BBC to Try TV On Demand

Shevek writes "The UK Independent newspaper is reporting on a new BBC trial: 'Later this month, the BBC will launch a pilot project that could lead to all television programmes being made available on the internet. Viewers will be able to scan an online guide and download any show. Programmes would be viewed on a computer screen or could be burned to a DVD and watched on a television set. Alternatively, programmes could be downloaded to a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) ... By launching iMP, the BBC hopes to avoid being left at the mercy of a software giant such as Microsoft, which could try to control the gateway to online television.' Yet more proof that the BBC license fee is an unmitigated Good Thing(TM)."

Comments

Socialized Entertainment

[leereyno]

I'm opposed to the per-tv "License Fee" charged by the British government on philosphical grounds.

Extracting a tax for simply owning a television set creates a captive audience and the quality of the programming suffers as a result. For every Monty Python's Flying Circus there are countless shows that wouldn't make it past the pilot phase here in the states. If the quality of programming on BBC-america is any indication, brits are being robbed.

I'm curious about something, and maybe some of you british slashdotters can answer some questions for me. What else is there on the air other than the BBC? How many channels do brits generally have to choose from? Is cable TV common, and if so what kind of channels are there on it? Do you get HBO? ESPN? I was told when I was a little kid that the BBC was the ONLY channel available over there. I find that hard to believe. Imagine if the only channel americans had to watch was PBS.

Lee

Ok then.

[mcdeath]

Let's split everything down the middle and call it quits. We'll pay you for what BBC shows we've gotten. You'll pay us for what American TV shows you've gotten. Then you can pay us your portion of the $7 trillion spent over the last 60 years defending your ass from the USSR. I would include the billions from WWII that were never repaid, but you go ahead and pay your share of the $7 trillion and I'll go ahead and write WWII debt off. Now that's a deal! You won't get a better deal from anyone else in the world! And I mean that in an absolutely literal sense.

Re:Ok then.

[mcdeath]

What *ancestors* you boob. It's only been 60 years. We're not talking about the Hundred Years War or any such thing. We're talking about something that started in 1946 right up the the dissolution of the USSR. As for your statement on the "provided troops in West Germany", well congratulations! So what. And again so what about the "major trading partners". Not to put a fine point on it but England wasn't a major trading partner. You were a major *charity case*. No duh eh? Even then I wrote specifically that I'm willing to write off the WWII debts right? Or didn't you read that part before you wrote that bit of utter nonsense? Nothing like putting up a strawman to make your argument easier eh? Just like a deadbeat to try and squirm out of paying. Let's face facts here. America put it's collective ass on the line to defend you European weenies while you did your level best avoid getting involved. As far as I'm concerned Europe, the EU, NATO and the UN can all go to hell. Whether you deadbeats ever do pay your fair share means nothing to me. ... You want out of the "special relationship"? Well guess what? ... So do WE. Hmmm. How about this. Next time your ass is on the line and your nation is going into the last swirl of the toilet bowl, don't call us.