RTE launches catch-up TV

RTE has introduced the RTE Player, its new online catch-up service, offering Irish broadband users a window of up to 21 days on broadcast content.

More than 200 hours of content are being made available through the player, which runs with MPEG-4 video compression, and the Flash media player.

Soaps including Fair City, EastEnders and Home and Away will be available for seven days while entertainment such as The Late Late Show, Brides of Franc, Celebrity Bainisteoir, Podge & Rodge and Naked Camera will have a 21 day window. International acquisitions will be added at a later stage.

“RTE player will enhance our service to existing and new RTE audiences, extending the availability of our programmes and addressing the challenge to consumers viewing habits beyond traditional appointment to view,” said Múirne Laffan, executive director of RTÉ Publishing. “This is a significant enhancement to the consumer experience offered on rte.ie and we expect a subsequent growth in usage and traffic, which will in turn offer commercial advertisers opportunities to reach audiences in new ways”.

RTÉ.ie users are currently accessing an average of 2 million streams per month, contributing towards the site’s position as Ireland’s number one website.