Past:
Nokia – Mobile Device Technology Company (Hardware)
BBC – Moving image Distribution (production handled internally, and outsourced)

Future/Now:

Nokia: Mobile Device Technology + Internet company
BBC: Moving Image Distribution (production mostly outsourced)

So despite the iPlayer and moves within the BBC to utilise emerging technologies, they are still intrinsically a closed system.

Nokia on the other hand through things like Beta labs, Nokia Conversations and their work with S60 effectively leverage public coders through extensive API’s to not only create new content, but applications and software systems that make it to the end user via their distribution platform (handsets – eg: sports trackerLife Tracker).

The BBC labs do this, but it’s still a closed system. Broadcasters could learn a lot by watching Nokia.

The best innovation is what I’m focussed on – could care less who comes up with it.

I’d love to hear a discussion of how the BBC allows sites to use its content. Lets avoid the question of whether content should be made available for longer/outside the U.K. etc.

Comments that a debate would need to be well informed are bang on. There’s a very dull direction that they often take:

Q: I’ve paid my licence fee, why can’t I use content forever/wherever (and BTW I don’t like the ‘DRM’ that attempts to restrict my rights).
BBC: Actually, you/the BBC haven’t paid for the content anywhere/everywhere. To do so would be prohibitively expensive. Your grandmother could not watch Songs of Praise etc.
Q: Well, that makes no sense to me, because the technology places no real restriction on me using the content wherever/whenever.
BBC: But the law places a restriction, so either do it quietly or hear from someone’s lawyers.

Collective sigh. Annoyance or hand-shaking depending on the demeanour of the debaters.

Leaving aside the question of when/where I can view content, I’d like to know:

Why can I embed a YouTube video in my blog, but not an iPlayer video?

A BBC equivalent of the YouTube Chromeless Player would be really nice. (more here: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage-developer@lists.bbc.co.uk/msg00066.html)

The reason for the limited API probably has something to do with adding ‘public value’ if people come to iPlayer to see Eastenders, and leave having watched Panorama. That assumes that more public value is generated if the BBC keep control of navigation, i.e., the BBC will provide better navigation if they don’t share the task with the public.

Now, here is an interesting debate:

Is the nation better off if the BBC control the navigation, or if they crowd-source?

My view is that the crowd are a vital part of the mix – assuming: the BBC do a good job of making the underlying programmes both entertaining and of ‘public value’, and present it all thru an API that allows you to easily link to more than just Eastenders.

Mike Call me you got my number right?

It could be the most progressive 21 century content generator and distributor on the globe , driving its own future past the day when the Licence evaporates ( which it will one day ) B for effort on iPlayer maybe if I share your generous mood but it all feels like an organization hiding frightened behind its own skirts.

To do that imho it needs to be more than “BBC vs the opposing vested interests” show.

I also think to shed light, I’d want to be sure the whole panel was already fully aware of things like:

- the BBC’s IP rights position,
- their Charter conditions,
- the fundamental economics behind what is being proposed here

….as these are fundamental to his debate, and not understanding them would make any discussion pretty useless.

C4 is doing a pre-launch of its investment program at MiniBar
http://internetpro.meetup.com/10/calendar/8043647/

Its fully booked already, but we will post a video and maybe Mike could link to it

Alx – That would be possible, if you were prepared to get everyone to pay £500 for their tv license so the BBC could buy out all the rights. Care to explain to my Mum, who doesn’t even have an internet connection, why that would represent good value to her?

I would put Umair Haque on the panel to cover the platform and openness aspect. Possibly include Jemima Kiss (although she’s a little annoyed at TC at the moment). Jeff Jarvis would also be useful if he is in town.

Regards,

Simon

The issue of opening up this library to UK entrepreneurs to build upon and develop with is a superb topic for discussion and I know for one, we would be delighted to give our UK users (at least) the ability to search, compile, aggregate and curate older educational and kids content from the BBC for wider consumption. We’d be happy to link extensively back to the BBC with due credit and branding.

For example, should there not be a ‘first airing’ date before which, BBC content becomes freely available under license on a BBC version of a creative commons license? For example, any content, or certain genres of content first aired prior to 1980? It’s unfortunate that there are literally millions of hours of BBC content produced in the 20th century there literally is no copy of.

We’d be happy to take part in this debate and work constructively to listen and contribute on a dialogue with the BBC.

Alx Klive
WorldTV.com