- Kevin Marks on the BBC’s move towards more podcasts. He also suggests a ‘world service hack’ plus the creative archive could get around the UK-only restrictions.
Unfortunately as I understand it, the World Service isn’t paid for with the TV licence fee, but instead by the Foreign Office. I don’t think it gets free unlimited access to the BBC’s archives in perpetuity like that… - Apparently twelve year old fluffy muppet man to take over as Doctor Who
Although I’m still secretly seething about Eccleston’s ponce-off… - BBC News reports on Radio and Music opening up 20 more shows as podcasts…
And includes a classic picture of what they apparently think people who use iPods look like. Classy.
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3 replies on “Links for 2005-04-17”
I’m quite looking forward to David Tennant — and, after Eccleston’s on-the-record comments about RP, it’ll be interesting to see whether he uses his native Scots accent or the English, RP, one he used in Casanova.
The most disconcerting thing is that, for the first time, I’ll be older than the actor playing the Doc. Not quite sure how I feel about that. Old, mainly.
Not quite sure you can really describe Eccleston’s departure as “poncing off”, mind…
Since Kevin doesn’t have a comments system, I’ll post my reply to his ‘campaign’ here…
The reason BBC content isn’t available to download and listen to at leisure, is because of rights.
The BBC might own the programme(s) in question, but not the content (such as songs, movie clips etc.). Like it or not, this is why Real Networks is the distribution method at bbc.co.uk – because it’s difficult for average people to save off streamed content (live, or otherwise) and play it back whenever they choose.
This is why programmes like Fighting Talk have been targetted – they don’t contain problematic material; the BBC can embed an all-rights clause into the presenters’, guests’ and production teams’ contracts to ensure that the programme is non-embargoed, and therefor available to download.
If only the music industry (and the movie, and sport industry) would ease off on the restrictive embargos in place over the repeat use of their material, then all of the BBC’s content would be available online to download and listen to (or watch) over an over again.
But lets face it, ‘podcasting’ (how I hate that God-awful word), is in its infancy – and it’s not spectacularly popular at present – although, admittedly, it’s growing – but at the moment, it’s for the early-uptakers. The BBC’s approach is the right one – take it slowly, target programmes and networks where the uptake is likely to be high, and continually assess the progress.
All too often, people like Kevin have a very egocentric view of how these things should be done – but tend to fail to understand the inner workings and contractual machinations of making them happen; the funding of the World Service being a case in point. As you say, the World Service is funded by the Foreign Office (although, it is editorialised by the BBC).
Oh, and ‘Nation shall speak peace unto nation’ isn’t a remit, it’s the motto of the BBC as a whole. The World Service’s “remit” is the communication of news and information to the world.
Tom,
Whatever happened to the Beeb’s experiments with Ogg/Vorbis format? I had high hopes for it back then. My hopes are even higher with the advent of BBC podcasts.