BBC TECHNOLOGY ALLY WITH REALNETWORKS

BBC Technology and RealNetworks, one of the global leaders in Internet media delivery, have announced an alliance which positions BBC Technology as one of the largest digital media delivery service providers in Europe.
The alliance will enable BBC Technology to provide their clients, content producers and rights holders, with a high level of focused expertise in Internet hosting, streaming and integration services, as well as access to customised media and e-commerce applications.
In addition, BBC Technology will become one of the first European major broadcasters to deploy RealSystem iQ, RealNetworks’ ground-breaking universal Internet-media delivery platform.
RealSystem iQ is a highly flexible, standards-based, OS-independent architecture designed to dramatically increase the scalability of Internet broadcasts through unprecedented levels of reliability.
Philip Langsdale, Chief Executive of BBC Technology, said: “The BBC have been partnering with RealNetworks and utilising RealSystem to deliver digital media content to the web for over five years. This announcement allows BBC Technology to extend that deep experience to ensure a whole new class of quality delivery for content producers and rights holders across Europe for the first time.”
BBC Technology’s deployment of RealSystem iQ will enable Europe’s premier broadcasting service to scale delivery to massive audiences for live or on-demand digital media content.
Currently, BBC Technology broadcasts over 30 live media programs and more than 100,000 on-demand clips for the BBC using RealNetworks technology.
The announcement ensures wholly new levels of quality programming will be delivered to a burgeoning European audience. (CD)