BBC Studios, the main commercial arm of the BBC, plans to launch a special version of the BBC Player streaming platform later this year, adapted for use in the aviation industry. BBC Studios says the service, which has been developed with Panasonic Avionics to work with its seatback in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems, is the first fully rights-cleared streaming platform ever developed for airlines.
The library of content in BBC Player will be frequently updated with BBC Studios’ factual, entertainment, documentaries, lifestyle, drama, comedy, and children’s programming, such as BBC Earth, BBC News, BritBox, BBC Kids and CBeebies. This means that popular TV shows, including Blue Planet III, will be available on BBC Player soon after they are broadcast in the UK.
Zina Neophytou, SVP for out of home and commercial news at BBC Studios said: “Launching BBC Player with Panasonic later this year will be transformative for the inflight entertainment industry. BBC Studios continues to drive innovation and is the first studio to bring air travellers a state-of-the-art, fully rights cleared streaming platform, whenever and wherever they fly. Passengers will enjoy a continuously evolving library of the best stories from the BBC.”
Andy Masson, senior vice president at Panasonic Avionics added: “For years our industry has talked about services like streaming and OTT, but, until now, there has not been a robust, reliable and true solution to deliver these kinds of services to aircraft. By delivering the world’s first fully rights-cleared streaming platform developed for airlines, Panasonic Avionics and BBC Studios are significantly enhancing the onboard entertainment experience.”
