BBC & Google in Talks Over Global iPlayer

LONDON: The BBC iPlayer could be set to go global, with Google said to be in talks about the possibility of an international version of the popular catch-up TV service.

The international service would open up full-length BBC television shows to a global audience. The process has, however, been stalled by the need for international rights clearance for the BBC programs currently shown on the iPlayer in the U.K. The BBC iPlayer allows viewers to watch popular BBC programs for up to seven days after they were first broadcast.

BBC shows are also available on YouTube in the U.K., but only in a short, clip format. This step would mean BBC content could be seen globally in their entirety on the iPlayer platform supported by YouTube.