Channel 4 relaunches online TV service

Channel 4 is preparing to launch a redesigned catch-up online TV service in March following the demise of Kangaroo.

The broadcaster’s CatchUp service will complement 4oD by allowing viewers to watch programmes from the last 30 days for free.

The new player, which uses Flash technology partly to allow Apple Mac owners to access the service, will be embedded in the Channel 4 site rather than launching as a pop-up player.

Andy Pipes, product development manager for Channel 4, said the changes were designed to offer people a more integrated viewing experience. “Visitors will be able to watch full-length episodes directly in the page,” he said. “This is a departure from our current pop-out experience and should ensure all the information around a programme is available in one place, where the user is watching the episode.”

The move forms part of a planned bid by Channel 4 to integrate its video services more closely into its site and hasn’t been prompted by the Competition Commission’s decision to block the broadcasters’ joint video venture Kangaroo.

According to Pipes, 4oD will continue to operate as an application which offers visitors a wide catalogue of premium TV and film content.

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