BBC Red Button plugs Online alternatives

The BBC is running a short video informing viewers of alternative options ahead of next week's Red Button text closure.

In between live sport and music coverage on BBC RB1*, the BBC is signposting viewers to the BBC's News, Sport and Weather services for desktop, mobile and tablet users.

The closure of the Red Button text service comes nearly half a decade after it was first mooted by the corporation. It's the last surviving text service on British TV and comes ahead of the Irish counterpart Aertel also being closed down.

Although the Red Button text service is closing, it isn't the end of the Red Button service.

After the end of January, the red button will still point viewers to extra sport and music coverage. Smart TV users and those with connected receivers, including Sky Q and YouView will see the red button linked to content on the BBC iPlayer.

Sports coverage that was previously available on TVs via the BBC Sport app, including extra feeds from major sporting events, will now be incorporated into the iPlayer. The BBC Sport app will continue on mobile and tablet devices only.

It's not the first time the BBC has used a service to show a looped plug for online services. At the end of its life as a linear channel, BBC Three broadcast a looped promotional video for around six weeks advertising its move online, while regular programmes were moved to an unpublicised graveyard slot between 1am and 4am.


*BBC RB1: Freeview 601, YouView (BT, TalkTalk, Plusnet) 601, Sky 981, Freesat 981 and Virgin 991

Comments