BBC Launches Digital Download Service BBC Store

LONDON: The new digital service BBC Store has launched today, allowing users to purchase and download a range of BBC programs, including Doctor Who and Sherlock.

BBC Store allows viewers to choose from a selection of recently aired programs, past TV hits and an extensive range of content from the BBC archive. Users can watch the programs they’ve purchased from BBC Store on BBC iPlayer.

The service features such programs as Poldark, The Fall, Top Gear and natural-history content such as Frozen Planet, Blue Planet and Planet Earth. Many BBC programs will be made available to buy on BBC Store the day after broadcast, including, for the first time, serial dramas such as EastEnders and Holby City. BBC Store is also making some of the best-loved BBC programs available to own digitally for the first time, including Morecambe & Wise and Dad’s Army, family dramas such as The Railway Children and classic episodes of the factual series from The Natural World to Horizon.

Marcus Arthur, the managing director of BBC Worldwide U.K. and ANZ, said: “We want BBC Store to do for digital ownership what BBC iPlayer did for catch up. BBC Store makes digital ownership really easy for audiences and means that we can begin opening up the incredible BBC television archive.”

Bal Samra, the commercial director for the BBC, commented: “BBC Store will make more of the treasure trove of BBC programs available than ever before. This is a result of a collaborative partnership that the BBC has led, bringing together the whole of the creative industry and BBC Worldwide, and which will establish a route to sustainable commercial returns to more of the sector.” 

Dan Taylor-Watt, the head of BBC iPlayer, added, “The launch of BBC Store coincides with a significant milestone in the evolution of BBC iPlayer: the addition of ‘Places to buy’ links, enabling users to discover programs to buy and keep and to watch BBC Store purchases back on iPlayer.”