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Channel Five becomes UK's first telly download shop
A Porsche for £1.50?

By Jo Best

Published: Tuesday 22 March 2005

Channel Five fancies itself as the iTunes of the TV world - the station has announced viewers will be able to download programme snippets for £1.50 each.

The UK's youngest button not depending on digital broadcasting is now selling online downloads of its motoring show Fifth Gear, which Five is promising are DVD quality.

Online petrolheads won't be able to download whole editions of the car show for the £1.50 price tag, just individual features from the series, including reviews of 'supercars' such as the Porsche 911, as well as the televised race between a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Ducati 999.

Five is also tapping m-commerce to entice younger wannabe Schumachers, with downloads available for purchase by mobile.

The channel picked 7 Digital to supply the download store and will use Microsoft's DRM technology to keep the video clips locked down.

Five and its programme makers are doubtless hoping consumers' reaction to TV downloads will match their reaction to the raft of music store openings, with many pirates willing to buy from legitimate sites when offered a legal choice.

TV piracy is already rampant in the UK. The nation now accounts for one fifth of the world's TV piracy, according to a recent report.