Kangaroo (video on demand)
Encyclopedia
Kangaroo was the working title for a proposed video on demand
platform offering content from BBC Worldwide
(the commercial arm of the BBC
), ITV.com
and Channel 4
's 4oD
(collectively UK VOD LLP), initially expected to launch in 2008, but blocked by the Competition Commission
in 2009. Following the Commission's rejection of the bid, the technology platform was put up for sale. The bidders included Orange (who pulled out) and Arqiva
. The project was bought by Arqiva for about 8 million pounds on the 23 July 2009, promising to launch in the 'coming months'. It was launched as SeeSaw
in February 2010.
, which is publicly funded and has no plans to carry any paid content, Kangaroo would have allowed users to purchase content from a large back catalogue. As noted below, the plan to link to content on BBC iPlayer
means that it would have provided a single broadband VOD service for the key three broadcasters in the UK. Kangaroo was the project name; the final name and brand of the service was never announced, but it was believed it would have been known as SeeSaw. The evidence it was to be called SeeSaw includes the DNS record for seesaw.co.uk which shows that it was owned by UK VOD LLP, designs on Ostmodern's website show the brand name in the footer and the registered trademark showing the name and the same logo as is on the design mockups. As of 1 October 2009, the DNS record is attributed to Arqiva and SeeSaw
was released in February 2010, and shutdown from lack of funding and content in October 2011.
The three networks behind the project would continue to offer content independently of the service, with ITV plc
and Channel 4 planning to offer catch up services through their own websites, and the BBC saying that it will not replace the iPlayer, but content from the iPlayer would be "listed within" the new service. However, it was expected that 4oD would be subsumed into Kangaroo.
Capablue were the lead agency on the project - responsible for the project management, requirements specification, product development and user experience. The graphic design was by Ostmodern and the systems integration by ioko
.
It was announced on 14 April 2008 that Ashley Highfield
, Director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, had been appointed the CEO of Kangaroo. Ashley Highfield left the project in November 2008, to work for Microsoft.
On 30 June 2008, the UK's Office of Fair Trading
referred the proposal to the Competition Commission
with concerns that "there was a danger that the platform could be too powerful". The Commission published an interim report on 3 December saying that the service could "hurt competition" and a final report was published on 4 February 2009, formally blocking the project.
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
platform offering content from BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
(the commercial arm of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
), ITV.com
Itv.com
itv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...
and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's 4oD
4oD
4oD is a video on demand service from Channel 4. Launched in November 2006, 4oD stands for "4 on Demand". The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4 or from their archives...
(collectively UK VOD LLP), initially expected to launch in 2008, but blocked by the Competition Commission
Competition Commission
The Competition Commission is a non-departmental public body responsible for investigating mergers, markets and other enquiries related to regulated industries under competition law in the United Kingdom...
in 2009. Following the Commission's rejection of the bid, the technology platform was put up for sale. The bidders included Orange (who pulled out) and Arqiva
Arqiva
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless...
. The project was bought by Arqiva for about 8 million pounds on the 23 July 2009, promising to launch in the 'coming months'. It was launched as SeeSaw
SeeSaw (Internet television)
SeeSaw was an Internet television service, born out of the BBC-led Project Kangaroo and launched in the UK on 17 February 2010. It was acquired by the Criterion Media Group in July 2011 but the agreed investment never materialised. The service was shut down on 28 October 2011...
in February 2010.
The original Project Kangaroo
Unlike the BBC iPlayerBBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
, which is publicly funded and has no plans to carry any paid content, Kangaroo would have allowed users to purchase content from a large back catalogue. As noted below, the plan to link to content on BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
means that it would have provided a single broadband VOD service for the key three broadcasters in the UK. Kangaroo was the project name; the final name and brand of the service was never announced, but it was believed it would have been known as SeeSaw. The evidence it was to be called SeeSaw includes the DNS record for seesaw.co.uk which shows that it was owned by UK VOD LLP, designs on Ostmodern's website show the brand name in the footer and the registered trademark showing the name and the same logo as is on the design mockups. As of 1 October 2009, the DNS record is attributed to Arqiva and SeeSaw
SeeSaw (Internet television)
SeeSaw was an Internet television service, born out of the BBC-led Project Kangaroo and launched in the UK on 17 February 2010. It was acquired by the Criterion Media Group in July 2011 but the agreed investment never materialised. The service was shut down on 28 October 2011...
was released in February 2010, and shutdown from lack of funding and content in October 2011.
The three networks behind the project would continue to offer content independently of the service, with ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
and Channel 4 planning to offer catch up services through their own websites, and the BBC saying that it will not replace the iPlayer, but content from the iPlayer would be "listed within" the new service. However, it was expected that 4oD would be subsumed into Kangaroo.
Capablue were the lead agency on the project - responsible for the project management, requirements specification, product development and user experience. The graphic design was by Ostmodern and the systems integration by ioko
Ioko
ioko is a systems integration and IT services company that designs, builds and runs digital media platforms for Media and Entertainment companies worldwide. It specialises in application development, media systems integration and dedicated managed services and mostly known for its involvement in...
.
It was announced on 14 April 2008 that Ashley Highfield
Ashley Highfield
Ashley Highfield is currently CEO of Johnston Press, having worked in high levels in companies including Microsoft, and the BBC.Formerly, he was UK Managing Director of Microsoft , responsible for Windows Mobile, MSN, Hotmail, Windows Live/Instant Messenger, and the newly announced Google rival, Bing...
, Director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, had been appointed the CEO of Kangaroo. Ashley Highfield left the project in November 2008, to work for Microsoft.
On 30 June 2008, the UK's Office of Fair Trading
Office of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...
referred the proposal to the Competition Commission
Competition Commission
The Competition Commission is a non-departmental public body responsible for investigating mergers, markets and other enquiries related to regulated industries under competition law in the United Kingdom...
with concerns that "there was a danger that the platform could be too powerful". The Commission published an interim report on 3 December saying that the service could "hurt competition" and a final report was published on 4 February 2009, formally blocking the project.