"Josh at GoUK.com" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Thanks, Martin, for the explanation - appreciated and understood. > > In an era where we now have IP video delivery (and such delivery will > increase in the future) then what is the point of the BBC? If Paul Jackson > Productions can produce Red Dwarf IV, why not just sell it direct on the net > (every production company can be its own IP driven "TV station") - what is > the point of a BBC funded by the licence fee? At one time, the BBC was > needed as a distributor of content, but do we still need the BBC to do that > now if everyone has the ability to publish and distribute on their > own?
The BBC is (and always has been) an editorial organization. There is still a role for this. It's a trusted place to get content. The contract between the consumer and the editor is "I pay you and you find entertaining and informative content that I want to watch". That contract can continue into the digital age no matter how good the tools get I am still lazy enough to want someone else to find new things for me. > I'm also concerned that the licence fee is used to support the BBC's net > activities - it gives the BBC a huge advantage over other net companies who > don't get public money to support their online ventures. So am I. So the BBC better find ways to justify it quick. One compelling way would be to work towards free-er content. I think this should be a stated aim of the organization. An interesting consideration is that talent will be much less concentrated and managed in the near future. democracyplayer and youtube are already showing how people are doing it for themselves (once again, porn shows the way). How long before "amateur" dramas that people *want* to watch are common? How long before virtual world actors (as in secondlife) are doing the job of soap opera? It only needs a bit more 3d power and a chunk more bandwidth. One of the things that has stopped free content is the rights of the talent. I hope someone at the BBC is thinking about this stuff. -- Nic Ferrier http://www.tapsellferrier.co.uk for all your tapsell ferrier needs - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
