BBC Launches EE YouTube Channel
NEW YORK—The first press release in four years about EastEnders
emanating from the BBC's offices here announced its launch of a
dedicated YouTube channel.
Since BBC America's cancellation of EastEnders in September 2003
and its subsequent Dish Network subscription deal in 2004, the show
has been pretty much ignored on this side of the Atlantic by the
publicity department.
But a BBC Worldwide publicist must have recently dusted off the
EastEnders file to pitch the new YouTube channel to American
journalists with the following cover letter:
"Years before 'Donna Martin Graduates' and when the Gossip Girls were
still in diapers, BBC's EastEnders was paving the path for TV soap
operas and addressing the most taboo issues in mainstream culture. The
new EastEnders YouTube channel features classic moments from the show,
as well as additional footage and interviews with cast members to
provide a full user experience."
The channel can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.youtube.com/eastenders
The press release made no mention of BBC America pulling the plug
on the series five years ago, or how it remains on the schedules of
nine public TV stations.
But it did note that the EastEnders channel is the second launch
by BBC Worldwide, following the TopGear launch in August, "showing
BBC's ongoing dedication to providing international audiences with a
first-rate digital experience."
No information is available on when or even if the BBC plans to
make available its iPlayer (see page 12) service, which allows
complete episodes to be viewed online.
The press release says the YouTube EastEnders channel allows fans
to watch "classic and award-winning scenes from one of the U.K.'s most
watched soaps," such as Kat and Zoe's infamous "you're not my mother"
scene and Den telling Angie he wants a divorce. The archive will offer
notable Albert Square's births, deaths and marriages, fights and love
scenes.
"Only the most popular brands and shows will receive such
treatment and these program channels complement the existing BBC
Worldwide YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/bbcworldwide)," the release
stated.
"EastEnders themed content will also be added to the channel,
such as Alistair McGowan's Big Enders and other shows featuring the
cast including Shane Ritchie's interview on Parkinson, making the
channel the ultimate EastEnders destination."
Simon Danker, director of digital media for BBC Worldwide, said:
"We're committed to building more communities on the Web around shows
like EastEnders that people are really passionate about. We've done it
already with Top Gear on YouTube and MySpace and now this EastEnders
Channel will allow fans to communicate on a daily basis and watch
favorite moments from the soap."
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