CBC looking to expand VOD offerings with greater programming, more distributors

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) is pressing ahead with an expansion of its pilot video-on-demand (VOD) project, which currently consists of a few theme packages of programming offered to Rogers Cable Inc. digital subscribers. Growth plans include adding the VOD content to the services of other distributors, such as Shaw Communications Inc. and Cogeco Cable Inc., as well as expanding the programming available. To help with the expansion, the public broadcaster is hiring a new On-Demand producer to join two others currently working on the pilot project. Mark Hyland, director of broadband and digital services at CBC English Television, says that the VOD programming the public broadcaster is supplying to Rogers is currently free but that he expects fees to be implemented within the next six months. He adds that the fees won’t go above $6 per title, and could be as low as 99 cents. "But we will have the flexibility to set the price on a case-by-case basis," he tells Canadian Communications Reports. "Some of the content could continue to be free because as a public broadcaster there’s a certain amount of public service." While still in its early stages, Hyland notes that audiences to CBC’s VOD offerings are increasing. "Our numbers have tripled since the launch but they’re still small. I think our viewers are expanding as Rogers expands the area it offers VOD. And we haven’t yet been promoting the medium." To further boost the number of people who could view CBC programming on an on-demand basis, Hyland says that the public broadcaster is attempting to expand its distribution channels through deals with other cable operators and that talks could also heat up with high-speed Internet service providers. "Talks are ongoing with other distributors," he says, refusing to predict when deals might get signed. More VOD content is also being added to boost appeal, with a package on terrorism next up as the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon approaches. The package includes news footage, documentaries, as well as information on other terrorist activity, including the Front Libération du Québec. "In CBC fashion, there’s a lot of context included with the programming," Hyland says. He adds that VOD is important because it is another way to offer TV viewers time shifting. "We think it is what people want. We don’t have the considerations of the studios, which still want to maximize revenues from video rentals and are concerned (about) when they should put their films on VOD," he notes. "We have more flexibility. We want to give Canadians every chance to increase their choices." CBC’s VOD content was first made available to about 604,000 Rogers digital cable customers in central Toronto earlier this year. The first VOD packages introduced included Hockey Night Fever, War and Consequences, Amazing Space, and On A Mission (CCR, May 8/03). Hyland outlined CBC’s plans for VOD in October 2002 at the International New Media Festival in Prince Edward Island (CCR, Oct. 24/02). He says that the most popular package of VOD programming so far has been Aliens and Psychos. Most of the programming that the public broadcaster is offering on-demand has been produced in-house by the CBC. Hyland says the public broadcaster still has to obtain the rights to different components such as music used in the programming before it can add it to its VOD content. In the future, he anticipates having clauses for running material on an on-demand basis to be included in contracts. But he points out that some of the content available on VOD is new material produced by the people running the on-demand pilot project. So far, the CBC’s VOD programming initiative has been low-key, but Hyland expects to publicly launch the service this fall.

CBC looking to expand VOD offerings with greater programming, more distributors

News | 09/04/2003 4:00 am EDT

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