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bbc.co.uk
If you are a UK citizen, there are many options open to you when it comes to free TV streaming and free movie streaming sites. Thanks to the UK's unique public broadcasting structure, the quality available on free TV streaming sites is unparalleled. Not only are there several incredible free streaming sites and apps filled with spectacular original TV series and movies (thanks to the BBC's many imprints), but there are also some great free streaming services out there that provide access to some excellent licensed content as well.
Many of these free TV streaming sites are not really free at all. You have to pay a subscription fee to watch some of these sites like BBC iPlayer.
Since September of 2016, the UK government has required its citizens to acquire a television license in order to watch content on sites such as BBC iPlayer. Whether you are streaming live television or simply watching reruns on-demand, obtaining a television license is required.
That being said, the BBC iPlayer streaming platform does not require users to verify their licensure status. Nor is there a credentials checking system in place of any sort. So, be sure to get your television license before streaming anything - live or on-demand - via the BBC iPlayer streaming platform. It's only about 100 quid per year, after all ? so it still winds up being slightly cheaper than Netflix.
BBC iPlayer is a streaming service that many people enjoy. It offers a variety of TV shows, movies, and documentaries from around the world. Personally, I love BBC iPlayer because it makes it easy to explore British media, as well as some American titles.
BBC iPlayer has been around for nearly two decades and has recently switched to using HTML5. The platform rose to popularity because of this change. If you're interested in BBC iPlayer's history, be sure to join me on my journey to the origin!
History
BBC iPlayer began by using their Flash-oriented cross-platform streaming system, BBC Redux. BBC Redux was a proof of concept and it left its beta testing in 2007. When it became integrated into BBC iPlayer and officially launched on Christmas day, 2007, the platform wasted no time in attempting to improve upon itself either. In June of 2008, BBC iPlayer launched a new look for the iPlayer.
The streaming site's original tagline was "Catch up on the last 7 days of BBC TV & Radio." This slogan reflected the type of content that was available on BBC iPlayer, as well as the initial intention behind the streaming site. Later, the site changed its slogan to "making the unmissable, unmissable." And in May of 2010, the site underwent what is referred to as a "social makeover," adding in recommendations and other features.
In February of 2011, BBC iPlayer added a "channels" function onto the main page and search features of the site. This change exponentially expanded the content that BBC iPlayer offered, from all 4 ITV channels to several others. Along with this expansion, BBC iPlayer added a "channels" function to the main page and search features.
BBC iPlayer was revamped in April of 2014 with a new interface and content availability for 30 days, instead of 7 days. However, most news broadcasts are not eligible for this elongation due to legal limitations.
BBC iPlayer is one of the most popular free streaming sites in the UK today. It has a user-friendly interface, great selection of TV series and movies, and cross-platform availability, which makes it a must-have for anyone with a television license. If you're still unconvinced that BBC iPlayer is the best free TV streaming site for you, I can dive into its features to show you why it's great.
Design
First of all, I really like the way BBC iPlayer is designed. It looks just as good as some of the best-paid premium streaming sites out there and it works flawlessly. Honestly, BBC iPlayer offers a more intuitive, user-friendly, and visually stunning site design than some of the most popular and critically acclaimed premium streaming sites on the web today.
The site is also very user-friendly, with easy access to all of its content from the homepage.
The site is well organized and has a variety of content options to choose from. You can browse by genre or category in the menu bar at the top of the page, search for specific titles or series in the search bar, or navigate to different parts of the website from Home, News, Sport, Reel, Work-Life, Travel, Future Culture, and More (such as music, sounds, nature, weather, and TV). The site is also very user-friendly with easy access to all its content from the homepage.
Below that, the design should look pretty familiar. Users can browse by genre and category, each section having its own side-scrolling library of suggested titles. The media player, too, is easy and logical to use- when watching a series for instance, the rest of the seasons and episodes available can be quickly visited without having to do any clicking back and forth. The entire user experience is smooth and intuitive
Content and Features
As I brushed upon earlier, BBC iPlayer has grown quite a bit in recent years. Today, it offers hundreds upon hundreds of TV series, movies, specials, and documentaries. So long as you catch it within 30 days of airing (and it aired on one of BBC iPlayer's participating channels), you will be able to stream it here. The channels that you can browse on BBC iPlayer include Channel One, Channel Two, Channel Three, Channel Four, Radio 1, CBBC, CBeebies, Scotland, News, Parliament, Alba (Wales), S4C (Wales).
Due to the 30-day shelf life of the content on BBC iPlayer, there is a bit of a challenge in determining what is currently available. Generally speaking, though, anything that airs on British television can be streamed on BBC iPlayer (so long as you catch it within its window of availability).
Mobile and Desktop Experience
In short, BBC iPlayer is an excellent streaming service that works on a variety of devices.
This free British TV streaming site is available on just about every device known to man, and it offers an incredible user experience on each.
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