BBC iPlayer to go third party. Plus 10% of iPlayer views via PS3

The BBC plans to create an open iPlayer following requests from other broadcasters to share the technology. Stuff favourite and BBC director of future media and technology,

Erik Huggers, told the IBC 2009 Conference that the BBC will allow third parties to run their own version of the video sharing platform.

The proposals still need to be approved by the corporation's governing body, the BBC Trust, but could help to create a standard format for catch-up TV services online.

Currently the BBC has to make the iPlayer available using 23 different combinations of codecs and file formats. Huggers also revealed that ITV soap Coronation Street is one of the most searched for terms on iPlayer.

Figures released by the BBC also revealed that ony PS3 is the second most popular way of catching up with TV programmes through the BBC's iPlayer service. The console's firmware was recently tweaked to improve iPlayer on the PS3 and it's helped it gain more viewers.

PC users still account for the majority of iPlayer views with a sizeable 70% chunk of plays. Apple Mac users meanwhile account for 8.5% of views. This is down to the larger market share held by PCs and the fact that Macs have not been supported by iPlayer for as long.

Anthony Rose, head of future media and technology at the BBC, says the PS3 iPlayer is "almost as good as broadcast television" and believes that iPlayer uptake on PS3 bodes well for Project Cancas and other iPTV services.

Let us know in the comments how you watch iPlayer – PC, Mac, mobile or console? And do you wish other channels used the same method of watching shows? And if you need to gen up on video-on-demand services, try our all complete guide.

(via Broadband TV News)