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euro news1112v3_news 10/12/2015 18:20 Page 3 Ansip: Copyright reform in 2016 E BBC Store launches he BBC has launched its much-anticipated BBC Store download-to-own service, providing what the BBC says offers an easy way for audiences to buy, enjoy and keep their favourite BBC programmes. Bal Samra, commercial director, BBC, described the move as “an opening up of the treasure trove of the BBC Archive...BBC Store, operated by BBC Worldwide, is the result of a fantastic collaboration with the creative industry,” he stated. For over thirty years, selected BBC programmes have been available to buy – first on VHS, then DVD and more recently on digital download platforms such as iTunes. Now with more viewing switching to digital, BBC Store allows T “The service would launch with 7,000 hours of content.” audiences to choose from a selection of recently broadcast programmes; television favourites and lost gems from the BBC archive, making it what Marcus Arthur, MD BBC Worldwide and ANZ, described as “the most comprehensive collection of BBC content anywhere, ever”. “We’ve really tried to make it easy for people to browse, buy and watch the content,” advised Arthur, noting that the service would launch with 7,000 hours of content, with 50 per cent more content being added in the coming year. The collection will continue to build as more programmes are added each day from iPlayer and the BBC archive. “We want BBC Store to do for digital ownership what iPlayer did for catch-up,” declared Arthur, noting that it would be offering content that had never been available before commercially or had been available in different formats but was now available in VoD. “There has only ever been less than 10 per cent of the BBC’s archives ever available to buy and own...This is just the start of the journey to create now revenue streams.” Audiences will be able to watch the programmes they’ve bought from BBC Store on BBC iPlayer as their purchases will appear in the new ‘My Programmes’ area of BBC iPlayer to play back in full. They will also be able to access BBC Store directly from iPlayer, to find, bu