BSkyB proclaim BBC's iPlayer rules as 'restrictive'
The satellite broadcaster has said its customers are being excluded from watching BBC shows because of syndication rules.
The broadcaster made the claim in response to a BBC Trust consultation on online syndication of BBC content and is unhappy that the provisional conclusion found that on-demand BBC programmes should only be made available to rival operators through the iPlayer.
BSkyB argues that BBC Trust is "not acting in the public interest" by not offering broadcasters the option of content on a single programme basis.
Sky submitted a 17-page report to the BBC Trust to vent their frustration, with iPlayer proving a strong draw for online TV viewers using Virgin Media's service.
Late last year the company launched Sky Anytime+, which has given 3.5m Sky households the potential to access a full on-demand service for the first time.
Sky said: "The trust has at no time enquired of Sky whether such modifications are technically possible or practicable. A hybrid approach [to syndication] would have considerable benefits over the trust's proposed approach in extending reach [of BBC content], reducing cost and minimising market distortions."
Sky added that with an "amount of modification", a version of the iPlayer could be launched as part of its VoD service.