Channel 5 launches improved Demand 5

If you read the comments often under any of the telly companies replay services online you’ll find comments suggesting the content won’t play, or in commercial network cases, will play the adverts but not the programme. Today Channel 5 have launched an improved Demand 5 aimed to make the service usable on Windows 8.

Demand 5 for Windows 8 is the latest development in Channel 5’s strategy of reaching viewers on a wide range of connected devices and follows launches on YouView and Sky On Demand for Demand 5 in recent months.

Paul Thornton-Jones, Head of Digital Media at Channel 5, said: “We’re very excited about providing another way for our audience to watch their favourite Channel 5 programmes. It’s a demonstration of our continuing innovation in video-on-demand, and a deepening of our relationship with Microsoft, which began in 2011 with the launch of Demand 5 for Xbox and more recently with Windows 8 participation in Gadget Show Live events.”

Demand 5 for Windows 8 showcases Channel 5’s full range of catch up content as well as an extensive library of programmes, including its ever popular Milkshake! strand for pre-school children. The app provides an easy to use, high quality viewing experience for owners of PCs and tablets running Windows 8.

Anand Krishnan, Senior Director, Developer and Platform Evangelism Group at Microsoft, adds, “It’s great that Channel 5 is bringing Windows 8 to life and innovating how it delivers content to its broad audience of consumers. Intuitive, immersive apps such as Demand 5 are really at the heart of the excitement that we’re seeing around Windows 8.”

Windows 8 has been described as “the worst operating system ever” with ease of use noted as being lacking from the latest Microsoft offering.

[Reported by Neil Lang]