Richard Murdoch's European media TV company Sky has announced that the BBC's iPlayer service is now accessible using the Sky Player on Sky TV's online television service. A revamped version of Sky's Player has areas devoted to the BBC brand showing TV listings and to all the BBC iPlayer content. The Sky Player offers viewers access to live and TV on demand content from a selection of Sky channels including Sky MoviesSky SportsSky1National Geographic ChannelThe History ChannelESPN ClassicBiography ChannelSky NewsSky ArtsSky Real Lives And now included on the list is the BBC range of channels. The BBC listings will be shown in the relevant Sky category and once selected the viewer will be sent to the BBC's iPlayer website for viewing. This announcement continues the expansion of the Sky Player's channel selection whilst also allowing the BBC to expand its audience. Sky's director of On demand TV Griff Parry explained:- ‘Access to BBC content along with improvements to the user experience will further support the ongoing success of Sky Player. The combination of more choice and easier access means Sky Player users will find it even simpler to enjoy a wide range of TV content. The addition of links to content from BBC channels further demonstrates Sky's role as a leading online aggregator with access to one of the broadest selections of online video.' The BBC spokesman head of online media Anthony Rose said:- ‘We are delighted to be able to offer access to BBC TV programmes to Sky Player users. This deal further underlines our commitment to reaching new audiences by making BBC iPlayer available on as many services as possible.' Its seen as good news for Sky who havent enjoyed as big a market share for online viewing as they would like. The BBC iPlayer services has a massive 400 plus hours of new BBC TV content every week and will be available for free to any viewer using the Sky Player service, even non subscribers.

In light of all the doom and gloom concerning world financial markets, the question has been raised:- ‘Has TV accelerated the financial meltdown?' If you think about it, the news showing 24 hours per day is eagerly watched by increasingly twitchy shareholders watching every move in the markets. This can lead to panic selling of investments and drive the markets even further down the plughole. Lately investors have been pulling the plug on any financial or banking shares due to instant news coming straight form television and the Internet websites and news channels. Of course it can be argued that this scenario works both ways, sending markets back up in the event af very rare good news. A few years back when the technology bubble dramatically burst, television was blamed by some for encouraging the prices of these stocks upwards, even contributing to "irrational exuberance" as described by former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan. One problem television has had in covering the recent financial meltdown is that so much is changing minute by minute. Our financial system has undergone a quick, dramatic transformation. TV coverage of live events is always extreme. It makes bad news seem worse and good news euphoric. Interestingly during the 1930's stock market crash events happened very slowly due to news travelling much more slowly. Now we have lightning fast, multi platform news hitting us from all sides. Will this make the current crash much more quickly and with much more disasterous consequences.