4oD to become free

http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=2277


Basically from 26 March viewers will be able to download original commissions aired in the last 7 days for free via 4oD - with a couple of ads and sponsor stings streaming out before each programme.


Archive and premium US content will remain available on a pay-per-view basis, with a subscription service also planned.



Not too unsurprising - C4 always said they were testing the water with their pay-per-view service and with ITV, and probably the BBC, both launching free on-demand catch-up services, I guess it was inevitable C4 would have to follow suit.


And it'll probably work too. I've not bothered yet downloading 4oD as I was never going to pay for it - but when it goes free I'll probably use it occassionally - and once they hook you into the free stuff you're probably more likely to consider purchasing the occassional pay-per-view programme too.

I like this idea, I might start using it more often!

4oD Catch up on Virgin was free anyway, it was just online where you had to pay 99p. So it will be free online then, thank god

Talking of Virgin Media, what is the deal now with the likes of 4oD in relation to Virgin Central. Are they on the menus as seperate services or do you have to basically go through "Virgin Central" to get to all on-demand content?

It's still separate for the weekly catch-up stuff, archived content is elsewhere.

Shame it takes ages to download shows....

Great! Now all they have to do is sort the programmes out.

And ditch the Digital Restrictions Management encryption on homegrown shows that don't really require it.