BBC Worldwide has launched a free-to-consumer video-on-demand and text news service available on Samsung's Internet-connected Smart TVs, with Swiss watchmaker Omega as the charter advertiser.
The Web-based service combines video clips and text from BBC News Online with the BBC's international news services. Users can select video, pause and rewind video via their remote controls.
BBC Worldwide -- the commercial arm of the government-supported British broadcaster -- will sell pre-roll VOD ads for the service internationally.
"Having this kind of text and video, which audiences would normally have to access via their laptops, tablets or smartphones, available straight through people's TVs is a very worthwhile addition to our portfolio," said Chris Davies, commercial director for BBC.com.
Television manufacturers are expected to ship about 60 million Internet-connected TVs worldwide in 2011, increasing to will ship 138 million units by 2015, according to an updated forecast from research firm DisplaySearch.
Separately, this week BBC Worldwide announced an exclusive deal with Facebook to bring episodes of Doctor Who stories to the site, available for rental using Facebook credits. Users can stream a selection of nine stories, each containing several episodes. The content will be available for streaming for 48 hours once rented.
