Lesley wrote:
>Lora wrote:
>> Unfortunatly iplayer is region locked, even hotspot shield doesn't work 
>> against it (region masking)
>
>Ah, I didn't know that.  I assumed it was available universally.
>
Most of the radio output is available universally.  It's all to do with
copyright.  The BBC either make their own radio programmes or commission
other companies to  make them, so the BBC holds the worldwide copyright and
can choose where it is available.  During 2009 the practice changed so
almost all radio can be streamed live and almost all the iPlayer radio
content is available without any region locking.

TV however is different.  If it is a bought in programme then the BBC will
only have purchased UK rights so they cannot make it available elsewhere by
any method.  For programmes the BBC makes itself sale of broadcast rights in
other countries is a lucrative source of income, especially 'first
broadcast' so they do not make it available over iPlayer outside UK.

>However I can access and copy the source flash files and convert it to another 
>file type for putting online, circumventing the region lock but the legality 
>of that is a tad suspect ( I see it as not being a problem since it's free to 
>watch anyway)
This is breaking the copyright and is not legal; copyright does not depend
on payment. The BBC output is not free since owners of TV sets (and other
devices with TV tuners) have to pay an annual licence fee which goes to the
BBC to fund it.

Steph
In Berlin, Germany

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