With the BBC being funded by licence payers in the UK, it has restrictions on what it can and cannot do – which makes it frustrating if you are outside the country trying to watch things. But now, unsurprisingly, they are looking to offer a commercial website outside of the UK, funded by ads. This looks like it will offer the interactive programmes/downloads similar to what is provided in the UK now and the new planned features, such as the downloads. BBC Worldwide and America are already partly funded commercially, so it is in line with that area.
In other BBC news, eBay has finally caught up with Blue Peter badgeholders, Winners of such badges get free entry into many attractions around the country, but the auction of some badges has meant that the benefit has been suspended until additional security can be added. Here’s an idea – evryone gets a small clip of them being awared the badge they can play on their mobile phones 😉 Of course, the real solution will likely be far more boring.
I’ve discussed this before on several occasions, but got nothing but mumble from BBC folk.
The World Service is funded by the Foreign Office with the explicit remit of bringing British culture as represented by the BBC to the world. As online is orders of magnitude cheaper than terrestrial broadcast according to Ashley Highfield, why is it not using it’s money for this, instead of these half-baked commercial offerings?
I didn’t know the funding came from the Foreign office. Online would be a far beeter way of utilising those funds…but only in areas where there is adequate online access. You’ll still need to use radio/TV which which are still more common in many areas.