BBC PROGRAMS COMING TO THE U.S. — VIA THE IPAD

The BBC is about to launch a global version of its iPlayer service exclusively for iPad owners on a subscription basis, published reports said today (Thursday). Free advertising-supported programming will also reportedly be available, presumably via the BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide. The iPlayer is the BBC video-on-demand service that permits British users to access BBC programs via the Internet within one week after they are broadcast. The Financial Times reported that the U.S. iPlayer app will launch in the middle of next year, but it did not disclose how much it will cost.