Slashdot Mirror
BBC Signs 'Memo of Understanding' With Microsoft
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has signed a memorandum of understanding with the BBC for 'strategic partnerships' in the development of next-generation digital broadcasting techniques. They are also speaking to other companies such as Real and Linden Labs. Windows Media Centre platform, Windows Live Messenger application and the Xbox 360 console have all been suggested as potential gateways for BBC content. It is unclear how this impacts on existing BBC research projects such as Dirac, although it is understood that the BBC would face heavy criticism if its content was only available via Microsoft products."
Most BBC content is available in both Real and Windows Media formats.
All this means is that BBC content will be available through Microsoft's distribution channels, in addition to the current distribution channels. Hardly newsworthy.
This is horrible news, how exactly is Microsoft DRM a better option than cross platform Real formats? At least Real provide a linux compatible player.
Software Freedom Day!.
You need to understand who the BBC is and how it is funded. In the UK it is illegal (it is actually a criminal offense) to watch TV unless you, in effect, subscribe to the UK State Broadcaster. This is done by means of the so called 'license fee' - a license to watch TV, all of the receipts from which go to the BBC.
As a result, one of the main activities of magistrates courts in the UK is to jail single mothers for not subscribing to the BBC. One conjectures that neither these ladies nor their children have the slightest interest in watching the BBC, but they will pay for it anyway, and if not, go to jail.
The fee is not small. It is well north of $150 a year. It rises every year, faster than inflation. It is probably one of the most regressive taxes ever devised, and falls most heavily on those who can least afford it.
The BBC then spends substantial amounts of this money to go into new businesses which are already perfectly well covered by the private sector, and it usually succeeds owing to its ability to do cross marketing - magazines linked to shows. So the UK State Broadcaster is also the UK State Magazine Publisher, and is the largest magazine publisher in the UK.
Now we read that the BBC is to strike a strategic agreement with Microsoft. Will anyone be in the least surprised when this turns out to be a vehicle for further attempts to raise the license fee still further, and to extend the BBC's activities still further?
What we in the UK need more than anything is to make subscription to the State Broadcaster optional, and to stop jailing poor people for the crime of wanting to watch some other TV channels, while not subscribing to it.
It is as if, in the US, you were obliged to buy a copy of the NY Times, or commit a criminal offense every time you read a newspaper. It is as if you could only buy a PC with Windows on it. These are the same people, with the same basic attitudes: compulsion is good.
Dirac is out there and has been for a long time
Oh yes indeed. There's even a video to watch while you're waiting...
BTW, more info on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirac_(codec).