Channel 4's Dowwnload Plans Revealed

 

Channel 4 logoSince the beginning of May, Channel 4 has been offering Lost from its broadband site for audiences in the UK. Channel 4 made a deal to do this with Disney/ABC earlier in the year. Following this successful offering, Channel 4 plans to expand its video broadband services, offering films and older television series this autumn.

 

The film download site will offer thousands of movies and will use the FilmFour name. However, the FilmFour download service would carry a more varied movie content than the art-house style movies that FilmFour is generally known for. The new service faces stiff competition; not only from international services like Apple's iTunes but from the increase presence of video download services within the UK by BBC and BSkyB. The UK Video-on-Demand market is growing rapidly and Channel 4 plans to meet this by expanding further, offering television programmes and music, as well as films.

A Channel 4 spokesman was quoted in an article in The Guardian online in which both Channel 4 and the UK Video-on-Demand market of were discussed.

"Terrestrial broadcasters historically haven't been great at riding into new trends quickly enough. Our perspective is to correct that with [video-on-demand]," said Mr Henwood. "Contrast it with pay-TV, where all terrestrials were late to the party and suffered."

The company's television extension includes "catch up" programming - opportunities to see recent shows from Channel 4, as well as complementary channels E4 and More 4 and also with paid-for downloads from the archive. Consumer prices are planned to will cover renting, as well as buying, programmes.