BBC Backstage Launches EPG Competition

BBC Backstage (backstage.bbc.co.uk)--a Web site which the BBC has set up to provide data, resources and support for users who wish to build prototypes and proofs-of-concepts using BBC material, and which recently began offering a feed containing seven-day BBC TV and radio listing information in TV-Anytime XML format (see [itvt] Issue 6.11 Part 2)--has launched a competition that invites entrants to use the feed to "innovate and build prototypes that demonstrate new ways of exploring the BBC TV schedule." The competition is designed to address the fact that, as BBC Backstage puts it, "the way people watch television--and choose what they are going to watch--is changing: more channels, new delivery forms, new ways to consume television programming."

BBC Backstage is suggesting a number of possible ideas that entrants "might like to incorporate." They include: combining schedules with Web services, such as del.lici.us, furl, flickr and technorati, to open up each program to external annotation; introducing a "social element" to a schedule or channel (e.g. rating/voting, bookmarking capabilities, and vertical searches by genre); exploring new ways to allow users to tag the TV data and align it with tags attached to existing tag-based Web services; and creating SMS and email alerts, and other client-push delivery mechanisms.

The competition's grand prize is a rackmount server, and the winner will also be invited to the BBC to discuss his or her prototype. In addition, two runners-up will receive 1Gig USB MP3 players. The competition closes September 5th. BBC Backstage says that, while overseas residents are welcome to submit entries, only UK residents are eligible to win prizes.

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