91Èȱ¬ puts Lord Winston and Dr Byron permanently on call
Category: Factual & Arts TV; New Media
Date: 12.01.2006
Printable version
For the next six months, 91Èȱ¬ Television is giving people more control over what they watch and when they watch, by allowing viewers access to tips and clips from hit 91Èȱ¬ parenting shows, via a new Parenting Video on Demand player.
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Jana Bennett, 91Èȱ¬ Director of Television, commented:
"In the future, people are going to be watching TV programmes in many different ways.
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"The Parenting Video on Demand player aims to give us a real insight into how that future might look. Busy parents will have access to free parenting advice in the form of bite-size, video clips from hit 91Èȱ¬ shows such as Child of Our Time and Little Angels - so not only will viewers be able to watch the programmes they love again, but more significantly, they will also be able to do so when they want to, and in a format that's convenient for them."
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Introduced by Melinda Messenger, (who has three young children of her own) and featuring video clips offering expert commentary and advice from Professor Robert Winston and Dr Tanya Byron, Parenting Video On Demand puts mums and dads in control as they search by topic, age, or programme to find the specific parenting information they need - at any time of the day or night, free of charge.
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Offering 91Èȱ¬ parenting programme clips as a resource is ideal for new parents who may have missed the first episodes of Little Angels or Child of Our Time - but for whom those episodes may be more relevant.
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For example, the children in the current series of Child Of Our Time are approaching the age of six, but the first series of the show may be of more interest to a new mother.
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From January until June, Parenting Video on Demand can be accessed at any time, free of charge, by any UK resident with a computer and a broadband connection.
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Users can select from 70 hours of video in total - 90 video 'journeys' or video stories covering the early years (up to the age of five) from conception and birth to discipline, and the first day at school.
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"It is when their children are very young that many people find they most need support and reassurance," says Marc Goodchild, executive producer.
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"We thought that by pulling together content from some of our best-known programmes, we could create a really useful service."
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Launching this week, Parenting Video on Demand is part of a series of different TV Plus pilots commissioned by Jana Bennett in response to a rapidly changing world of broadcasting.
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The growth in sales of mobile phones and internet access means that people are increasingly viewing programmes in other ways than just on TVs and radios.
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So, with the audience embracing new technology, the 91Èȱ¬, as a creative leader in this field, expects to play a key role in helping broadcasters prepare for this more complex future, with plans to share the results of the trials with the rest of the industry.
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Indeed, the Comedy and Drama TV Plus pilots that the 91Èȱ¬ launched last year indicated a real appetite for viewing what you want, where you want.
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These pilots allowed the 91Èȱ¬ to:
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Release a sneak preview of the final episode of Doctor Who which resulted in 850,000 requests for clips in the run-up to the Saturday night show, and 250,000 requests for clips on Saturday alone.
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Premiere the comedy The Mighty Boosh on broadband - generating 670,000 requests.
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Parenting Video on Demand - the first TV Plus pilot using factual programme content - will arguably be the most useful, in that the content lends itself more easily to forming a resource or reference tool for viewers.
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For parenting tips and clips, go to bbc.co.uk/parenting and click on Parenting Video On Demand in the top right hand corner of your screen.
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Notes to Editors
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The 91Èȱ¬ Parenting Video on Demand is a pilot that is available for six months from January to June 2006.
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Parenting Video On Demand is part of the 91Èȱ¬'s TV Plus pilots, offering audiences a new way of engaging with 91Èȱ¬ TV programmes to enhance their viewing experience.
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The pilots include preview clips on mobile phones, programme premieres on broadband a week ahead of their TV transmission, and a rich interactive experience on demand through broadband and digital TV.
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SB
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