[Sussex] BBC on-demand to be platform-agnostic

[Steve Dobson]

Dominic

On Wed, Feb 07, 2007 at 09:48:41AM -0700, linux at oneandoneis2.org wrote:
> Thought this might be of interest:
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press-releases/31-01-2007.html
> 
> Platform-agnostic approach: As proposed, the TV catch-up service on  
> the internet relies on Microsoft technology for the digital rights  
> management (DRM) framework. The Trust will require the BBC Executive  
> to adopt a platform-agnostic approach within a reasonable timeframe.   
> This requires the BBC to develop an alternative DRM framework to  
> enable users of other technology, for example, Apple and Linux, to  
> access the on-demand services.

I read that in the PVT.  The original proposal was to offer the catch-up
service with little or no restrictions.  Oftel and some other overseers 
thought that might have an adverse effect on the marketplace if the BBC
were to offer it's past broadcast content in and unrestricted way.

In order to encourage competition the recommendation was to use Microsoft's
DRM technology in XP (or later) and WMPv10 (or later) to limit when most
of the BBC' content would be available on-demand.

In my reply I will be pointing out that the licenses for some (or all) of
Microsoft's media formats are themselves anti-competitive as they contain
a non-GPL implementation clause.  As the BBC's charter requires the BBC is
operate in a manor that encourages competition in the marketplace (in this
instance the new on-demand marketplace) I am hoping that this will be a
compelling argument not to use Microsoft's DRM (unless they remove the
non-GPL clause).

My recommendation is for the BBC to offer the catch-up services and open
format, but at reduced resolution and quality (many mono too).  By reducing
the quality I believe that this will still provide value to any commercial
offerings of the content (on either DVD or via a commercial on-demand
services) as well as reducing the bandwidth requirements need to access the
catch-up service.

I think the reduced bandwidth suggestion is an important one.  Elsewhere in
the PVT it is noted that higher bandwidth requirements might disadvantage
some from access the BBC's on-demand service.

Steve
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