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BBC iPlayer catch-up extended from seven to 30 days

BBC iPlayer

All BBC programmes to be available on iPlayer for four-times longer from this summer

You’ll soon be able to watch all your favourite BBC shows for longer with iPlayer catch-up being extended from seven to 30 days.

The BBC Trust has approved proposals to extend the catch-up windows on all BBC iPlayer programmes, with the changes expected to be implemented this summer. The BBC said the changes would apply to both streaming and downloads.

Under the plans the current ‘series stacking’ option, where lots of episodes of a TV series can be downloaded or streamed retrospectively, is being shelved. The BBC said the option would still be available for radio programmes.

BBC Trust vice chairman Diane Coyle said the changes would benefit people and provide a “clearer and more consistent catch-up service.”

“With an average of 10.7 million programme requests every day, BBC iPlayer is highly valued by audiences and has been a phenomenal success since it launched six years ago. It is important that iPlayer continues to evolve and meet the expectations of users,” she said.

Ofcom was consulted on the proposed changes, with the media regulator giving its approval. However it warned that rival services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video may be negatively affected by an extension to the catch-up window on BBC iPlayer.

“The iPlayer is already a strong player in the on-demand arena, and a four-fold increase in the amount of TV and radio content respectively is likely to make,” said Ofcom’s Stuart McIntosh.

Ofcom also made reference to BBC Store, a new service that will allow people to buy and keep new and archived programmes from the BBC. The proposal was approved by the BBC Trust in late February, although it isn’t yet clear when it will be launched. The BBC explained that BBC Store would be a commercial service that would be “distinct” from iPlayer.

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