BBC to show comedy via broadband

The BBC is to premiere some TV shows online before they are broadcast on its traditional channels.

The webcasts will be the first of a series of programme shown online as the Beeb gets to grip with video over broadband.

From July 19 the BBC is to show the new series of its comedy The Mighty Boosh a week ahead of its transmission on BBC Three.

Said Auntie's director of TV, Jana Bennett: "The broadband premiere of The Mighty Boosh is a significant step forward in offering our audiences even greater value in a changing television world.

"It is one of a number of pilots that BBC Television will be undertaking over the next few months, exploiting the opportunities that new technologies offer to look at how programmes might be delivered beyond the traditional linear broadcast."

The BBC is the latest outfit to experiment with video over broadband.

Last month BT announced that it plans to begin trials of video-on-demand (VoD) via broadband early next year ahead of a full commercial launch scheduled for summer 2006.

Telewest recently unveiled a web-based TV service made up of four channels as part of a trial by the UK cableco. ®

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