BBC Views Content Piracy As Wake-Up Call

Peregr1n writes "The BBC is reporting that they view the piracy of a Doctor Who episode before its broadcast date earlier this year as a 'wake-up call about the demand for new technology', in a refreshing change of opinion from most media/broadcasting corporations, who would damn this piracy without hesitation. They are forming plans to simulcast the television channels BBC1 and BBC2 on the web, as well as allowing users (only in the UK to start with, unfortunately) access to shows for a week after the broadcast date. It is worth noting that they are already trying out a system where they make shows available on the web before television broadcast, with The Mighty Boosh. Other BBC3 comedies are due to follow suit and become available on the internet first." Relatedly, shadowlight1 writes "K9, Doctor Who's lovable robotic dog, is returning to the new series with a cameo in season 2."

Comments

BBC TV

[superspaz]

If the BBC does this internationally I'd be willing to pay for their content. Currently they have news clips available on-line and I would welcome a move towards internet broadcasting. I am tired of paying for 50 channels of cable when I only watch 5 of them and one of my other favorite channels I can only get by paying another $25 a month for an extended plan.

Re:BBC TV

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, I imagine if there are enough Americans to vote to rescind that pesky "Declaration of Independance" thing, something could be worked out....

I wish more companies did this

[OsirisX11]

ACTUALLY LISTENED!

Look! Pay attention all who hate on piracy and despise users for doing what they want:

Google listens, gives everything away for free, yet is one of the richest and most loved companies.

BBC is just now listening to what people say,
and now we must give them respect for doing that.

MPAA recently said that they could be wrong too, and that their movies sucked. They do.

What a novel concept! Give people what they want and they won't hate you so much.

Go with the flow instead of against it. Gah, haven't you people read the Tao?

Err...

[mccalli]

K9, Doctor Who's lovable robotic dog...

Or "Satan's Hound Of Comedy-Sidekick Hell", to give him his full title.

I will never forgive the BBC, or indeed the world in general, for allowing the theme tune to K9 And Company to be inflicted on this poor unsuspecting child...

Cheers,
Ian

Reason for difference

[Bogtha]

As much as people from abroad take the piss for our "TV license", it's nice to have a media corporation act in the public's interest rather than being legally obliged to do everything in its power to make money for its shareholders, unlike typical broadcast corporations.

"It's a great way of getting public service content, which people have already paid for, out to people in a different way," she said.

Here's the crucial difference: the BBC think "they've already paid for it, how can we give them better access to what they have paid for?", and other corporations think "they've already paid for it, how can we make them pay for it again?".

Compare and contrast with, say, the RIAA, who flatly deny that you buy music, rather "a license to listen", and run the upgrade treadmill - buy on vinyl, buy on cassette, buy on CD, buy on DVD-A, buy online - but tie it up in DRM so you'll still have to pay for a copy for the office and your car too.

At some point, corporations should recognise that they've been more than compensated for the cost of producing it, and let it go. But they are unable to do so as long as shareholders are able to turn around and sue them for not milking the public for every penny they can.

piracy isn't alway about getting it for free...

[acomj]

Although most of time getting stuff for free is the goal. In this case, its fans wanting to see the new show in the first case. In this case the pirates or a good percentage of them would probably pay to buy the video/dvd etc.. I could be wrong but some of that BBC stuff isn't even available in the states, forcing die-hard fans into pirating.

Piracy for movies and songs that have been around in the market for a while, is all about getting it for free. These folks probably wouldn't pay no matter what.

There is talk about releasing dvds at the same time as movies in theaters. Seeing as a DVD costs about as much as 2 tickets, I think it might help with group 1, but not with the "i'm never going to pay" group.

Hope they will do this internationally

[earthlingpink]

The Beeb has been talking about doing this for a while (and trials have apparently started). It will be interesting to see if they can allow non-UK residents access to such a service.

It's not a technological issue preventing this; it's actually the BBC's Royal Charter, which states that any overseas venture has to be paid for with money that is not derived from the license fee (also, there could be potential international copyright issues; however, the fact that the World Service broadcasts music, amongst other things, to the four corners of the world suggests that the BBC is in a position where it can come to reasonable agreements with copyright holders).

So on that basis, a serious question: how many people outside of the UK would be willing to pay for access to BBC programming over the web?

Those Brits never give up.

[Overzeetop]

We won, fair and square, almost 250 years ago, and yet they just keep trying to undermine our way of life here in the US. This type of economic warfare will not go unnoticed by our leaders. When the poor and infirm media executives can barely afford to feed their families, and have to go begging on the street for face-lift and breast augmentation money, there will be action. As Americans, we shouldn't have to put up with this kind of communistic pandering to the "people". We have the miltary might to thrash you again...don't test us!

(remember to post AC, remember to poast AC, remember to post AC...)

Re:Those Brits never give up.

[Anonymous Coward]

We won, fair and square, almost 250 years ago

I wouldn't say it was entirely fair. Your unexpected stategy of cowering behind the French left us helpless with laughter.

refreshing

[tero]

If only other media companies would pick this up!

Next thing we need is a global service - I understand BBC limiting itself to UK to begin with, it is financed with UK tax money after all, however I really would like to see the day when broadcasters realize the power of global audience.. most companies are already global, and I would think the likes of Coca Cola, Nokia, Sony and Microsoft would see the possibilies of global marketing and the money they'd save/make by running their advers with something like that.

The superduper DRM schemes and limiting products to special markets only (through DVD regions for example) seems like a very odd and counter-productive thing to do from a global point of view.

Maybe what I'm asking for is utopia and maybe the current money flow is enough to keep us inprisoned to strange regional marketing schemes for years to come.. but maybe some day we consumers get the point through.. here's to hoping!

Hollywood is starting to change as well

[Samir Gupta]

Ever notice how nowadays, almost all major movies are simultaneously released worldwide -- or at the most, within a few days?

Before Internet piracy took off, movies would be delayed for months before overseas release.

And I would guess that broadband ISPs, hard drive makers, CD /DVD media or burner manufacturers, PC makers in general have also benefitted enormously over the past few years due to illicit copying, These technologies -- all with legitimate non-piracy applications -- are now inexpensive ubiquitous. Had it not been for piracy, I'd submit it wouldn't be the case today.

I'm not claiming it's justifiable morally, but it's not all 100% evil.

Stuff that sucks on PBS

[homebrewmike]

> **this is not an endorsement for state sponsored
> programs or wholesale socialism, because most
> of the time it sucks...

Yeah, "socialist tv really sucks:"
NOVA, Wall Street Week, Seasame Street, This Old House, Victory Garden, McNeal Leher Report, Cosmos, Scientific Frontiers...

Not to mention, the cooperation that brought us:
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. Who, Blake 7, Benny Hill, Faulty Towers, Monty Python,

As opposed to Quality TV on Korporate Funded Networks:
Friends, pick your favorite reality show, Different Strokes, Heehaw, the 700 Club, GMA, Katie Couric, Friends,

Sure, Korporate TV does get some things right, but show for show, "socialist tv" is doing a hell of a lot better.

All I can say is: WE allready have this

[SargeantLobes]

Finally?

We (the dutch) are allready doing this. The website (http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/ translate as "Missed Broadcast/Episode" hosts most of the stuff broadcast by public access (three channles here), it's all avaialable for free, and without commercials (which our public access does have, but only in between shos, not during).

I myself am enjoying this service so much, that I'm thinking of not getting a TV at all (I'm moving out soon, finally), since I'll be able to get my news, and background (60 minutes like shows) from the forementioned website. I'll just get the big american shows from the web, I usually end up doing that now anyway, since our (fully) commercial channels are atleast six months behind on the americans.