BBC News Online, the iPlayer and embedded video: redefining forms and practices of (online) journalism

Conference: MeCCSA 2010 Conference

Dates: 6-8 January 2010

Abstract:

This paper examines the BBC’s role in developing the next generation online public service broadcasting, focussing on the iPlayer and embedded video on the Corporation’s news website. While the iPlayer has become a remarkable success story in a relatively short period, it is the integration of this technology to stream video content (both recorded and live) from within the BBC News website that has radically transformed the BBC’s approach to multimedia storytelling. By combining this with dynamic maps, text commentary from journalists, quotes from Have your say debates, external blogs and even Twitter updates, the Corporation is redefining forms and practices of (online) journalism – in particular where live reporting is concerned.

This paper will begin by briefly outlining the history of audio and video on the BBC website. Attention will be on different forms, practices and technology, with particular focus on the way in which such content was integrated (or not) with text based web material. The paper will then turn to a discussion of the development the iPlayer – strategy and policy, early experimentation, through to its current incarnation. In particular the paper will focus on the integration of iPlayer technology with the BBC News website for streaming audio-visual content as part of a synthesis of news content. The paper will conclude by discussing how this multimedia journalism relates to the Corporation’s public service mission, its online and digital broadcasting strategies.

The research is based on analysis of policy documents, archive material, interviews and a critique of relevant web content.

Source: Manual

Preferred by: Einar Thorsen