• Subscribe to our Daily News Emails
  • Advertise
    • Media Info
    • Terms & Conditions for Advertisers
    • Mechanical Data

Broadband TV News

Independent. Since 2003

  • Home
  • News Line
    • Central & East Europe
    • People
  • TV
    • On Demand/VOD
    • IPTV
    • Cable
    • Satellite
    • Terrestrial
    • Distribution
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Events
    • Events Diary
    • BTN Events
    • Events Coverage
    • Submit the details of your event
  • Features
  • Resources
    • White Papers

One giant leap

November 30, 2007 09.29 Europe/London By Julian Clover

Kangaroo will jump start VOD over the internet for its three founder broadcasters, writes Julian Clover

Once again the kangaroo is playing a significant role in the development of British broadcasting. Back in 1964 it was the symbol of the new BBC2, a live kangaroo being presented in the studio of news magazine Tonight, before one of the corporation’s now legendary power failures postponed the launch night leaving Play School as the first show on the new channel the following morning.

This time around the BBC is working with two of its commercial rivals to launch a Web-based on demand service that will offer video content from all three broadcasters. Kangaroo is a significant leap for the delivery of content over the open internet. It places the broadcasters in charge of their own destiny rather than relying on a Joost or a Babelgum to do it for them and why would they? The BBC has emerged as a significant provider of Web content, as have the leading British newspapers, even The Sun has taken to promoting its online and mobile attributes.

The average internet user must find the array of contents and formats bewildering. If it wasn’t enough for each portal to seemingly have its own technical parameters, then we all have to remember which companies offer a seven-day window on their content and where a fuller 28 days is available.

Kangaroo will not spell the end of the different strategies currently run by the three partners. Ashley Highfield, the BBC’s director of future media and technology, points out on his internet blog that whereas the BBC iPlayer will have upwards of 400 hours of content, Kangaroo will have 10,000 hours. Channel 4 has also put great store in its own 4oD video on demand service, like the BBC extending the brand from web to cable on demand.

The beauty must surely be that the viewer can go to Kangaroo, or perhaps stay with their broadcaster of choice, maybe both.

Highfield likens the iPlayer to BBC TV and Kangaroo to UKTV. The involvement of Former BSkyB director of channels and operations Lesley MacKenzie as Kangaroo’s launch CEO makes me wonder as to whether more broadcasters may be brought in from the multichannel sector.

This too must be in the mind of Sky, which will shortly unveil a new look to its Sky Anytime PC download service, available to subscribers and including movie content from its premium channels.

Kangaroo is just a working title, but whatever the brand, it will become as significant as the channels that support it.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp

Related

Filed Under: Clover's Week Edited: 26 December 2007 21:33

Avatar photo

About Julian Clover

Julian Clover is a Media and Technology journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He works in online and printed media. Julian is also a voice on local radio. You can talk to Julian on X @julianclover, or by email at jclover@broadbandtvnews.com.

Latest News

  • Warner Bros. Discovery secures exclusive European for legends team cup
  • Here is the news … read by an influencer
  • Altice France files for bankruptcy protection
  • United Group announces leadership changes 
  • Sky Italia renews Wimbledon tennis rights

Most Popular

  • Altice France files for bankruptcy protection
    Altice France files for bankruptcy protection
  • Viaplay Group launches dedicated sports channel
    Viaplay Group launches dedicated sports channel
  • Eutelsat planning capital increase to become European Starlink
    Eutelsat planning capital increase to become European Starlink
  • Prime Video to screen Premier League in the Netherlands
    Prime Video to screen Premier League in the Netherlands
  • United Group announces leadership changes 
    United Group announces leadership changes 
  • Ampere: Netflix to gain 8.2m new subs after Canal+ deal
    Ampere: Netflix to gain 8.2m new subs after Canal+ deal
  • Warner Bros. Discovery secures exclusive European for legends team cup
    Warner Bros. Discovery secures exclusive European for legends team cup

White Paper

White Paper: Why Wi-Fi 7 is critical for ISPs in the gigabit+ era

Today, consumers are increasingly using bandwidth-intensive and latency-sensitive workloads, such as 4K and 8K streaming, online gaming, and AR/VR applications. As a result, Internet Service Providers must update their networks and by extension Wi-Fi experiences and performance. … [Download the White Paper ...]

Broadband TV News

  • Subscribe
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Logos & Pictures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Advertising

  • Media Info
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Mechanical Data
  • Video Services

News

  • Latest
  • Central & East Europe
  • TV
  • Tech
  • Streaming
  • Cable
  • Satellite
  • Terrestrial
  • IPTV
  • Business
  • People

Events

  • Events Diary
  • BTN Events
  • Submit the details of your event
  • Media Meet & Greet

Editorial

PO Box 499
Cambridge
United Kingdom
CB1 0AH
news@broadbandtvnews.com

Commercial

Arundel View Cottage
Wepham
West Sussex
BN18 9RA
sales@broadbandtvnews.com

Connect with Us

 

Copyright © 2025 Broadband TV News LLP · Log in

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OK