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BBC to Offer Videos Online?

i hate the way the article suggests the bbc are doing us a favour by giving videos out for free..seeing as they can't make a profit, what the hell else are they going to do?!

i love the bbc and most of the content they provide is fantastic. however, forcing everyone to pay their license fee (whether they want to watch or not) and then ignoring Mac users..hmm..doesn't sound very fair to me..

(and anyone who says it's coming to mac..they've grouped Mac and Linux support together. That basically means 'We don't care, so probably never')
 
Although I haven't tried it (because I don't have a Video iPod), I am sure you can already watch loads of BBC content (and more) on your Video iPod, if you're in the UK.

Buy yourself an Elgato EyeTV (which, in my opinion, are excellent) to record content as it is broadcast. Using an Internet EPG service like tvtv.co.uk, it's dead easy.

The Elagto EyeTV software already provides a handful of export format options, and if there isn't an option suitable for the Video iPod now, I am sure there will be one soon. It should at least be possible via Quicktime Pro.

Obviously, it is up to the user to use the content responsibly without breaching anti-piracy laws.

Regards
Superleccy
 
asif786 said:
i hate the way the article suggests the bbc are doing us a favour by giving videos out for free..seeing as they can't make a profit, what the hell else are they going to do?!
Click to expand...

You're right, they can't make a profit. But, they still need revenue to supplement what they get from the Licence Fee. Remember they also get revenue from DVDs and CDs, and the sale of shows to other broadcasters around the globe.

asif786 said:
i love the bbc and most of the content they provide is fantastic. however, forcing everyone to pay their license fee (whether they want to watch or not) and then ignoring Mac users..hmm..doesn't sound very fair to me.
Click to expand...

It's just a question of practacality. Contrarty to what you may think, the BBC are not rolling in money. They are under pressure to cut spending, especially in their "new media" areas, which (rightly or otherwise) are not seen as for the benefit of the "average" licence fee payer.

To do Mac and Linux prototypes in parallel with the Windoze prototype, especially when the service is as yet unproven, would not be an expense they could justify internally.

Being a Mac user, I've got used to seeing services like this made available for Windoze long before the Macintosh. In my experience, however, my patience has always been rewarded, eventually.

Regs
Superleccy
 
This would be fantastic if it comes to fruitition.

iMP is a neat idea, but it relies heavily on Microsoft's WindowsMedia DRM. If the BBC were to use Fairplay, that would allow it to work for both Windows and Mac users.

But if the programmes were available from iTMS for free, what would Apple be getting out of all of this?
 
andysmith said:
But if the programmes were available from iTMS for free, what would Apple be getting out of all of this?
Click to expand...

The same thing they're getting from free Podcasts: more iPod buyers and iTunes users.
 
superleccy said:
You're right, they can't make a profit. But, they still need revenue to supplement what they get from the Licence Fee. Remember they also get revenue from DVDs and CDs, and the sale of shows to other broadcasters around the globe.



It's just a question of practacality. Contrarty to what you may think, the BBC are not rolling in money. They are under pressure to cut spending, especially in their "new media" areas, which (rightly or otherwise) are not seen as for the benefit of the "average" licence fee payer.

To do Mac and Linux prototypes in parallel with the Windoze prototype, especially when the service is as yet unproven, would not be an expense they could justify internally.

Being a Mac user, I've got used to seeing services like this made available for Windoze long before the Macintosh. In my experience, however, my patience has always been rewarded, eventually.

Regs
Superleccy
Click to expand...



Actual the BBC can make a profit .. well some parts of the BBC can. They have a number of commercial divisions which exists to do just that. ie. BBC Worldwide, BBC Resources etc. The difference is that the profit gets reinvested back into the BBC for programme making and to help reduce overall costs.

BBC Worldwide already sell lots of their content to other broadcasters around the world. I imagine initially any free content would be limited to the UK only but I would not be surprised if they also, at some point, sell content via iTunes. I can't see any reason why that could not happen except for the usual copyright stuff.

They do have a HUGE archive of content, some real classic stuff. They also have one of largest film / audio archives in the world. A real treasure, especially the natural history archive. It used to be a real treat working with some of the most beautiful footage available.

I now live outside the UK. I really miss the BBC, TV is awful in Spain :(. The commercials can go on for half an hour. Watching a film can end up being an all day event ! I would rather pay a license fee than suffer painfully bad commercials.

I would happily pay for some BBC content. But as i worked for them for 5 years and paid my licence fee for many more, I feel a bit left out now :rolleyes:
 
Lord Blackadder said:
I'm assuming us yanks are going to get the shaft and not have access...
Click to expand...

I'd like to see BBC content available to everyone outside the UK, as long as they are prepared to pay a reasonable fee.

If not, an alternative solution for you can be found Here.

:p

Regards
Superleccy
 
Lord Blackadder said:
I'm assuming us yanks are going to get the shaft and not have access...
Click to expand...

Apple leave the rest of the world out in their software and other offering - so you know what exclusion is like... ;-)
 
This feature is for UK only :confused: - digital rights management - only viewable after download for 8 days after show originally airs - only windows platform.

Not for iTunes or iPod viewing.

Darn

Would have liked to view Dr Who.

Oh well :eek:
 
superleccy said:
To all the readers of this thread, please stand up.

God save the BBC
Long live our BBC
God save the Beeb

Send it your licence fee
Happy and advert-free
Long to broadcast me
God save the Beeb

You can sit down now.
Click to expand...

Yeah Baby! Bring "Coronation Street" to the rest of the world :rolleyes:
 
Eventually all of the BBC shows will be available through their stock footage archive. I have used this service and the BBC reps have been very nice and got me my master quick.

I have only good thing to say about the BBC.

http://www.bbcmotiongallery.com
 
CountZero said:
If you are in the US, you can already get Top Gear from the Discovery Channel.
Click to expand...

Not anymore. Discovery killed it, and there are rumors that anti-American comments by Jeremy Clarkson were the cause (I doubt it). I have heard some rumblings that it will be back in a different format (Clarkson didn't like the original way that the show was adapted) in December. Well see...but in the meantime a lot of US Top Gear fans are going P2P.

They should just air the original Top Gear episodes on BBC America, but apparently the BBC thinks we're too dumb to figure out what a "boot" and "bonnet" are, and won't be interested in hearing about Vauxhalls, "the motorway" TVRs and French cars in general. I beg to differ. ;)
 
Giving "foreigners" access to the content via a fee would be an excellent way for the BBC to earn extra income. For that, the iTMS would surely be a viable distribution method?
 
I think every Englishman living abroad would pay through the nose to have "Match of the Day" on the their iPod the next morning.

It won't happen, the BBC would never sign up to something like iTunes which openly promotes the iPod.

If anything, it'll be available on mobile phones sooner or later.
 
I would really like this, but I have a feeling it's not going to happen any time soon. I hope I'm wrong though! :D
 
Sounds like a great idea to me. Hope they make it available to people outside the UK too for a reasonable fee.
 
This isn't new news.

Its been known since the beginning of the year that the BBC was working on iMP. However, that should not stop BBC Worldwide from licensing BBC content to be sold through the iTunes Store for non-UK markets.

New Doctor Who would sell huge on iTunes here in the States considering BBC Worldwide will not allow for a US DVD release until the show airs on an American cable channel*. It would be quite a cult program if it were exclusive to iTunes for a good six months. And sales from it along with the hype would generate renewed interest from the American cable channels to pick it up even with the lofty monies BBC Worldwide is demanding.




*And yes, I know there's going to be a Canadian DVD release in February and since Canada is in R1, those discs can be played natively on American DVD players but the fact still remains that there still won't be a legitimate sales offering here in the States.
 
kerpow said:
I think every Englishman living abroad would pay through the nose to have "Match of the Day" on the their iPod the next morning.

It won't happen, the BBC would never sign up to something like iTunes which openly promotes the iPod.

If anything, it'll be available on mobile phones sooner or later.
Click to expand...

What about the BBC podcasts on iTunes? Sure there is no fee, but the BBC signed up to it.
 
superleccy said:
I'd like to see BBC content available to everyone outside the UK, as long as they are prepared to pay a reasonable fee.

If not, an alternative solution for you can be found Here.

:p

Regards
Superleccy
Click to expand...

I imagine it will be the likes of me, who have paid a uk licence for 17 odd years, and then moving back home, will be unable to access what I have paid for?
 
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