The BBC's commercial arm yesterday invited other UK broadcasters to put their programmes on its new online media player, saying they could create an alternative to Apple's iTunes site for video and audio downloads.
John Smith, chief executive of BBC Worldwide, said its iPlayer software could be "like Freeview [the digital terrestrial television service] in creating a new digital platform for broadcasters, giving them a chance to control their own destiny, but like [British] Sky [Broadcasting] in its opportunities for monetisation".
