BBC on course for Nitro metadata migration

The BBC is on course to migrate its digital platforms to its new Nitro progamme metadata API by June, ahead of opening the API up to third-party users later this year.

In a blog post, Nitro project manager Kevin Stone said that the BBC is on track to complete the migration from its legacy metadata system, Dynamite, which was originally developed to provide data for the BBC iPlayer catch-up on-demand service.

The switch to Nitro, which is based on cloud technologies using the MarkLogic database technology, was accelerated following the launch of the 30-day catch-up window on iPlayer. The API has already been provided to partners including Virgin Media, Freeview and Microsoft.

Access to Nitro, limited by the use of an API key, is currently available only to BBC teams. However, Stone said that the BBC is working on opening it up to external non-commercial and hobbyist users as Nitro Public later this year.