Demand Five soon to be an app

Channel Five the UK tv network wants to be the first terrestrial broadcaster to launch a TV Catch Up TV app for the  iPhone, the launch is set to coincide with Channel Five’s Demand Five autumn relaunch.

Channel Five’s Development team are designing the free app, which will be both Wi-Fi and 3G enabled, to let users watch shows via Demand Five, which allows catch-up of programmes like CSI, The Gadget Show and Neighbours.

It’s looking to beat other terrestrial broadcasters, which haven’t yet launched iPhone catch-up services.

ITV have launched an iPhone app for ITV1 and ITV2 the simulcasts of their main two channels ahead of the World Cup, but has no catch-up offering. Satellite broadcaster Sky has also launched a live streaming mobile TV app.

Demand Five’s relaunch plans include placing their new VOD player as the main attraction of five.tv, as well as further syndication deals.

Jonathan Lewis, Five’s head of digital media, said, “Both the ITV Player and 4oD are treated as separate portals, whereas we’ve based the new design on the US model, which we think is a better way to create sticky content and increase our audience while generating more ad impressions.”

Five has reveiled a lot of new functionality for the relaunch, including links to Facebook so users can share content with each other and make recommendations.

Lewis said the Demand Five app, which they will also launch for the iPad, will enable it to increase its on-demand ad inventory, which is currently sold out. “We should be able to sell 50% more inventory after the relaunch,” he said.

Five is working with Method, the agency behind the BBC iPlayer’s most recent interface update, and is seeking a launch sponsor.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 2nd, 2010 at 1:03 pm and is filed under catch up tv, Full Episodes, Internet TV news, Internet TV Software, iPhone, Mobile Phone TV. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.