BBC iPlayer Beta to come to Freesat this month, new ad campaign to lead fightback against rivals

The BBC iPlayer’s long-anticipated migration onto Freesat looks likely to begin this November. According to Rahul Chakkara, the BBC Controller for TV Platforms, an MHEG-5 compliant version of the interface will begin Beta deployment ‘by the end of November’ on the Freesat platform.
The DTG (Digital Television Group) along with the BBC’s R&D team have been working together to update the decade-old MHEG-5 interactive TV platform in order to accommodate video for some time. Now, the resulting MHEG-IC standard will allow Freesat and upcoming Freeview HD set top box to access additional AV content via the internet.
MHEG-IC services will include the BBC iPlayer and other Video on Demand (VoD)/ Catch-up TV services, along with T-commerce (which enables viewers to buy direct from TV shopping channels), real-time programme interaction and other clever embellishments.

Freesat fight back
In related news, Freesat is to fight back against the impending launch of Freeview HD and the growing dominance of Sky and Virgin Media with a new advertising campaign, kicking off Saturday 7 November. In the past, its marketing has been curiously oblique, and this campaign looks likely to follow suit. The ads, shot in slow motion, will focus on Freesat enabled PVRs and will use ‘idiosyncratic British TV fans to illustrate the benefits of pausing, recording and rewinding live TV and the immersive experience of watching in HD television for free.’
Freesat is currently the UK’s fourth biggest TV service, having accelerated past BT Vision earlier this year. 
Freesat marketing and communications director Will Abbott, says: ‘Freesat is going from strength to strength and the new campaign reinforces our position as the UK’s premium free TV service. With new Freesat+ HD recorders launching in time for Christmas, and high definition from the BBC and ITV already available nationwide, subscription-free, we’re looking forward to a strong finish to the year.'