BBC on YouTube
The embargo just came off a BBC announcement that they’re putting video on YouTube to reach more audience, worldwide. “YouTube is a key gateway through which to engage new audiences in the UK and abroad,” BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said in the release. “It’s essential that the BBC embraces new ways of reaching wider audiences with non-exclusive partnerships such as these.” Smart, those Brits.
The BBC will put up clips of new shows and promotional stuff about such stalwarts as Doctor Who. BBC Worldwide — which, as a for-profit division will take advertising — will show clips from Top Gear, Spooks, shows with David Attenborough, and more. And BBC Global News will provide 30 news clips a day, also ad-supported (and available only to us ferners). From the release: “Users will be able to comment on clips, rate them, recommend them to friends and post their own video responses to communicate with the BBC and other viewers.”
I’ll link to articles when they make it online.
:LATER: Here’s Media Guardian’s coverage.
Tags: bbc, Exploding_TV, youtube
March 2nd, 2007 at 6:49 am
I’m wondering, since I also got on the YouTube with stuff of mine - what is coming down the pipe financially? This is becoming a big shift in tactics. Someone has to build the storage reservoirs and the pipes to our desks, well they are built, I’m here. Aren’t they going to clog up? I’m always looking for the conspiracy, sorry can’t help it.
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:48 am
Jeff,
It’s a fascinating move. And it doesn’t mean that the BBC will allow any old Joe to put BBC clips on YouTube. They say they may well still act over copyright infringement.
You can find details of the deal here: http://media.guardian.co.uk/newmedia/story/0,,2025231,00.html
and analysis of the deal here: http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,2025318,00.html.
Or you could have read about it two months ago here: http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,,1995908,00.html
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:48 am
[...] programs (e.g. “Top Gear”, “Doctor Who”, docs, etc.).[via Tod Maffin and Jeff Jarvis] “YouTube is a key gateway through which to engage new audiences in the UK and abroad,†BBC [...]
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
My Blog Reading Peeve: Mentioning Embargos…
The first sentence of Jeff Jarvis’ post about the BBC’s deal with YouTube reminded me of something: The embargo just came off a BBC announcement that they’re putting video on YouTube to reach more audience, worldwide. It reminded me that……
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:56 pm
[...] BuzzMachine The embargo just came off a BBC announcement that they’re putting video on YouTube to reach more [...]
March 2nd, 2007 at 7:35 pm
First it was the Beatles, and now THIS…
….are we EVER going to catch up with these people?
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:18 pm
[...] that they’re limiting the offerings: They keep control, but they reach new audiences. This will be a major new model. It’s not an “if” anymore [...]
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:44 am
God save the Queen. And he can send Viacom a message while he’s at it.
March 4th, 2007 at 9:43 am
But don’t forget that the BBC has no shareholders and thus no profit motive, so it’s questionable whether this has relevance to the stances taken by US networks etc. Furthermore, it’s not a done deal because the management allegedly did not consult the BBC Trust (which oversees the organisation on behalf of the government and tax payer) and sharing advertising revenues (even in overseas territories) may be in contravention of the BBC charter.