TV since 1981

Events in this year Top 10 programmes 319 reported channels
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2012

January
Netflix and Roku both launch streaming services in the UK.
Sky reaches an agreement with BBC and ITV to include their player applications on the Sky Anytime catch-up service. Later in the year an agreement is reached with Channel 4 and Channel 5 to carry 4OD and Demand 5.
February
Sky Go launches on the Android platform.
March
Sky launches Sky Store to replace Sky Box Office on the video on demand service Sky Anytime+.
BBC iPlayer becomes available on XBox 360.
April
Digital switchover completed in London.
ITV partners with audio-recognition app, Shazam, to distribute Shazam functionality in UK broadcast advertising. The first use of this technology is during the final of Britain's Got Talent when two advertisers, Cadbury and Pepsi, encourage viewers to tag separate ads to win tickets to events.
May
Ofcom invites applications for 21 local TV channels across the UK. The local TV channels will broadcast on a specially-reserved multiplex.
June
Digital switchover completed in Meridian.
ITV Player app introduces the ability to stream their channels live in addition to catch-up viewing of previously broadcast programmes.
The BBC introduces a rewind and restart live TV function to the BBC iPlayer.
July
YouView, the broadband 7 day catch-up/on demand television service owned by BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, Channel 5, TalkTalk and Arqiva launches.
Barb announces that it will install web-TV meters into a further 500 of its core panel homes, expanding the field test for the measurement of TV via desktops and laptops to 600 panel homes.
August
The London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony on 12th August delivered the highest ever viewing to a single programme ever reported by Barb. It was watched by 24.46 million viewers.
Sky launches Now TV, an internet service which allows subscription free access to movies. It is available through YouView. Also, for the first time, Sky enables users to control their set-top box through its iPad app.
STV launches a catch-up TV player on the YouView platform. STV Player is available to YouView viewers within the STV licence areas of Scotland.
September
Digital switchover completed in Tyne Tees.
Freesat launches 'freetime', a smart TV guide that incorporates a forwards and backwards EPG.
The first of 21 Local TV licences awarded by Ofcom to Brighton and Grimsby.
UKTV launches its first on demand player through agreements with Sky Anytime, BT Vision and TalkTalk.
BBC launches its media player for the Android platform.
October
Digital switchover completed in Ulster on 24th October. On this day the UK television became fully digital.
November
Virgin Media unveil Virgin TV Anywhere, a new 'cloud-based' entertainment service targeted at existing customers. The service allows customers to access catch-up TV and on demand content on computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones anywhere.
Justin Sampson joins Barb as Chief Executive.
December
"The Snowmen" episode of Dr Who, shown on Christmas Day, was the most time-shifted programme in Barb's history. Of its 9.87 million viewers, 4.13 million (42%) chose to watch the programme after the scheduled broadcast.
ESPN launches a player app designed for use on the iPad.