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{{real world}}
{{real world}}
'''BBC Red Button''' resulted from the [[2004]] devolution of [[BBCi]] into a division that concentrated on web development (BBC Online) and one that handled the growing content of non-linear programming on digital television (BBC Red Button). The term therefore describes the the [[wikipedia:video on demand|"on-demand"]] service, standard to all digital television installations in the [[United Kingdom]]. Its goal is to provide additional content to enhance the viewing of particular programming on standard, linear television.  
{{you may|BBC Red Button (Guinevere One)|n1=the in-universe BBC Red Button}}
[[File:BBCRedButton.png|right]]
'''BBC Red Button''' is the more public of two entities that resulted from the 2004 splitting of '''BBCi''' into an {{w|video on demand|on-demand}} digital television service known as '''BBCi Red Button''', and a web content provider known as '''BBC Online'''. While Online formed directly from the 2004 split, the brand "BBC Red Button" dates only to 2008.


==Overview==
BBC Red Button is standard on all digital televisions in the [[United Kingdom]]. It seeks to offer more non-linear content to enhance the viewing of particular programming on standard, linear television. Because its history is so intertwined with those of BBCi and BBC Online, this article will consider all three entities.
The name derives from the fact that viewers access it by pushing a literal red button on their remote control.  This action then drops down a menu in a box over the programme one is watching, allowing a viewer to pick from a variety of different "channels". Some of these channels are text-based and generally remain displayed over the main programme one is watching.  Some are video based and can be optionally viewed as a picture-in-picture display, or simply chosen as a regular, full-screen channel would be.  


The term "Red Button" is somewhat imprecise, however, as the broadcaster has only inherited half of its predecessor's responsibilities.  Whereas BBCi referred to both web and televisual content, Red Button is more focused on televisual output.  Adding to this confusion is the fact that the term "BBCi" was only slowly phased out.  Until [[2008]], it was still possible to find new content on BBC websites referring to BBCi, creating the illusion that, historically, "BBCi" meant "the part of the BBC that made the websites". Even as late as [[1 April 2010]], archived stories with the term "BBCi" were being used to help explain the BBC's digital presence to customers.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sporteditors/2007/09/freeview_or_digital_or_bbci.html Millington, Mark.  "Freeview, digital or BBCi". bbc.co.uk.  19 September 2007.</ref>
== Overview ==
==Relationship to ''Doctor Who''==
The name "Red Button" derives from the fact that viewers access it by pushing an actual red button on the remote control. This drops a menu in a box over the programme being watched, allowing a viewer to pick from a variety of different "channels". Some of these channels are text-based and generally remain displayed over the main programme being watched. Some are video based and can be optionally viewed as a picture-in-picture display, or simply chosen as a regular, full-screen channel would be.
Historically, Red Button and BBCi have generated the most content in relation to sports, news, business and other non-fictional programming.  However, the BBC have occasionally used both the broadband and interactive television capabilities of Red Button to add to their viewers' enjoyment of ''Doctor Who''.


Video content has been arguably the most important to ''[[Doctor Who]]'', in that several events have debuted on the service. 
== Relationship to ''Doctor Who'' ==
===BBCi programming===
Historically, Red Button and BBCi have generated the most content for sports, news, business and other non-fiction programming. However, the BBC have occasionally used both the broadband and interactive television capabilities of Red Button to add to their viewers' enjoyment of ''Doctor Who''.
Because the BBCi was firmly the combination of what is today the separate entities of the Red Button and BBC Online, it is difficult to know whether some of the things that BBCi broadcast online would have in fact been made available on digital television in the modern era. Regardless, their early forays into commissioning new fiction for their web services are the earliest efforts of the BBC as a whole to provide additional narrative outside the scope of regular television episodes, and shaped the futures of both Red Button and Online.


Their very earliest webcast was an experiment.  ''[[Death Comes To Time]]'' had originally been commissioned as a pilot for [[BBC Radio 4]] in [[2001]].  Radio 4 declined to pursue the series beyond this, so BBCi decided to pick it up.  They converted it to an animated adventure in [[2002]].  In [[December]] of that same year, they followed with what was the first project actually ''conceived'' as a webcast: ''[[Real Time]]''.  In [[2003]] they went back to merely converting an audio project to video.  ''[[Shada (webcast)|Shada]]'' was a step up in terms of animation, but it took already-existing audio and married it with specially-commissioned artwork.  
=== BBCi programming ===
Because the BBCi was the combination of what is today the separate entities of the Red Button and BBC Online, it is difficult to know if some of the things that BBCi broadcast online would have been made available on digital television today. Regardless, their early forays into commissioning new fiction for their web services are the earliest efforts of the BBC to provide additional narratives outside regular television episodes, and shaped the futures of both Red Button and Online.


''[[Scream of the Shalka]]'' came in the waning months of 2003. It was a sort of "test case" for the digital broadcast platform, in that it was created by the then-BBCi to a standard that could have been broadcast via the Red Button of the day.  Ultimately, however, it received only a web debut.
Their first webcast was an experiment. ''[[Death Comes to Time (webcast)|Death Comes to Time]]'' was originally commissioned as a pilot for [[BBC Radio 4]] in 2001. Radio 4 declined to pursue the series, so BBCi picked it up. They converted it to an animated story in 2002. In December of 2002, they followed with the first project actually ''conceived'' as a webcast: ''[[Real Time (webcast)|Real Time]]''. In 2003 they returned to converting audio projects to video. ''[[Shada (webcast)|Shada]]'' was a step up in terms of animation, but it took already-existing audio and married it to newly commissioned artwork.


At around the same time, BBCi was beginning to generate content for what would ultimately become the [[iPlayer]].  They were envisaging the ability to push whole episodes of televised ''Doctor Who'' to their web users.  Towards this goal, they commissioned animated versions of the [[missing episodes]] of ''[[The Invasion]]'' so as to offer the whole [[serial]] for the first time since its original television broadcast.  This newly-complete ''Invasion'' would, they thought, instantly drive ''Doctor Who'' fans to their new player.  This new player would be different from the way they had previously made video available.  Instead of depending on people to navigate to the ''Doctor Who'' portion of their website, and access a fixed video display solely dedicated to showing one particular video, their new player could offer multiple video feeds from anywhere on the BBC site.  In the end they didn't choose to offer any ''Doctor Who'' episodes at all, and the reborn ''Invasion'' instead went straight to DVD.
''[[Scream of the Shalka (webcast)|Scream of the Shalka]]'' came towards the end of 2003. It was a "test case" for the digital broadcast platform, created by the BBCi to a standard that could have been broadcast via the Red Button of the day. In the end, it received only a web debut.
 
===Red Button programming===
The [[BBC Wales]] version of the programme has taken more advantage of the Red Button itself, generally offering original programming during the Christmas season. ''[[Attack of the Graske]]'' was the first major piece of ''Doctor Who'' programming available on Red Button. Its 4:3 aspect ratio reveals the age of the piece, as Red Button adopted a widescreen ratio after its parent networks did.  In [[2007]], a Cardiff concert of music from ''Doctor Who'' was exclusively premiered on Red Button.  [[2008]] brought ''[[Dreamland]]'' to the Button.


The Red Button has also been used as a market tool to braodcast clips from upcoming episodes, such as when on [[24th March]] [[2010]] they showed the first scene from ''[[The Eleventh Hour]]''
Around the same time, BBCi started to generate content for what became the iPlayer. They envisaged offering whole episodes of ''Doctor Who'' to their web users. They commissioned animated versions of the [[missing episodes]] of ''[[The Invasion]]'' to offer the whole [[serial]] for the first time since its original broadcast. This newly-complete ''Invasion'' would instantly drive ''Doctor Who'' fans to their new player. This would differ from the way they had earlier made video available. People would not have to navigate to the ''Doctor Who'' subsite, and access a fixed video display dedicated to showing one particular video. Their new player would offer multiple video feeds from anywhere on the BBC site. In the end they chose not to offer any ''Doctor Who'' episodes and the reborn ''Invasion'' instead went straight to DVD.


===BBC Online programming===
=== BBCi Red Button programming ===
The most obvious impact BBCi's ''other'' successor has had on ''Doctor Who'' has been the maintenance of the official websites of ''Doctor Who'', ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' and ''[[Torchwood]]''.  As a consequence they have become major producers of video content.  The difference between the video contributions of BBC Online and BBCi in terms of video output has been extreme. 
In 2004, BBCi divested itself of its online responsibilities, spinning off BBC Online as a separate division.It also rebranded itself as "BBCi Red Button", and focused on digital television programming
The first major piece of original BBC Online programming was the documentary ''[[The Doctor Who Years]]'', a [[2005]] web documentary that gave viewers a history of the classic series in the run-up to ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]''. The documentary attracted hundreds of thousands of hits, and demonstrated there was a market for original, web-based video.


Thus, Online has been continuously feeding their websites purpose-built video since that humble beginning.  [[Tardisode]]s, [[Doctor Who Advent Calendar]]s, video diaries, and the ''[[Doctor Who Video Explorer]]'' series are but a few of the original productions commissioned by BBC Online to enhance viewers' experience of ''Doctor Who''.
The [[BBC Wales]] ''Doctor Who'' made use of the platform, offering original programming during the Christmas season. ''[[Attack of the Graske (video game)|Attack of the Graske]]'' was the first major piece of ''Doctor Who'' to debut on Red Button. Its 4:3 aspect ratio reveals the age of the piece; Red Button adopted a widescreen ratio after its parent networks did. In 2007, a Cardiff concert of music from ''Doctor Who'' was exclusively premiered on Red Button.


From there, Online have greatly expanded the amount of vide
=== BBC Red Button programming ===
In 2008, another rebranding followed, and all reference to "BBCi" was dropped. The process was leisurely, and references to "BBCi" can, as of 1 April 2010, still be seen on the BBC Website.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sporteditors/2007/09/freeview_or_digital_or_bbci.html Millington, Mark. "Freeview, digital or BBCi". bbc.co.uk. 19 September 2007.]</ref>
Under the "BBC Red Button" brand came 2009's ''[[Dreamland (TV story)|Dreamland]]'', originally broadcast in its entirety on the service. The BBC Red Button has also been used as a marketing tool to broadcast clips from upcoming episodes. On 24 March 2010 they showed the first scene from ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]''.


=== BBC Online programming ===
BBC Online split from BBCi in 2004. The most obvious impact BBCi's ''other'' successor has made on ''Doctor Who'' has been to maintain the official websites of ''Doctor Who'', ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' and ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]''. As a result they have become major producers of video content. The difference between the video contributions of BBC Online and BBCi has been extreme. Indeed, Online have gone well beyond simple video to offer their users truly interactive experiences.


==External link==
The first major piece of original BBC Online programming was the documentary ''[[The Doctor Who Years]]'', a 2005 web documentary that gave viewers a history of the classic series in the run-up to ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]''. The documentary attracted hundreds of thousands of hits, and demonstrated there was a market for original, web-based video.
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/statements2009/future_media/bbccouk.shtml BBC Statement of Future Media policy], the effective "job descriptions' of Red Button and Online
 
==References==
BBC Online has been continually feeding their websites purpose-built video since that humble beginning. [[Tardisode]]s, the annual [[Adventure Calendar]]s, video diaries, ''[[Captain Jack's Monster Files]]'', and the ''[[Doctor Who Video Explorer]]'' series are a few of the original productions commissioned by BBC Online to enhance viewers' enjoyment of ''Doctor Who''. Unlike BBCi's efforts, no significant animation has debuted on BBC Online sites. Instead, live action video — most of it documentary — has been supplemented by interactive materials. In addition to videos, BBC Online have over the years provided Flash animation games, trailer makers, comic makers and sound samples.
 
In 2010, BBC Online undertook production of ''[[The Adventure Games]]'', alongside [[BBC Wales Interactive]]. By integrating these four narrative games onto the [[Doctor Who website|''Doctor Who'' website]] itself, on top of making them downloadable, BBC Online was responsible for the first BBC online game project at this scale.
 
{{as of|2019|9}}, apart from sporadic news blog posts, no original content has been produced exclusively for the ''Doctor Who'' website since the end of [[Steven Moffat]]'s era in December 2017. December 2018 marked the first [[Christmas]] season without an online Adventure Calendar since their 2006 inception.
 
In more recent years, original behind-the-scenes content, like ''[[The Fan Show]]'', ''[[Classmates]]'' and ''[[Access All Areas]]'', has primarily moved to [[YouTube]].
 
== External links ==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/statements2009/future_media/bbccouk.shtml BBC Statement of Future Media policy], the effective "job descriptions' of Red Button and Online
 
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:British Broadcasting Corporation]]
[[Category:Real world broadcasters]]
[[Category:Real world publishers]]
[[Category:BBCi]]
[[Category:Online broadcasters]]
[[Category:Video game platforms]]

Latest revision as of 01:47, 27 June 2024

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You may be looking for the in-universe BBC Red Button.
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BBC Red Button is the more public of two entities that resulted from the 2004 splitting of BBCi into an on-demand digital television service known as BBCi Red Button, and a web content provider known as BBC Online. While Online formed directly from the 2004 split, the brand "BBC Red Button" dates only to 2008.

BBC Red Button is standard on all digital televisions in the United Kingdom. It seeks to offer more non-linear content to enhance the viewing of particular programming on standard, linear television. Because its history is so intertwined with those of BBCi and BBC Online, this article will consider all three entities.

Overview[[edit] | [edit source]]

The name "Red Button" derives from the fact that viewers access it by pushing an actual red button on the remote control. This drops a menu in a box over the programme being watched, allowing a viewer to pick from a variety of different "channels". Some of these channels are text-based and generally remain displayed over the main programme being watched. Some are video based and can be optionally viewed as a picture-in-picture display, or simply chosen as a regular, full-screen channel would be.

Relationship to Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

Historically, Red Button and BBCi have generated the most content for sports, news, business and other non-fiction programming. However, the BBC have occasionally used both the broadband and interactive television capabilities of Red Button to add to their viewers' enjoyment of Doctor Who.

BBCi programming[[edit] | [edit source]]

Because the BBCi was the combination of what is today the separate entities of the Red Button and BBC Online, it is difficult to know if some of the things that BBCi broadcast online would have been made available on digital television today. Regardless, their early forays into commissioning new fiction for their web services are the earliest efforts of the BBC to provide additional narratives outside regular television episodes, and shaped the futures of both Red Button and Online.

Their first webcast was an experiment. Death Comes to Time was originally commissioned as a pilot for BBC Radio 4 in 2001. Radio 4 declined to pursue the series, so BBCi picked it up. They converted it to an animated story in 2002. In December of 2002, they followed with the first project actually conceived as a webcast: Real Time. In 2003 they returned to converting audio projects to video. Shada was a step up in terms of animation, but it took already-existing audio and married it to newly commissioned artwork.

Scream of the Shalka came towards the end of 2003. It was a "test case" for the digital broadcast platform, created by the BBCi to a standard that could have been broadcast via the Red Button of the day. In the end, it received only a web debut.

Around the same time, BBCi started to generate content for what became the iPlayer. They envisaged offering whole episodes of Doctor Who to their web users. They commissioned animated versions of the missing episodes of The Invasion to offer the whole serial for the first time since its original broadcast. This newly-complete Invasion would instantly drive Doctor Who fans to their new player. This would differ from the way they had earlier made video available. People would not have to navigate to the Doctor Who subsite, and access a fixed video display dedicated to showing one particular video. Their new player would offer multiple video feeds from anywhere on the BBC site. In the end they chose not to offer any Doctor Who episodes and the reborn Invasion instead went straight to DVD.

BBCi Red Button programming[[edit] | [edit source]]

In 2004, BBCi divested itself of its online responsibilities, spinning off BBC Online as a separate division.It also rebranded itself as "BBCi Red Button", and focused on digital television programming

The BBC Wales Doctor Who made use of the platform, offering original programming during the Christmas season. Attack of the Graske was the first major piece of Doctor Who to debut on Red Button. Its 4:3 aspect ratio reveals the age of the piece; Red Button adopted a widescreen ratio after its parent networks did. In 2007, a Cardiff concert of music from Doctor Who was exclusively premiered on Red Button.

BBC Red Button programming[[edit] | [edit source]]

In 2008, another rebranding followed, and all reference to "BBCi" was dropped. The process was leisurely, and references to "BBCi" can, as of 1 April 2010, still be seen on the BBC Website.[1] Under the "BBC Red Button" brand came 2009's Dreamland, originally broadcast in its entirety on the service. The BBC Red Button has also been used as a marketing tool to broadcast clips from upcoming episodes. On 24 March 2010 they showed the first scene from The Eleventh Hour.

BBC Online programming[[edit] | [edit source]]

BBC Online split from BBCi in 2004. The most obvious impact BBCi's other successor has made on Doctor Who has been to maintain the official websites of Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood. As a result they have become major producers of video content. The difference between the video contributions of BBC Online and BBCi has been extreme. Indeed, Online have gone well beyond simple video to offer their users truly interactive experiences.

The first major piece of original BBC Online programming was the documentary The Doctor Who Years, a 2005 web documentary that gave viewers a history of the classic series in the run-up to Rose. The documentary attracted hundreds of thousands of hits, and demonstrated there was a market for original, web-based video.

BBC Online has been continually feeding their websites purpose-built video since that humble beginning. Tardisodes, the annual Adventure Calendars, video diaries, Captain Jack's Monster Files, and the Doctor Who Video Explorer series are a few of the original productions commissioned by BBC Online to enhance viewers' enjoyment of Doctor Who. Unlike BBCi's efforts, no significant animation has debuted on BBC Online sites. Instead, live action video — most of it documentary — has been supplemented by interactive materials. In addition to videos, BBC Online have over the years provided Flash animation games, trailer makers, comic makers and sound samples.

In 2010, BBC Online undertook production of The Adventure Games, alongside BBC Wales Interactive. By integrating these four narrative games onto the Doctor Who website itself, on top of making them downloadable, BBC Online was responsible for the first BBC online game project at this scale.

As of September 2019, apart from sporadic news blog posts, no original content has been produced exclusively for the Doctor Who website since the end of Steven Moffat's era in December 2017. December 2018 marked the first Christmas season without an online Adventure Calendar since their 2006 inception.

In more recent years, original behind-the-scenes content, like The Fan Show, Classmates and Access All Areas, has primarily moved to YouTube.

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Millington, Mark. "Freeview, digital or BBCi". bbc.co.uk. 19 September 2007.
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