The new ‘Kangaroo’ on-demand service will build upon the success of the BBC iPlayer, ITV.com, and Channel 4’s 4oD.

The UK’s major broadcasters – BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 – are creating a three-way joint venture to launch an on-demand content service in 2008 with the working title of ‘Kangaroo’ – a single destination for over ten thousand hours of entertainment content.

The project is intended to bring together the very best of the UK broadcasters’ current and archive programming, with the convenience, simplicity and ease of use of one overarching service.

The new service will be able to share the cost of the latest technology and enable rapid technological enhancements whilst building on the experience of 4OD, ITV.com and the BBC’s iPlayer; as a result, it will be the first time that viewers will have access to such a large range of catch-up and archive programming.

The joint venture will be owned equally and will work independently as an aggregator of both joint venture partners and third party content and will encourage other quality content providers to join the service to further enhance the viewer experience.  Initially the service will launch as a web-based proposition and will be available for distribution on other platforms. Content will be available both streamed and downloaded and viewers will be able to watch for free, rent or buy. A name and brand for the new service will be unveiled before launch.

The joint venture has appointed Lesley MacKenzie as Launch CEO and is currently recruiting top executives to lead the joint venture team. Previously Lesley was in India launching TataSky and prior to this was Director of Channels and Operations at BSkyB.

The new service will complement BBC iPlayer, the free catch-up TV service offering hundreds of programmes a week from the last seven days. BBC iPlayer content will be listed within the new service. ITV.com will continue to feature a 30 day catch up facility alongside simulcasts of ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 and a wealth of news, clips, stills, exclusive content and interactivity across and around ITV programming. Channel 4’s website will host a catch-up service including accompanying comprehensive programme information and clips, whilst 4oD will evolve into the new service.

These plans are subject to formal approval from the BBC Trust and each broadcaster’s board.