Ian Partridge wrote:
One thing I've always found unconvincing is the way the BBC bleats "but the production companies won't let us distribute the content DRM-free!". The BBC has major clout - it could say "from now on, all production contracts we sign HAVE to allow DRM-free redistribution". It could refuse to pay megabucks for that. Given the piss-poor state that ITV is in at the moment, what would the rights-holders do? Take their bat and ball and go where exactly? The rights-holders need the BBC just as much as the BBC needs them - if not more.
Can I suggest that you read up on the recent Writers Guild of America strike, with particular attention to the causes of the strike (notably the issue of residuals for new media distribution[1]) and the consequences - for the guild-members, "a beachhead on the Internet and in new media that will guarantee our share of a potentially vast and bountiful future"[2] according to the guilds' presidents.
S [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007-2008_Writers_Guild_of_America_strike [2] http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2781 - 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]/
