The BBC iPlayer must be completely re-invented with new technology such as artificial intelligence, voice recognition and personalisation if it is to keep its lead in online video, director general Tony Hall is to tell staff.
In his first major speech under the new BBC charter, and less than 24 hours after Sir David Clementi was confirmed as the new chair of the BBC board, Lord Hall will say that the corporation needs to “reinvent public broadcasting for a new generation” at a critical juncture for the UK following the vote to leave the EU.
As well as improving its technology, Hall will say the BBC must do a better job of helping the public understand the news, and ensure its commercial arms, BBC Worldwide and the soon-to-be spun off BBC Studios, contribute to the UK economy.
The iPlayer was not the first video-on-demand service in the UK, but it set the standard for online TV globally following its launch in 2007. However, it has faced increasing competition from new global players such as Netflix and Amazon Instant Video with huge research and development budgets. Netflix in particular has led the way on personalisation, using machine learning to get better at suggesting programmes based on what you have already watched.
Figures from regulator Ofcom published last summer showed that at the end of 2015 iPlayer was used by almost a third of the UK population, ahead of Sky’s TV platform and web-based Netflix, both used by 16%.
In his speech, Hall will describe the iPlayer as the corporation’s “biggest revolution” of the last 10 years, but said it needed to transform from a catchup service into a “must-visit destination in its own right”.
He will say: “Our goal, even in the face of rapid growth by our competitors, is for iPlayer to be the number one online TV service in the UK.
“That will mean doubling our reach, and quadrupling the time each person spends on it every week. And we want do it by 2020. That’s tough, but I know we can do it.”
The BBC is already pushing a single sign in for users, called BBC ID, which ties into apps and other services to provide recommendations from across the corporation’s content.
Users do not have to sign in to watch iPlayer, and up until last September a TV licence was not required to watch catch-up content. However the rules were changed as part of the corporation’s latest funding agreement with the government.
Hall will also tell staff that the BBC must “do much more to help our audiences understand what’s happening in the world today” with “slow news” such as in-depth analysis to accompany breaking coverage.
Though improving the iPlayer’s technology would help it stay in competition with the US tech firms, it is also facing increased international competition for content. Amazon spent a reported £160m for three series of The Grand Tour, starring the BBC’s former Top Gear team, while Netflix spent a reported £100m for Queen Elizabeth biopic The Crown.
The corporation is preparing to spin-off the bulk of its in-house production capacity as BBC Studios, which will allow it to make shows for other broadcasters. BBC Worldwide, which sells BBC content and intellectual property overseas, would be crucial in exporting BBC Studios content and providing more money for programming.
Hall will add: “I don’t want us just to be brilliant at making high-quality, distinctive British programmes, I want us to be truly brilliant at exporting them across the globe.”
“That’s why we need BBC Worldwide to thrive as a strategic partner for BBC Studios, making the very most of our global reach. My challenge to Worldwide is to look again at how we best grow our business to deliver more returns back to BBC public service – to reinvest in yet more great British programmes and services.”
