC Director-General Mark Thompson appointed as group controller of Future Media and Technology last year and said he has show "tremendous commitment championing the iPlayer amongst many other projects".

Huggers said that the promotion is a tremendous privilege.

"I have been struck by the energy and skill that BBC staff are devoting to make sure the Corporation meets the challenges of the on-demand world," he said.

"I now look forward to, along with my team, collaborating with colleagues across the BBC to ensure we respond to audience demands in providing exciting and innovative new ways of delivering the BBC's content across a range of media."

Huggers worked on a variety of digital media projects at Microsoft over nine years and is credited with establishing Windows Media as a leading platform in the European media and entertainment industries.

Huggers imminent elevation to the role raised questions about his loyalties, not least in the wake of the BBC's decision to deploy Windows Media DRM in the desktop version of iPlayer, which remains exclusive to Windows users. But Highfield said in an interview last November, that the decision pre-dated Huggers' appointment as group controller and subsequent decisions have demonstrated that the BBC is not committed to Microsoft technology.

"I think most people might have been expecting us to go forward with the Microsoft Silverlight solution, and in fact our recent announcement of using the Adobe suite of products for streaming, I hope, begins to show people that we absolutely haven't recruited people to sort of strengthen an in-built bias to use Microsoft tools, because that is just not the case, he told Groklaw.

Author: Simon Aughton