BBC Turns to P2P for VOD

This is the story of how one of the West’s most respected content brands turned to technology first pioneered by pirates to offer what could be one of the most far-reaching commitments by a major broadcaster to on-demand TV.

Maybe.

The "maybe" comes in the form of a constantly reiterated tone of caution emanating from the organization in question, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), regarding the scope of the proposed service, MyBBCPlayer. This caution, suggest observers, is partly due to the BBC’s corporate culture but also a product of the complexities of the political landscape in which the BBC operates. What is certain, however, is that many others are watching developments with a great deal of interest, both in Europe and globally.

The specifics of the project are relatively straightforward. The BBC–home of TV properties like Eastenders, The Office, and BBC World–is to market-test technology that could evolve into a something it calls MyBBCPlayer. This new service will allow viewers (U.K.-only, to start with) to download BBC content legally. This will comprise the most recent seven days of programs, plus some episodes of popular shows before they are broadcast on the TV network. Other features being discussed include a simulcast capability where viewers can record programs on one channel on the Web while simultaneously watching another major channel on their TV. Meanwhile, a portion of the BBC's vast archive of audio and video material may also be accessed via MyBBCPlayer. The software may also let viewers to buy items via the BBC Web site, which would be a big leap from the current public service features of the BBC’s online sites.

The announcement was made in August at the U.K.’s broadcasting headliner event, the Edinburgh Television Festival, by the recently appointed head of the BBC, Mark Thompson ("director-general" in BBC-speak). "We believe that on-demand changes the terms of the debate, indeed that it will change what we mean by the word 'broadcasting'," he said. "Every creative leader in the BBC is wrestling with the question of what the new technologies and audience behaviors mean for them and their service," he went on. "[MyBBCPlayer] should make it easier for users to find the content they want whenever and wherever they want it."

It seems straightforward enough: a major content provider has made a smart move with technology anticipating the growing surge of interest in on-demand TV. But that interpretation misses some of both the political nuances of the BBC’s intentions and its possibly explosive impact on the programming market in not just the U.K., but globally as well.

In contrast to the comparatively under-funded public broadcasting service in the U.S., for instance, the BBC is a dominant and very well-supported public institution. That funding mainly comes in the form of a universal tax on all television users, currently some £126.50 ($217) for a color device (there’s less charged for black and white sets, and older citizens get a discount). The BBC has requested that the license fee to go up by 2.3% above inflation from 2007 to boost even more investment in digital services, including an online program that has already cost some £80 million ($137 million). As a result, the BBC has strong presence in TV, radio, and the Web; its online presence, www.bbc.co.uk, received 48.1 million unique visitors in 2004-05, for instance, as well as wide recognition for the quality of its programming and news coverage.