SeeSaw

SeeSaw launched on February 17 2010. It offers 3,000 hours of programming on demand. With the BBC iPlayer, YouTube, MSN Video Player and Hulu offering similar services, the website is part of a developing trend for watching television on the internet.

WHO'S BEHIND IT

SeeSaw is the work of Arqiva, a Hampshire-based telecommunications company that provides the infrastructure for TV, radio, satellite and wireless communications in the UK. So far BBC, Channel 4, Five have all signed up to the service. ITV is yet to get involved, although some of its shows such as Kingdom are available due to deals being done with independent production companies. Later in the year SeeSaw hopes to add US shows to its library. It is also likely to introduce a charge for watching certain programmes.

HOW IT WORKS

SeeSaw is - in the jargon - on online aggregation service. In other words it collects things from lots of different places and conveniently puts them in one. You can use this site to catch up on shows from Five and Channel 4 from the past week, like Neighbours or Hollyoaks, or you can watch programmes the BBC archive, such as This Life, The Young Ones or Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle. It's very easy to use. Search for shows by category or channel, choose a show, click on it and start watching.

At the moment, SeeSaw is free to use, which means ads appear at the start and sometimes in the middle of shows. Currently in its Beta stage, SeeSaw will change and develop over the next year. As it stands, it's easy to use, well designed, and offers plenty of choice.

18 February 10